Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Family Voices

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Universal Design

The design of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability, or other factors.

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What is Universal Design?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) focuses on improving and optimizing the design of instructional goals, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

How do we address Universal Design?

Partner with the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), creator of UDL guidelines, and other similar organizations.

Use the resources from CAST’s National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning to provide technical assistance to Family Voices staff and create training materials that are accessible and align with UDL principles.

Use UDL principles to ensure that project-based communications are accessible.

Use a rubric for plain language in materials. Download the Plain Language checklist adapted by Family Voices in English and Spanish.

Explore more of our DEIB framework

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Implicit Biases and Debiasing

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Building an architecture of participation

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Intersectionality

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Targeted Universalism

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Our Vision

With families at the center of health care, all children and youth reach their full potential and health disparities are eliminated.

Our Mission

Family Voices is a national organization and grassroots network of families and friends of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities that promotes partnership with families—including those of cultural, linguistic and geographic diversity—in order to improve health care services and policies for children.

In honor of