Disability, Technology, and Media

Catalog description

Starting from the premise that disability is a social phenomenon, rather than an individual and medical one, this course asks: How does the built environment shape disability? And how might disability studies inform better design? In our seminar discussions, we will consider the significance of media and technology to the definition and experience of disability in a cross-cultural perspective. Topics include: universal and critical design; “assistive technology”; visual rhetorics of disability in photography and film; and disability aesthetics. Following the principle “nothing about us without us,” we will host lecturers with a range of disability expertise. We will also practice access techniques such as captioning, alt text, plain language, and video description. An overarching question for this course will be how to shift access from a retrofit and compliance issue to a creative practice. An important component of the course are our partnerships with Mawaheb and with Zayed National Museum: each student will complete 12 hours of community-based fieldwork to help these organizations make their exhibitions accessible and visitor experience welcoming. This course will be offered in January-Term 2026.