Inclusive Design Premises, Policies, Protocols, and Practices: From Usability to Empowerment

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Published on February 9, 2026

A new scholarly book co-authored by Shital Desai (York University) with Deborah Fels (Toronto Metropolitan University), Margot Whitfield (University of Toronto), Peter Pennefather (University of Toronto), and Evan Hibbard(California State University) has been released by Springer.

‘Inclusive Design Premises, Policies, Protocols, and Practices: From Usability to Empowerment’ examines how inclusive design can move beyond usability toward empowerment across education, organizations, policy, and technology practice.

The book brings together interdisciplinary perspectives from design, accessibility, education, and policy to offer a practice-oriented framework for inclusive design. It is intended for educators, researchers, designers, organizational leaders, and policymakers seeking actionable approaches to embedding accessibility and inclusion throughout planning, development, and evaluation processes.

Key themes addressed in the book include:

• The role of policy, legislation, and standards in shaping inclusive practice
• Strategies for inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment
• Approaches to equitable research and engagement with diverse populations
• Organizational and design frameworks that support systemic inclusion

Grounded in both research and applied practice, the volume emphasizes collaboration, equity, and accountability as central to designing products, services, and environments that respond to diverse human needs.

The book is available now in hardcover and e-book formats through Springer:

Find the book here

Fels, D., Desai, Shital, Whitfield, M., Pennefather, P., & Hibbard, E. (2026). Inclusive design premises, policies, protocols, and practices: from usability to empowerment. In Synthesis lectures on technology and health. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-15746-1

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