Well-known blogs and activists changing the landscape for people with disabilities A few years ago there was an initiative in Bonn, Germany called “barrier-free blogging”, pushed by the foundation “barrier-free communication”. Blogging was relatively new back then. Today blogs are a natural part of the media landscape. In addition to traditional media, the […]
Stereotypes through Film
Paul Hunt’s List of Stereotypes A 1991 study by disabled writer and activist Paul Hunt established a list of ten common stereotypes of people with disabilities. This list includes depicting people with disabilities as: “pitiable/pathetic”, “object of curiosity or violence”, “sinister or evil“ the “super cripple” (as if having a disability anoints them some […]
CROSS-SECTIONAL function for media
In the UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS of Persons with Disabilities: The media is assigned a cross-sectional function in the implementation of “equal participation and inclusion“ (Federal Law Gazette 2008) ‘EQUAL PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION’ MEDIA REPRESENTATION AT EYE LEVEL Participation IN media covers the importance of people with disabilities in […]
HOW INCLUSIVE media design works in action
Every decision we make CAN RAISE OR LOWER BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY. IT’S OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO LOWER THESE BARRIERS through inclusive products, services, environments, and experiences. Inclusive with audio description from Microsoft Design on Vimeo. A view into how Microsoft designs for human motivations and needs, expanding interactions to become more […]
HOW TO CREATE Inclusive/Universal Design
INCLUSIVE /UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR ALL can deliver holistic solutions for complex situations and thereby create universal qualities. For all of us – in buildings, for products, systems and services. It is LARGELY A MINDSET. It is not something that you turn on and off… Inclusive Design Principles Five ways to identify […]
Trends & Dimensions in the Media Sector
MEDIA ARE CULTURAL AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION as part of representing diverse voices, using texts about various types of disabilities and the responsibility of representing the diversity of disability. MEDIA LITERACY recognizes that media are a part of culture and function as agents of socialization. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Media Literacy integrates media texts that […]
STEREOTYPES: disability portrayed in the media
Overall, it becomes clear that people with DISABILITIES ARE RARELY INVOLVED in television in a natural or everyday way. STUDIES ON TELEVISION FILMS show that a broad thematic spectrum is presented here. Although the everyday life of people with disabilities is never the focus in these fictional formats such as in the German […]
LANGUAGE: plain language of accessibility
How people are represented, described or referred to can have considerable impact on how they feel about themselves and how they are perceived by the public, employers and service providers. Adoption of the Social Model of Disability implies adopting identity first language e.g., ‘disabled person’ rather than ‘person with a disability’. However, individuals remain […]
IMAGERY: intro how to use imagery
Images selected should represent disabled people as active citizens, exercising choice and control including interacting with non-disabled people in the work place, school or social setting. Avoid stock images such as a person in a wheelchair looking forlorn and helpless. These reinforce negative stereotypes about how life must be for disabled people. […]