Title
Accessible arts. Emancipatory research and disability
Conference name
Media for All 8
City
Country
Sweden
Modalities
Date
18/06/2019
Abstract
As an activist with the Movement of Disabled Artists and a researcher in Media Accessibility, the speaker aims to present how academic research can be facilitated by society, as well as contribute to improve aspects of society, through immediate testing and application of research ideas and outcomes in the target context, i.e. in the context of the true recipients/end users. With this main idea in mind, this contribution aims to bring emancipatory research as understood under the field of Disability Studies into Media Accessibility.
This presentation consists of a theoretical interdisciplinary framework compiled by the speaker, and a range of examples of accessible art events, including real cases of actions in theatrical performances, film festivals, conferences and concerts, in order to demonstrate how a group of activists combining academic research with true knowledge of the disabled world can succeed in offering a truly accessible experience. The proposed framework, which is still at initial stages, was designed with the aim to combine input from five different fields, with focus on education, yet it can act as a template based on which interdisciplinary research can be conducted with different focus.
The speaker has proposed a combination of Disability Studies, Audiovisual Translation, Accessible Web, Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning in order to build a framework for Accessible Online Education, and is hereby suggesting alternative modes of the same framework, that could facilitate the compilation of a solid theoretical background for research in Accessibility in more contexts than that of education. Instead of education, focus can be placed on theatre, cinema, television, and so on, with input from the respective fields, i.e. Film Studies, Theatre Studies, Communication and Media Studies, and so on.
Approaches to disability-related matters in research and how they are perceived by disabled populations are also discussed, in an attempt to suggest a joint approach to accessibility, especially when conducted within Audiovisual Translation, yet on the principles of Disability Studies, with the research outcome aiming to offer equal terms of participation in the Arts, as well as in academia. Approaches of this kind often challenge conventional ways in which knowledge is constructed, and make room for interesting discussions, which are expected to inspire and make room for fruitful discussions.
This presentation consists of a theoretical interdisciplinary framework compiled by the speaker, and a range of examples of accessible art events, including real cases of actions in theatrical performances, film festivals, conferences and concerts, in order to demonstrate how a group of activists combining academic research with true knowledge of the disabled world can succeed in offering a truly accessible experience. The proposed framework, which is still at initial stages, was designed with the aim to combine input from five different fields, with focus on education, yet it can act as a template based on which interdisciplinary research can be conducted with different focus.
The speaker has proposed a combination of Disability Studies, Audiovisual Translation, Accessible Web, Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning in order to build a framework for Accessible Online Education, and is hereby suggesting alternative modes of the same framework, that could facilitate the compilation of a solid theoretical background for research in Accessibility in more contexts than that of education. Instead of education, focus can be placed on theatre, cinema, television, and so on, with input from the respective fields, i.e. Film Studies, Theatre Studies, Communication and Media Studies, and so on.
Approaches to disability-related matters in research and how they are perceived by disabled populations are also discussed, in an attempt to suggest a joint approach to accessibility, especially when conducted within Audiovisual Translation, yet on the principles of Disability Studies, with the research outcome aiming to offer equal terms of participation in the Arts, as well as in academia. Approaches of this kind often challenge conventional ways in which knowledge is constructed, and make room for interesting discussions, which are expected to inspire and make room for fruitful discussions.