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Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (IDS)

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DIS 470: Interdisciplinary Project in Disability Studies

Student Insights, Learning, and Activity Examples During the Spring 2008 Semester

Instructors: Stephen Gilson, Ph.D. and Elizabeth DePoy, Ph.D.

Overview: The disability project provides the opportunity for students to apply knowledge about disability to the actualization of a disability-related project in the student’s area of interest. With guidance from the DIS 470 instructor and the student’s advisor, students may participate in ongoing projects or identify new disability-related areas for project activity. Students may take this course to complete the requirements for the disability concentration or to work with guidance on a project of interest. The course provides the opportunity for collaboration across disciplines.

This year, students conducted research on three projects; comparative analysis of products, physical/social/sensory environments; and virtual environments. Below are examples and summaries of their work.

Product research

As the basis for expanding full access, tolerance and juncture, this research comparatively analyzed the aesthetic and design elements of accommodative and commercially available products that are used in daily life.

The following elements were included in student research and comparative analysis:

• Attractiveness (aesthetics)
• Contemporary design
• Independence of use
• Size and shape
• Extent to which the design distinguishes group membership
• Stigma potential
• Appeal to specific groups
• Price

Commercial vs For the disability Market Segment

Upright mobility

• Image one is of an attractive contemporary motorized Segway scooter.
• Image two is of a standard metal and plastic two-handed walker.

Shower seat

• Image three is of an attractive teak wood shower seat that could compliment the environment as a decorative piece of furniture.
• Image four is of a plastic and aluminum shower seat that one might expect to find in a hospital.

Summary of findings

• Products for the commercial market tended to be more aesthetically pleasing.
• Products for the “disabled population” were generally not aesthetically pleasing (large, clumsy, drab, cumbersome)
• Products for “the disabled population” were clearly identifiable and publicly stigmatize users.
• Medicalized products are marketed to specific populations who in turn purchase them regardless of their look and functionality.
• Medicalized products tend to be more expensive than commercially available products despite their functional equivalence.
• Medicalized products have limited availability and thus require professional gatekeeping.
• Some products have been redesigned to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Conclusion

• All products should consider both form and function.
• Expanded availability would increase competition and improve product design.
• Stigma can be eliminated by addressing form, function and appearance of products.
• Product design and branding need to be rethought.

Physical/Social/Sensory Environmental Research

Through systematically interviewing and observing users of the space (employees, consumers, service recipients, etc.) determine the level of juncture/disjuncture according to the Juncture Table below.

Human-Environment Juncture

Full Juncture	Compliance Juncture	Disjuncture
Environmental, space, and product design outcomes which take into account the full diversity of human bodies, ideas, experiences, and preferences and hold full participation as its value foundation.	Environmental, space, and product design outcome which responds to compliance with minimal legal physical and sensory access standards.	Environmental, space, and product design outcome which does not account for access for diverse human bodies, preferences or experiences.

Location Exemplars

• Bangor retail establishments - Reached the level of compliance juncture in some areas and disjuncture in many retail establishments.
• Local Post Offices - Reached the level of compliance juncture.

Overview of research findings

• Environmental responses to access addressed minimal physical condition-specific accommodations, primarily wheelchair access (e.g. ramps, door widths, aisle widths) and “handicap parking” spaces.
• Interviews revealed that the public and employees in these environments not surprisingly view access narrowly and thus respond to barrier removal primarily through accommodating those with wheeled mobility.
• Appearance is an issue in locations as well as in products, in that accommodating features tend to foreground function over form, are clumsy, cumbersome, and stigmatizing.

Conclusion

A more expansive public view of access is crucial for promoting environmental redesign which is welcoming of the full range of diversity and meets the goal of full juncture.

Research on Virtual Environments

In this two part inquiry, students assessed access to virtual spaces in two areas; readability and usability. They then used their data to classify virtual spaces as attaining full juncture, compliance juncture or disjuncture. They conducted their research using several analytic methods; analysis of website navigation and usability, reading level assessment, and compliance with access to text to voice screen readers (compliance to Section 508 basic accessibility standards).

Overview of Research Findings

Table 1 presents the student’s findings.

Table 1. - Readability and 508 Accessibility Data and Juncture Analysis

Website	Grade Level Score	Accessible to Screen Reader	Level of Juncture
Medication Safety Project-EMMC http://emmc.org/Misc/ Medication+Safety+Project.htm	16.12	No	Disjuncture
Maine Libraries: Something for Everyone http://www.mainelibraries.com/ main/about/	14.57	Yes	Disjuncture
Youth Information about smoking from the Centers for Disease Control: Quit Smoking http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/ basic_information/index.htm	9.47	Yes	Compliance Juncture
State of Maine Voter Guide http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/ votguid06.htm	9.91	Yes	Compliance Juncture
Bangor Savings Bank http://www.bangor.com	7.49	Yes	Full Juncture
Maine State Parks http://portlandme.about.com/library/ blmaineparks.htm	5.07	No	Disjuncture

Examples of Analytic Comments

• Comment by student Morgan Graham - “It is interesting to note that of the six websites, a bank and outdoor website were the two most accessible. Of all the websites, these two arguably provide the least necessary information to users”.
• Comment by student Suzanne Braco - “Websites should be accessible and readable to all individuals regardless of physical, mental, or educational differences”.
• Comment by student Amanda Sykes  - “What really surprised me the most was the “About Maine Libraries” site. Seeing how challenging it could be for some people and the grade level needed to understand the content was troubling. You want Maine’s libraries to entice people to read and better themselves."

Summary

Three of six websites tested remained at the level of disjuncture in that they excluded significant parts of the population from basic access, usability and/or comprehension. The only website that met full juncture was a commercial banking site. Education of the public, web-designers, health and government personnel, and those who communicate information in the virtual environment is critical to actualize the civil right of access to public information.

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