By Brianna Blaser
There are multiple new recordings available from DO-IT projects that offer opportunities to learn about accessibility and disability inclusion. Check them out:
- GitHub's pledge to help improve the accessibility of open source software at scale with Ed Summers and Maria Lamardo of GitHub
Given that technology is a ubiquitous and essential part of modern life, and approximately 16% of the human population have a disability, it is critical that people with disabilities are able to contribute to the development of the technology that is used by all. The challenge is that proprietary Assistive Technology products can be very expensive, and people with disabilities are unemployed or under-employed at higher levels than the general population so open-source assistive technology is imperative. This webinar will share information on how GitHub is working to make that happen. - Seven practical moves toward disability justice in computing education - with Amy J. Ko, University of Washington
Amy will discuss how—employing a disability justice lens and embracing its intersections with other systems of oppression around race, gender, and class—she strives to apply a Universal Design in Learning (UDL) framework to her teaching. She'll share her philosophy on UDL and share 7 heuristics she has developed for accessible teaching in computing. - Generative AI and Accessibility Benefits, Trade-offs and Impacts of Intersectionality with Kate Glazko, University of Washington; Jun Cha, University of Wisconsin; and Sev Huffman, Gallaudet University & University of Washington, funded by AiiCE
Researchers present findings on the the benefits, trades offs and impacts of using Generative AI for accessibility by members of the Deaf/HoH communities and Neurodivergent individuals. In the first, Glazko & Cha, et. al., discuss how neurodivergent people, often left out by existing accessibility technologies, develop their own ways of navigating normative expectations. GAI offers new opportunities for access, but it is important to understand how neurodivergent “power users”—successful early adopters—engage with it and the challenges they face. In the second one, Huffman, et. al., discuss Generative AI tools, particularly those utilizing large language models (LLMs), and how they are increasingly used in everyday contexts. While these tools enhance productivity and accessibility, little is known about how Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals engage with them or the challenges they face when using them.