hw3: AT Around Us

Last revised: Jan 3, 2023
Assigned:
  • Jan 24, 2023
Due:
  • Jan 31, 2023, 5pm Pacific (no grace period this week because you present in class)

Learning Goals

This assignment will expose the class to a range of in-use accessibility technologies, and give you experience with seeking out first-person accounts of disability experiences with technology. It will also give you experience with presenting accessibly.

0. Learn about how to present accessibly

Watch a video about presenting accessible by Kyle Rector. Review information about describing images and describing people in images verbally (during a presentation) or in text.

Optional reading Its complicated: Negotiating Accessibility and (Mis)Representation in Image Descriptions of Race, Gender and Disability

1. Select two examples of an accessibility technology or disability hack

Select two examples of accessibility technology, or disability hack, that you will be presenting about. Roughly speaking, one technology should improve computer access and one should improve access to “the world” at large. Try not to pick the same thing as someone else in the class.

An accessibility technology is something that is used by a person with a disability to increase accessibility. It can be something that is included in the infrastructure (such as a curb cut) or something that is used by an individual (such as Proloque2Go, a symbol-based communication system), or something that was not designed for accessibility bit is useful (such as these 5 disability life hacks)

Look for diversity in the technologies you pick. For example, one of your two technologies might improve access to the world (such as Microsoft’s Seeing AI); the other could improve access to the computer (such as sticky keys) or a screen reader. Or One of your two technologies should improve access using an infrastructure approach; the other can use an individual approach.

2. Find and Generate First Person Experiences

Find first person accounts by a person with a disability that is not an advertisement describing each technology and how they use it. For example, here is a personal perspective on audio crosswalks and here is an interview with two black AAC users about their experiences using AAC technology (start at 00:16:00)

Alternatively, you should find a blog or review written by a personal with a disability who would benefit from the AT that you are trying to learn about. This may influence your choice of technologies, it is OK to iterate.

In addition, try it yourself. While some technologies may be expensive or hard to get, many accessibility technologies are easily available and some are even re-purposed everyday items. To meet the requirements for this assignment, you’ll also need to make sure that at least one of your chosen technologies is something you can try yourself

3. Reflect on What you Learned

Take some time to reflect on these questions, which will help you to preare for your presentation

What is the AT?

How well does it suit users?

Turnin

  1. You will create one accessible slides (per AT) in a shared slide deck posted in the Class Discussion and on Canvas. Your slide should include
    • A summary of the AT you researched
    • Information about its audience
    • A picture of it
    • A link to the first person account you found
    • Something you learned from the video and/or by trying it about its strengths and weaknesse
  2. You will present at least one of those slides in class. You should be prepared to
    • Stay on time (3-4 minutes + 1-2 minutes of questions). This will require you to pick and choose what to focus on when you design your slide, and to practice ahead of class.
    • Be accessible (you may want to revisit presenting accessible by Kyle Rector)

Competencies

This homework will contribute to your competency grade on