Aims

This module will equip students to be leaders in disability innovation. Students will learn the global context within which disability prevails and understand the challenges of solving this intractable problem. The growing role of technology to bridge the citizenship gap which disabled people frequently face will be explored. The second half of the term is dedicated to the application of participatory design methods. Students, in groups will create new assistive technologies, inclusive design interventions and processes to enable active citizenship with local and international disabled people’s groups.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critical thinking skills & subject knowledge

   Students will be able to think critically, formulate this thinking and reflect back thoughts around and across the following topics, including:

• Disability-inclusive social development
• Models of disability and social development
• The evolving nature of assistive technologies
• The role of emerging technologies and thinking (e.g. positive computing in creating better products and services for disabled people
• The opportunity for breakthrough technologies when developing solutions with and for disabled people
• The challenge and opportunity of participatory methods
• The challenges inherent in developing assistive technologies at scale
• Active citizenship and governance
2. Participatory design skills

   Students will demonstrate the ability to work with groups of disabled people using participatory methods to design, develop and evaluate interventions. Specifically, students through the two case studies will demonstrate the ability to:

• Design, deliver and write-up the results of co-design workshops to create a new product or service
• Develop interventions for disabled people and their communities to collect evidence on a topic of concern or interest
3. Transferable Skills

   Students will be able to:

• Deliver concise, informative presentations
• Debate topics
• Develop clear project places
• Develop self-reflection
• Communicate in a cross-disciplinary team
• Communicate and advocate with disabled people

Availability and prerequisites

This module delivery is only available for selection on the below-listed programmes. The relevant programme structure will specify whether the module is core, optional, or elective.

In order to be eligible to select this module as optional or elective, where available, students must meet all prerequisite conditions to the satisfaction of the module leader. Places for students taking the module as optional or elective are limited and will be allocated according to the department’s module selection policy.

Content

The module is taught in two three-hour blocks of contact time, which mix lectures, workshops & case studies. The course is divided into 3 sections.

Section 1: Foundations for Disability Innovation (weeks 1-2)

Disability in the global context

• Disability, citizenship and rights based claims
• Technology and innovation for disability
• Principles and practice of disability-inclusive social development
• Practical challenges and emerging technological solutions

Section 2: Thematic Analysis (weeks 3-5)

[Note: It is envisaged that these themes will evolve with the course and specific subject-relevant content will change accordingly]

• Inclusive Design:
• Urban co-production and design of the built environment
• Design, manufacture and distribution of products
• Future of Assistive Technologies:
• Ubiquitous technology
• HCI and future interfaces
• Active Citizenship:
• Agency, participation and diversity
• Positive computing for community wellbeing

Section 3: Practice-based learning (weeks 6-10)

• Case Study 1: London-based project with a local disabled-people’s group, NGO or company
• Case Study 2: Overseas project with local disabled people’s group, NGO or company

In the case of overseas projects. These will be the exception rather than the rule. When these occur, the student will work at an institution with whom UCL holds a research collaboration. Students will still be expected to attend lectures via watching of the lecture recordings.

Delivery

The module is delivered through a mixture of classroom-based lectures, seminars and laboratory/studio time and weekly reflections.

Assessment