Welcome to The UD Project!
Know what makes a home universally accessible.
Most homes fall short in ways most people never realize. We offer free courses, a community, and home accessibility resources grounded in universal design and occupational therapy, so homeowners, caregivers, and professionals can make more informed decisions about the homes people actually live in.
Join 540+ other members.
The gap is larger than most people expect.
19%
19% of households have
accessibility needs.1
< 0.15%
Less than 0.15% of homes are
universally accessible.2
60%
There is a 60% probability
that a home will house a
person with a disability.3
63%
63% of the population is
touched by disability.4
19% of households include someone with accessibility needs. Less than 0.15% of homes are built to meet them. That gap exists not because accessible design is impossible or prohibitively expensive, but because most people, including many housing professionals, don’t fully understand what it involves or why it matters.
Universal design is the approach that closes that gap. It produces homes that work for the full range of human ability, not just for people with a current diagnosis or visible disability, but for anyone whose needs may change over time. A well-designed home (1) supports better health, (2) greater independence, and (3) stronger community. An inaccessible one quietly undermines all three.
The UD Project exists because awareness precedes change. When more people understand what accessible housing looks like and what it takes to achieve it, demand increases, the industry responds, and the quality of life of many people throughout our communities improves.
Sources: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (1, 2); Journal of the American Planning Association (3); Return on Disability Group (4).
Free, for everyone.
The Learning Community.
The Learning Community is a free online space where homeowners, caregivers, and occupational therapy professionals can build a genuine understanding of home accessibility and universal design. It includes video-based courses and discussion spaces developed from over a decade of occupational therapy practice and research.
There are no paywalls and no prerequisites.
You can start learning immediately.
5 free courses covering advocacy, universal design, home modifications, adaptative products, & collaboration.
Discussion spaces with our team and other members. The best place for Q&A with us about your home.
“Universal design can be complex, with so many factors to consider. These courses address frequently overlooked details that many people may never address and equipped me with the knowledge and terminology to effectively communicate within the field.”
— Anisha, OT
Whether you’re living it or working in it, this is for you.
For homeowners, caregivers, and anyone planning ahead:
Whether you’re evaluating your current home, preparing for a family member’s changing needs, or thinking about what to look for in a future home, understanding accessibility gives you a real advantage. You’ll know what questions to ask, what features matter most, and what tradeoffs are actually worth making.
For licensed occupational therapy practitioners:
The design of the environment sits at the center of OT practice (PEO!), but that isn’t always covered in depth during training. Our courses are built to strengthen your knowledge of universal design and home accessibility, and count toward continuing education requirements (10 contact hours / 1.0 AOTA CEUs).
More helpful resources. Also free.
Residential Universal Design Specifications
Fast-track your design process. Know what to include in your UD plans. Our Universal Design Specifications include 150+ home design elements vetted by nearly 200 advisors.
Good Fit / Poor Fit: Home Survey
Our Home Survey gives you a report and a score about your home’s accessibility across 38 design features that enable ease of daily living. Not universal design, just the basics.
Good Fit / Poor Fit: The Podcast
Exploring the interaction between people, design, and activity. We discuss universal design and home accessibility topics from the occupational therapy perspective.
Home Modification Funding Resources
If you can’t build new, you may need to make changes. We have a directory of programs by state that may help fund modifications, equipment, and assistive technology.
Grounded in experience. Validated by community.
The UD Project was founded by Scott and Sarah Pruett, based in Virginia. Sarah has been a licensed occupational therapist since 2009. Scott has lived with quadriplegia since 1999. Our perspective alone doesn’t define what universal design means in practice. Over more than a decade we’ve built relationships with hundreds of people affected by disability and learned from them directly.
Our courses are approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association for continuing education. Our Residential Universal Design Specifications were developed with input from nearly 200 advisors across a wide range of disabilities, impairments, and professional backgrounds.
“I never considered how the home environment impacts relationships with others and how that affects quality of life simply because someone isn’t independent at home.”
— Lauren, OT