D3: Advancing Accessibility into the Actual Lives of People with Disabilities
Background
Researcher Dr. J Bern Jordan is currently working on this impact project, which is trying to take things that are near ready for impact and actually turn them into real world solutions. Many amazing accessibility tools are being created by TRACE and other organizations, but getting these tools to the people who need them requires a lot of ingenuity. Working on standards, for example, can have a huge impact on how accessible tools are actually implemented and used in the real world.
Current Work
Work on this project will include writing comments for agencies that are making regulations, working with other groups (advocacy or universities) to come up with a consensus on standards, and working with larger organizations like the WHO (World Health Organization) and other organizations to make medical tools (such as COVID tests) more accessible. Doing work in standards can have a big effect on accessibility. Once standards are in place, they continue to help people and more regulations are formed (i.e. WCAG). All of these steps can lead to a more clear and understandable set of standards and rules that everyone can use to ensure their products and services are accessible.
“My favorite part of this project is when people pick up our things and keep using them. As long as my work pertains to impact we can work on it as part of this project. We can branch out into many different areas. We will often work with different advocacy groups who are fighting for disability rights and build a consensus to settle on different standards and rules. This helps us build an understanding of what the users need and want.” – Dr. J Bern Jordan
