Lecture Notes on Universal Design and Communication

Introduction

• Speaker introduces themselves and their use of an interpreter (a female voice).
• Engages the audience with a relatable situation about awkward navigation in public spaces.

The Awkward Dance Scenario

• Describes an experience of a deaf person encountering a blind person in a hallway.
• Illustrates communication challenges:
  • First attempt: gesturing to indicate being deaf (not effective).
  • Second attempt: typing on a phone (not effective).
  • Third attempt: grabbing the blind man's hand and holding it to his ear, successfully conveying that he is deaf.

Communication Innovations

• Highlights the need for adaptive communication styles in daily life as a deaf person.
• Discusses the requirement to innovate solutions in varied situations (e.g., pitching ideas, ordering at a bar).

Everyone Has a Disability

• Argues that everyone experiences some form of disability, whether temporary or permanent.
• Examples of disabilities:
  • Pregnancy
  • Injury (e.g., broken arm)
  • Age-related issues
  • Child-like limitations
• Shares a personal story where the speaker interpreted for their hearing wife during a visit to a deaf school in Iceland.

Universal Design

• Defines universal design based on the work of Ron Mace:
  • Design of products and environments that are usable by all people without the need for adaptation.
• Discusses the spectrum of universal design:
  • Example of doorknobs being less accessible for children and those with arthritis.
  • Improvement through door levers and automatic sliding doors, which are more universally accessible.

Case Study: Google Glass

• Reflects on a personal project with Google Glass:
  • Aimed to enhance the experience for deaf moviegoers by providing scripts through an app.
  • Concept allows the deaf to watch movies without reliance on inadequate subtitle systems.
  • Highlighted the universal benefit of the solution, extending beyond the deaf community.

Conclusion

• Reinforces that disability drives innovation and fosters better solutions for everyone.
• Encourages sharing of personal solutions as they contribute to unifying humanity.
• Calls for an end to the "awkward dance" and promotes understanding and accessibility.