Shifting Perspective: Disability & Accessibility
“Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.”
– Stevie Wonder
Disability Defined
Over 1 billion people globally, accounting for one in five individuals, experience some form of disability. As the largest minority group worldwide, disability touches lives across all communities and backgrounds.
Models of Disability
Medical Model
The Medical Model perceives disability as stemming from biological differences, framing it as a problem to be fixed. It emphasizes normalization through medical interventions and views professionals as authorities in diagnosing and treating disabilities.
Social Model
The Social Model of Disability shifts the focus from fixing individuals to addressing societal barriers. It challenges us to see disability as a result of environmental obstacles rather than inherent deficits in individuals.
Minority Model
A Rights-Based Perspective:
The Minority Model advocates for recognizing disability as a cultural group, akin to any other, with its own set of rights, identities and cultural richness.
Ableism
Confronting Discrimination
Ableism—an overlooked yet pervasive form of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. From subtle language to structural barriers, ableism systematically marginalizes and excludes. Overcoming ableism requires a fundamental shift in societal attitudes towards recognizing the inherent value of diversity in ability.
Reflect on a time when you witnessed or experienced ableism
How did it manifest, and what impact did it have? Consider how you can challenge ableism in your own actions and attitudes to contribute to a more inclusive society.
Accessibility
User Design
Accessibility offers a unique design opportunity to bridge the gap between user abilities and designer intentions, ensuring that all individuals can engage effectively.
“My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn’t accessible.”
– Stella Young
What makes something truly accessible?
The best accessible experiences not only accommodate diverse needs but also foster a sense of belonging, dignity, and empowerment for all.
Reflect on your experiences with accessibility
What features do you believe are crucial for physical spaces to be accessible? What non-physical elements, such as services or programs, do you believe are essential for inclusivity and belonging?
Universal Design
Universal Design Principles
To translate the concept of universal design into practical elements, there are seven guiding principles that help us understand and implement its core concepts effectively.
Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities
Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities
Simple and Intuitive Use
Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level
Size and Space for Approach and Use
The design provides appropriate size and space for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user’s body size, posture, or mobility
Perceptible Information
The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities
Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions
Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue
Explore Content by Creators
We’ve curated videos from disability TikTok to provide additional insights into disabled identity and accessibility, offering thought-provoking perspectives from diverse voices.
@paigelayle what do you think? #fyp #NFLPlayoffs #foryoupage #xyzbca ♬ original sound - paigelayle
@jenna.frieds why i don’t use the term “special needs” #specialneeds #disabilityawareness #disabilitytiktok #neurodivergent ♬ original sound - Jenna
@nells_unmasked The social Vs medical model. The medical model would say “oh they cant get into that building theyre in a wheelchair”, the social model would put a ramp at the door so we can go in the building. The social model looks at how society can change and adapt for us all to have equal access. It shows us its not a disability which disables us, society disables us. By changing society attitudes and adding in ramps, signs, quiet hours etc. it is creating a place where disabled people can enjoy the world too. #socialmodelofdisability #medicalmodelofdisability #autismawareness #fnd #disabilityawareness ♬ original sound - Nells
@revlezligoodwin Disabled means something physical or mental is impeding your movement, senses or activities. It's that simple. #disabilityisnotadirtyword #disability #disabled #fyp #spoonies #nospoons ♬ original sound - NewThought.Shop
@wedesignhealth It’s literally so insane how little of the world is designed for folks experiencing disability or chronic conditions. I love you all <3 #healthdesign #medicaldesign #wellness #interactiondesign #health ♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim
@itsaliceella This ‘Spoonie’ Barbie, lives in an inaccessible world 💕✨ Sometimes this Barbie can’t get places cos of her chronic illness. But sometimes this Barbie can’t get places cos they’re simply not accessible. 💖 Have you been anywhere recently that didn’t meet your accessibility needs? 💞 Sending strength & spoons 🥄✨ The ‘Spoonie’ Barbie top is available in my Etsy store ☺️ Tees & Sweats are for sale too, in lots of colours & sizes 💕 Link in bioooo 😘 #WheelchairBarbie #BarbieAesthetic #BarbieGirl #BarbiePink #BarbieFashion #BarbieMovie #Accessibility #AccessibilityForAll #AccessibilityMatters #BabeWithAMobilityAid #WheelchairGirl #WheelchairUser #PEME #InvisibleIllness #HiddenDisability #HiddenDisabilities #DisabilityPride #DisabilityAdvoacte #DisabilityAdvocacy #Inclusivity #InclusivityMatters [ Video Description: Alice is in her wheelchair singing a song parody of the Barbie song. She’s wearing bright pink shorts, a white tank top with ‘spoonie’ written on it in pink, and her wheelchair has pink spokes and a leopard print cushion. There is a white wall behind her with a print of butterflies & a plant on the floor. During the song there are cut aways of Alice on the street in her wheelchair encountering inaccessibility including stairs, steps in doorways and wheelie bins accross walkways. ] 💓 @Barbie Movie ♬ A Barbie girl in an inaccessible world Alice Ella - ItsAliceElla
Activity
Unveiling Barriers
By exploring spaces through an accessibility lens, you’ll notice common barriers like missing ramps, non-braille signs, or cramped store aisles for example. These everyday hurdles, which we call Access Fails, underscore the ongoing need for accessibility in our surroundings.
#AccessFails
Discover #AccessFails: Identify and document three instances of glaring inaccessibility or poor design in your community. Snap photos and share them on our Discord channel to raise awareness and spark conversations about the importance of accessibility.
This photo looks staged. Sadly it’s not.
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 5, 2020
Game: spot all the ways in which this is an #AccessFail
- Ramp is blocked by bollard, sign, and other object
- Other end of ramp is blocked by bike
- There’s no ramp back up at the other end of the path
Just what am I meant to do here?! pic.twitter.com/gC0SZkMVwy
#DYK it's National #AccessAbility week? Here's a great example of an #accessfail. For someone with mobility issues the curb is the barrier to the automatic door button (and a barrier to participation). Let's make Calgary #inclusiveforall pic.twitter.com/8wVhQQgpqx
— Universal Access (@uaccessme) May 30, 2018
Went out to get lunch and found this. Restaurant past the scaffolding has annexed the whole pavement. No drop kerb so had to bounce down into the road or backtrack to the nearest one and then push along the road against the flow of traffic #AccessFail pic.twitter.com/xJaJ8Cgoft
— OneOffDave (@OneOffDave1) July 6, 2020
Up Next: Disability Representation
Taylor-Lindsay Noel
Taylor is a content creator and entrepreneur.
She is the owner of Cup of Te loose leaf tea.
At AccessNow our mission is to establish a go-to resource for accessibility information. We are building a connected platform to empower people to discover a world of accessible opportunities and remove barriers.