DESMA171: Disability, Design, and the Web

Description

Disability, Design, and the Web (DESMA171) is a studio-based course that provides an introduction to universal design, assistive technology, and disability justice. Students will work hands-on in partnership with community organizations that support people with disabilities to learn about assistive technology, identify access issues, and prototype solutions on the web. We will engage with and expand on existing accessibility best practices to interrogate art and design’s role in understanding accessibility and disability. Throughout the course, students will learn and employ a human-centered approach to begin creating more inclusive web experiences. Partner organizations we will work with include Repair, Jazz Hands for Autism, Autism LA, and the LA Spoonie Collective.

Expectations

Grading

• Exercises and assignments 40%
• Mid-term presentation 10%
• Final project 20%
• Final project documentation 10%
• Participation 20%

• Demonstrated understanding of accessibility design principles and practices
• Engagement with community collaborators
• Conceptual, technical, and visual development
• Rigor and creativity
• Note: Outstanding or exceptional work will receive As, good work will receive Bs, sufficient work that does nothing more than meet requirements will receive Cs

Projects

This course will be structured around quarter-long group projects working collaboratively with local disability organizations Autism LA, Jazz Hands for Autism, and Repair. Students will be divided into groups to work together to address different needs of these organizations, including media creation, design, web development, and accessibility testing. Over the 10 weeks, we will move through a process of research, prototyping, design, development, testing, and documentation. This work will be guided by regular feedback from community partners and in-class reviews. A series of shorter exercises introducing accessibility and disability concepts will supplement this work.

Assignments

All projects and homework should be turned in via the assignments spreadsheet by 2pm on the day it is due. If you are absent from class you are still expected to turn in your work via the spreadsheet. If you are unable to complete the work on time, please contact the instructors. Extensions may be issued for reasonable circumstances. If an extension has not been approved and the work is late, the instructors will determine a new deadline and the work will receive a one letter grade deduction.

Participation

Participation is critical to passing and enjoying this class. Do the work, share your thoughts, ask questions, prepare for meetings, offer feedback during critiques. This class is meant to be a safe space in which you feel encouraged and supported in learning and taking creative risks. This means being aware and considerate of different backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. Respect each other and this space we are building together. Don’t assume. Try to remain open to learning at all times. Help each other in this. If there are concerns please let an instructor or the TA know.

Attendance

Attendance and clear communication is essential. If you are not able to attend class or a group meeting, please communicate with the instructors and group members (in advance whenever possible). Unexcused absences or tardies will result in a reduced participation grade.

Commitment to Diversity and Safer Spaces

We understand the classroom as a space for practicing freedom; where one may challenge psychic, social, and cultural borders and create meaningful artistic expressions. To do so we must acknowledge and embrace the different identities and backgrounds we inhabit. This means that we will use preferred pronouns, respect self-identifications, and be mindful of special needs. Disagreement is encouraged and supported, however our differences affect our conceptualization and experience of reality, and it is extremely important to remember that certain gender, race, sex, and class identities are more privileged while others are undermined and marginalized. Consequently, this makes some people feel more protected or vulnerable during debates and discussions. A collaborative effort between the students, TA, and instructor is needed to create a supportive learning environment. While everyone should feel free to experiment creatively and conceptually, if a class member points out that something you have said or shared with the group is offensive, avoid being defensive; instead approach the discussion as a valuable opportunity for us to grow and learn from one another. Alternatively if you feel that something said in discussion or included in a piece of work is harmful, you are encouraged to speak with the instructor or TA. (tx voidLab!)

Disability Services

UCLA strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers based on a disability, please let me know as soon as possible. It is necessary for you to register with the UCLA Center for Accessible Education so that we can establish reasonable accommodations. After registration, make arrangements with me to discuss how to implement these accommodations.

Land Acknowledgement

The University of California, Los Angeles occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Tongva and Chumash peoples. Our ability to gather and learn here is the result of coercion, dispossession, and colonization. We are grateful for the land itself and the people that have stewarded it through generations. While a land acknowledgment is not enough, it is first step in the work toward supporting decolonial and indigenous movements for sovereignty and self-determination. Read more about the land you're occupying.

All assignments are due at the start of class. If you are absent, you are still expected to turn in work via the assignments spreadsheet by the deadline.

Project 1: Part 1 (DUE 10/5)

Project 1: Part 2 (DUE 10/7)

Project 1: Part 3 (DUE 10/12)

Project 1: Part 4 (DUE 10/14)

Project 2: Part 1 (DUE 10/17)

Project 2: Part 2 (DUE 10/21)

Project 2: Part 3 (DUE 10/26)

Project 2: Midterm (DUE 10/28)

Project 2: Final (DUE 12/2)

Project 2: Final Documentation (DUE 12/10)

Class Slides & Examples

Week 0

• Class 1: Intro to Digital Accessibility

Week 1

• Class 2: DJ 101 Chat Links
• Class 2: LA Spoonie Collective's Disability Justice 101 Workshop Handout
• Class 3: Digital Accessiblity part 1 (alt text)

Week 2

• Class 4: Digital Accessibility part 2 (captioning and audio description)
• Class 5: Digital Accessibility part 3 (accessible design and social media)

Week 3

• Class 7: Intro to partner projects & prototyping process

Week 4

• Class 8: Intro to Design Research
• Class 9: Worktime/Proposal Check-in

Week 5

• Class 10: Intro to HTML and Web Testing Basics
• Design and ASD Resources

Week 6

• Class 13: Accessibility Testing with UCLA DCP
• Class 13: Accessible Web Project - Claire

Week 7

• Class 16: Web Dev Workshop
• Paper on creative and critical computing [free download]
• p5js.org
• Processing Foundation Fellowships
• UCLA Center X CS Equity Project/a>
• IEEE Annual Conference on Research in Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)

Week 8

• Class 18: Intro to Wordpress Dev

Week 9

• Class 19: Final Prep