Disability Community Perspectives on Computer Science Education

As part of an NSF-funded project, Teach Access, Creighton University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Western Washington University hosted this panel discussion featuring members of the disability community. Designed for computing educators, this conversation centers on the lived experiences of people with disabilities and the role technology plays in their daily lives. Panelists share examples of technologies that work well—and those that don't—highlighting how design decisions can either remove or create barriers to participation. The discussion explores common accessibility challenges, the importance of involving people with disabilities throughout the design process, and what future computing professionals should understand about designing inclusive technologies. Whether you teach computer science, software engineering, human-computer interaction, UX, or another computing discipline, this discussion offers valuable perspectives that can help students better understand the human impact of accessibility and the importance of designing technology with, not just for, people with disabilities. Panelists: -Blake Steinecke, Marketing and Accessibility Consultant -Brianna Wimer, Visiting Student Researcher at the University of Washington -Jesse Leaman, Postdoctoral Researcher at Western Washington University -Meryl Evans, Program and community experience consultant Moderator: -Kate Sonka (Teach Access) This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2439816, 2439817, 2439818 Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.