ADEPT Webinars

In 2019, Accessible Design of Engineered Products and Technology (ADEPT) developed and hosted a series of webinars that engaged engineering faculty, students, and professionals nationwide in professional development activities to pique their interest in disability and accessibility and share best practices in incorporating these topics into engineering courses. We continue to host these webinars online so that others can continue to glean information on the topics presented. For a list of all webinars hosted by DO-IT, visit the DO-IT webinars website.

Why Accessible Materials Are Critical for Inclusivity

Gaby de Jongh (DO-IT)
Hosted on Nov 07, 2019
What is it like for someone who uses assistive technology to interact with information that is not accessible? What does “accessible content” mean and how do you create it? Depending upon the tools used to create content, it is entirely possible to create a project that is accessible. This webinar covers best practices, tools, and resources for creating accessible materials and presentations for your inclusive projects.

Understanding the US Legal Framework for Digital Accessibility

Jonathan Lazar (University of Maryland)
Hosted on Oct 28, 2019
In early October 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Robles v. Domino's Pizza case; what does this mean related to digital accessibility for people with disabilities? Furthermore, 100 members of congress wrote a letter saying that people with disabilities should not currently have the legal right to access websites of public accommodations—what sort of legal impact does this have? Learn more about the US legal framework for digital accessibility and become familiar with the laws and policies that govern digital accessibility. The webinar covers statutes, regulations, case law, and executive orders related to digital accessibility. 

Assistive Technology and Design Process

David L. Jaffe (Stanford University)
Hosted on Oct 10, 2019
David addresses differences between accessibility and assistive technology, reviews universal design principles, and provides an overview of the engineering design process for assistive technology devices.

Strategies for Engaging in Accessibility Across Campus

Panelists: Kat Steele (UW Mechanical Engineering), Alyssa Taylor (UW Bioengineering), Molly Mollica (UW Bioengineering), Dianne Hendricks (UW Human Centered Design and Engineering); Moderator: Brianna Blaser (DO-IT)
Hosted on Sep 4, 2019
Across any university’s college of engineering, there are multiple avenues for engaging in conversations related to disability, accessibility, and universal design. Panelists share information about initiatives across the University of Washington’s College of Engineering that address disability through curriculum, makerspaces, student activities, and other methods for building a community around these topics. This discussion explores student engagement, resources, and more.

Perspectives of People with Disabilities Regarding Accessibility

Moderator: Kayla Brown (DO-IT)
Hosted on Aug 28, 2019
Many products and technology are designed without thinking about accessibility and yet people with disabilities are a large market for new devices. In this webinar, a diverse group of people with disabilities shares about how their disabilities affect their experiences. They talk about technology and tools they use and challenges that they encounter in daily life. The discussion explores their perspectives about designing for accessibility and engaging with people with disabilities in the design process.

Disability and Design

Cynthia Bennett (UW Human Centered Design and Engineering)
Hosted on Aug 14, 2019
Cynthia's work brings stories of design by people with disabilities into the design profession. Her motivation was sparked by a contrast she found. Design and engineering materials often present people with disabilities more narrowly as just technology users. But through research, she learned that disabled people regularly contribute to design and engineering fields. During the webinar, Cynthia shares a response to this inequity aimed at better recognizing these contributions. Called biographical prototypes, the method combines storytelling and rapid prototyping to facilitate the circulation of first-person accounts of invention, modification, and repurposement by people with disabilities. Cynthia shows how the creation and sharing biographical prototypes not only expanded designer and researcher knowledge of disabled people’s creative practices, but individual narratives and associated reactions also opened discussions about the wider, structural forms of ableism that accessible design should address.

Neurotechnology End User Roundtable

Jon
Hosted on Jul 25, 2019
Engineers and graduate students from the UW Center for Neurotechnology engage with Jon, an individual who has received spinal stimulation in an effort to improve movement many years after a spinal cord injury. Jon shares his experiences. The group discusses the mission of the CNT, questions from the audience, and the importance of creating technology and devices that are accessible and usable by everyone.

Universal Design in Engineering

Sheryl Burgstahler (DO-IT)
Hosted on Jun 17, 2019
Universal design seeks to ensure that products are usable to the widest audience possible, including individuals with disabilities. And yet, universal design and similar design principles such as ability-based design, design for accessibility are not commonly taught in engineering curricula. This webinar introduces the concept of universal design and talks about ways that it could be included in the engineering curriculum.