Oops, did I just make that accessible by accident? (SBLTN Lab Notes 041)
When design for convenience benefits disabled people, neurodivergent characters for kids, and fonts for social justice
ACCESSIBILITY
Accidental accessibility
Although usually intended for disabled people, accessible design definitely benefits non-disabled people as well! For example, captions on video content helps d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing people (like myself) as much as it can help someone who is hearing but is learning a new language.
Other times, tools and tech developed for the convenience of non-disabled people actually opens up new doors for disabled people. Disability Together shows five common products and services that have actually been incredibly beneficial to some disabled people.*
Curbside Pickup provides accessibility for:
Immunocompromised people during the pandemic
People with mobility impairments that impact shopping in-person
People with limited strength to carry items or push a cart
People with brain fog or memory issues that impact finding all needed items in a store
Audio-books provide accessibility for:
Blind and [low vision] people who cannot read standard print books
People with learning disabilities who are able to read and comprehend better audibly
People with mobility issues who have difficulties holding a book, turning the pages, or positioning their body to read
* Note from Disability Together: “The lists of benefits are non-exhaustive and these products and services may also be inaccessible to some disabled people. However, this list proves that accessibility can be integrated into our daily lives and benefit everyone!”
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Neurodivergent characters for kids
A key memory for many kids is watching Saturday cartoons, eating cereal, and sitting on the floor entranced by the t.v. screen. Those moments become more magical when kids get to see characters that look and act like they do.
I cheer when I see a show with a ragtag group of friends from a variety of cultural backgrounds or when the kid in the wheelchair joins in to play with the group and there are no questions asked.
It’s easy to show diverse representations for identities that can be physically obvious, such as skin color, but what about “invisible” ones? Are they depicted as a stereotype? Are their mannerisms over the top to indicate externally the part of their identity that’s internal?
Looks like some kid shows are already tackling that.
Julia is a muppet with autism on “Sesame Street”. I liked the way they introduced her, and autism, on the show - clear enough for children to understand without ‘dumbing’ it down, representing different sides of the autism spectrum, and showing ways she’s similar to the other characters instead of just how she’s different.
Bruno is the first autistic character in “Thomas & Friends”. Voiced by an autistic actor, Bruno was developed in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Easterseals Southern California. This design WITH, instead of design FOR, approach shows respect for lived experience and care for those whose stories are being told.
In a press release, Mattel highlighted some of happy-go-lucky Bruno’s best traits, like his knowledge of “where all the tracks lead on Sodor” and [his] preference for schedules and routines. A lantern on Bruno’s red exterior will change depending on his emotional state, giving his friends and viewers the opportunity to learn more about how he experiences his feelings. When encountering an unpleasantly loud noise, Bruno’s ear defenders will shoot steam if he’s feeling overstimulated. “His ear defenders, I do relate to, because if there’s a really loud noise, I can’t cope. I have to think of new strategies, same as Bruno,” Garcia told the BBC.
Other neurodivergent characters like Max on “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” and AJ on “Hero Elementary” have contributed to different approaches to the conversation of children with autism. Series creators of “Hero Elementary” were intent on avoiding labels, having AJ be just part of the team, a regular guy – who just happened to have autism.
We know identities are not monoliths. One animated character or puppet could never encompass the real-life experience of every autistic person but it’s a strong start to offering education for kids who may not know much about it.
ART & DESIGN
Fonts for social justice: fail or transformative?
I came across a font stating it was created to raise awareness about the elimination of violence against women.
It sounded cool on the surface but something made me pause….
From a social standpoint, does stuff like this actually create meaningful change? Will it spark conversations? If so, do those conversations lead to policy change? Does it motivate people to actually change their behaviour?
From a design standpoint, does this communicate that or does it just look like student handwriting on chalk?
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Signing off from the Starship SBLTN,
Laneen (Pronouns: she/they)
HEARD IN THE HALLWAYS
You can always judge a book by its cover. Some books win awards, some win our heart, and others... only serve to confuse.
Playful Warning: I got lost in this for WAY longer than I anticipated and it was WONDERFUL.
🎧 Listening: "Drive It Like You Stole It" by Jackson Wang
📖 Reading: “How to be a happy nihilist: Exhausted by the modern pressure to squeeze meaning out of every moment? Here’s a radical way to reset your priorities”
🖊️ Word of the Day: Vociferous describes people who express their feelings or opinions loudly and forcefully, as well as things, such as objections, that are expressed in such a way.
Example: “In her long political life, the senator was always a vociferous opponent of environmental pollution of all kinds.”
The book cover “How to talk to your cat about gun safety” IDK WHAT I WAS EXPECTING BUT NOT THAT I AM DECEASED. 😭
In more seriousness: the first discussion reminds me of this YouTube video I think by Vox or something (I will find it), about how literally all of us need (or prefer) subtitles now on movies and TV because of the way mixing and audio compressing is done for screens compared to older times. Super interesting. I definitely prefer subtitles myself.
I love Bruno! So neat to see kids shows putting in that representation.
Re: the fonts this is so interesting. That particular font kind of icks me out. I wonder who made it - man or a woman 😅 Also weirdly reminds me of Colleen Hoover’s now-cancelled colouring book based on her fiction “romance” book that deals with domestic violence 💀
But it got me thinking, fonts with meaning and history by BIPOC creators could be really really cool. That would still be a form of activism even if it was more about culture or history. I wonder if there are any Indigenous font foundries, now that would be so cool!!!