1) Over 1 billion people worldwide currently live with a disability. Acquired disabilities, where disability is not present from birth, make up 83% of all disabilities. 2) People who acquire a disability later in life often have difficulty accepting their new abilities and learning alternative access methods, as they experience grief over their lost abilities. They may feel denial, anger, depression and bargaining before accepting their condition. 3) Whether a disability is acquired gradually or suddenly can impact how easy it is to learn new access methods. Those unaware of a gradually developing disability may be unprepared for a sudden loss of abilities. 4) Accessibility features should be designed with an emphasis on preference and avoiding barriers by default, with

1. UXPA 2014 London
Acquired Disabilities
24th July 2014
Caleb Tang UX and Accessibility Consultant
UXPA UK | Treasurer

2. Accessibility?
Disability?
Reality
2 @calebtang

3. 1 billion and more
people currently living with disability
2011 WHO World report on disability

4. USA
17%
UK
18%

5. 5 @calebtang
The 1 in 5 you mention did
not seem to reflect people
around me

6. Many people with disability do not consider
themselves disabled
6 @calebtang

7. Many people with disability do not consider
themselves disabled
7 @calebtang
Disability can be hidden

8. Many people with disability do not consider
themselves disabled
8 @calebtang
Disability can be hidden
Many uncomfortable to admit

9. Many people with disability do not consider
themselves disabled
9 @calebtang
Disability can be hidden
Many uncomfortable to admit
Many unaware about their condition

10. We all know
Disability is categorised by vision, hearing,
motor, cognitive, speech etc
Blind people use screen readers, Deaf
people understand sign language etc

11. We have tools, guidelines,
policies and some design
patterns

12. We are doing great job… and
should continue to challenge
ourselves

13. Accessibility?
Disability?
Reality
13 @calebtang

14. 14 @calebtang
I wasn’t aware of this
(accessibility) feature

15. 15 @calebtang
It’s good that they have
these features, but it is still
hard to use…

16. Only 17% of disabled people
are born with their disability

17. Born vs. Acquired disability

18. Born
• Comfortable with their
access methods (formal
training)
• Expert and confident
Acquired
• Experience loss of abilities
(stages of grief)
• Have to learn alternative
access methods
• May not able to learn or
use access methods up
their potential
• May experience multiple
challenges as a result of
the loss

19. Acquired:
Gradual vs. Sudden

20. Gradual
• Unaware of the gradual
development of disability
• Start preparing and
learning new ways to live
• Trying to do as much as
possible while they can
• Swing between “abled”
and “disabled”
Sudden
• Takes longer to learn
• Comparing to the mental
model during the abled
days
• Frustrated, angry, lack of
patience, feeling hopeless
etc

21. Gradual:
Aware vs. Unaware

22. Aware
• May take action and
accept needs for their
condition
• May prepare for their
future (learn new skills)
Unaware
• Would not associate
themselves with
accessibility features
• May experience sudden
loss when they aware

23. Denial
Anger
Bargain
Depress
Accept
Model of grief
- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

24. Denial
Anger
Bargain
Depress
Accept
I don’t believe this

25. Denial
Bargain
Depress
Accept
Why me? Not fair!! Anger

26. Denial
Depress
Accept
There may be way
to turn this around
Anger
Bargain

27. Denial
Accept
I’m just a useless
creature
Anger
Bargain
Depress

28. Denial
I’m not disabled,
I’m just doing things
differently
Anger
Bargain
Depress
Accept

29. Where we place them

30. What we call them

32. How we present them

33. We should stop labelling
accessibility.
Think Preference.

34. Accessibility is good design.
Think accessible by default.
Think design to avoid barriers.

35. People acquire disabilities.
And it is journey full of
challenges.
Think design to impact.

36. Thank you.
36 @calebtang