Inclusive Design Education Tools

Design education and industry currently use tools and processes that are inaccessible to many people with disabilities. While design is a very broad activity that can encompass many ways of knowing and expressing, the way designs get made and translated into a tangible outcome is almost always through defined processes and specific software. This means that due to the inaccessibility of these software applications and processes, an entire group of people simply cannot access design in the way that we acknowledge and give validity to it. 

Our goal is to research and brainstorm inclusive design tools and processes that are accessible to all people with disabilities.

If this is something that you’re interested and passionate in as well, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Cheryl at cheryl.li@ocadu.ca. We’re especially interested in hearing from you if you are personally affected by exclusionary design processes and tools.

Progress

Design crit - Mar 6 2023

A crit within the IDRC to discuss existing design tools and brainstorm what an inclusive design tool might look like.

Go to notes

Go to synthesis board (Figjam) (WIP)

Horizon scan of existing design tools

A scan of existing design tools out there, any accessibility initiatives taken by them, and how accessible it may be for a designer with disabilities to use it.

Go to spreadsheet (WIP)