EP 464: Decoding Accessibility with Erin Perkins

Mar 7, 2024

In this podcast, Erin Perkins discusses the importance of empathy in online accessibility, sharing her journey as a deafblind individual. The episode highlights the value of inclusivity, understanding, and implementing simple accessibility measures. It also delves into the significance of embracing diversity, self-acceptance, and radical accessibility in creating inclusive spaces.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Introduction

00:00 • 5min

Empathy and Accessibility in Online Environments

05:06 • 12min

Embracing Empathy and Diversity

17:31 • 5min

Exploring Perfection, Progress, and Self-Empathy

22:30 • 3min

Exploring Biographical Illumination and Radical Accessibility

25:38 • 5min

Typically, the question of accessibility online is considered in technical terms: How does this website need to be designed? What ALT text is appropriate for this image? Are captions available for this video? And obviously, knowing the technical aspects of accessibility is important.

But if accessibility stops at the technical requirements, we forget that there are people on the other side of those checklists and manuals. We forget that even the most rigorous checklist can’t account for everyone and their experiences. We forget to ask critical questions that seem obvious when it comes to a backstage pass but are readily dismissed when it comes to most other social spaces.

In the 3rd episode of my 5-part series on Decoding Empathy, I talk with Erin Perkins, an accessibility educator and the founder of MabelyQ, and draw on the work of disability studies scholar Tanya Titchkosky to theorize the overlap between access and empathy—and what it means for you.

Footnotes:

Learn more about Erin Perkins and MabelyQ
The Question of Access by Tanya Titchkosky
Impact of post-COVID symptoms on US adults via the CDC
WC3's Web Accessibility Initiative tips for online content
"Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis as biographical illumination" by Catherine Tan
"Coming Out Disabled" by Tanya Titchkosky

Every episode of What Works is also available in essay form at whatworks.fyi

What Works is funded by readers and listeners. To help support this work, upgrade to a premium subscription for just $7 per month.

(00:00) - Backstage Pass
(03:20) - Introduction
(04:21) - Accessibility is a Complex Form of Perception
(06:07) - Erin's Trouble Accessing Online Content
(09:06) - Recognizing Disability
(11:04) - A Politics of Wonder
(12:51) - The Inaccessibility Tax
(15:00) - The First Steps to Accessibility
(17:35) - Practicing Open-Minded Empathy
(19:22) - Expanding Our Circle of Recognition
(23:26) - Uncovering Our "Half and Half" Nature
(25:33) - Biographical Illumination
(29:03) - Credits

★ Support this podcast ★