For universal design, the first steps of the process focus on getting rid of preconceptions and finding the real needs of the user. These needs may be studied by different means, such as observations and interviews.
However, these means have to be used with a different care than in other design processes. Whereas in the latter the usual may be that the user is comfortable with showing and explaining in detail why he/she cannot do some tasks, this may not be the case for the former.
A person in a situation where he/she feels disabled may be sensitive about it and try to hide these difficulties. Addressing these problems directly to them may lead to unpleasant feelings of helplessness and embarrassment. These feelings are probably more likely in people who were not born with the disabilities and have yet to assume the limitations imposed by the impairment. This lack of acceptance may be also noticeable in parents and other family, even of those who are born with an impairment: if the people around the person with the impairment are not aware of what involves to live with these different limitations (they need to get used to do things in a different way), they may be the ones who need time to accept the disability. They may not have the impairment but feel affected by it indirectly.
I believe it is crucial for this search of needs that the designer has an open mind and knows how to address every kind of situation he/she may encounter during the process. Sadly, preconceptions (misconceptions!), lack of the right vocabulary and other issues lead us to the need of training designers (should we naturally know how to deal with people, regardless of impairments or not?) before observations, interviews or any of these means can be used in an ethical way.
Non-excluding Design 