Inclusive design considers the needs of all users from the outset

"Inclusive design means making something valuable, not just accessible, to as many people as we can."
Heydon Pickering

The New Zealand Disability Strategy (2001, p. 1) states that "disability is the process which happens when one group of people create barriers by designing a world only for their way of living, taking no account of the impairments other people have.” Inclusive design aligns with this social model (or interpretation) of disability and focuses on designing learning environments that do not exclude or disable people.

Related terms

Web accessibility

Web accessibility, with an emphasis on access, is narrower than inclusive design. As such, it does not necessarily ensure an inclusive, valuable educational experience. A fully accessible learning environment may still contain discriminatory material or be so dense as to be almost incomprehensible.

Universal Design

Often used interchangeably with inclusive design, universal design is a concept with architectural origins. In the educational context it means planning and designing learning environments that meet the diverse and variable needs of all students.

Further Reading

What the Heck is Inclusive Design? A blog post by Heydon Pickering an Inclusive Designer describing his choice of the term to describe his work.
About Universal Design for Learning: From CAST, creator of the Universal Design for Learning framework.
Inclusive Design Principles: A model of inclusive design, providing a set of principles and strategies.
Inclusive Education: Guide to Universal Design for Learning.