> Access 2.0 interview: David Gayes
- 1 Jun 07, 09:20 PM
David is a young man currently taking a break from studying to interview people with disabilities. This project is being recorded in his blog, 'Growing up with a Disability.' He writes regularly about disability issues, and is a regular contributor to the Disability Blog Carnival. He has cerebral palsy.
Question: Do you use any access technology to get on the internet?
David: I do not use any access technology. I do use a combination of voice dictation and manual typing, because that's what works best for me. I have used Dragon Naturally Speaking for a long time, and I think Version 9 is the best yet. However, it can still be frustrating, and it requires a lot of patience. I also use a Kensington trackball, because its large trackball and programmable buttons fit my needs well.
Question: What do you use the Internet most for?
David: Last Autumn, I started 'Growing up with a Disability' as a means to share with my family, friends, and interviewees, the interviews I was conducting with people who have grown up with a disability. Things went a little differently than I had planned. First, I had no idea that I would be introduced to a worldwide community of bloggers who shared their life stories and perspectives of living with disabilities. In addition, I had no idea that so many people I do not personally know would want to read my blog and hear my opinion on disability issues such as the Ashley Treatment [[a controversial set of medical procedures to limit the onset of puberty], disability and the media, ableism, healthcare, and education.
The Internet is a great way to get a message out and share a perspective that is not well represented in major media coverage. Although we are a very large, diverse minority group, our perspectives as people with disabilities are often unheard and ignored. Blogging lets individual voices be heard, and our world needs to hear those voices.
I find that the Internet is an equaliser for people with disabilities. It doesn't matter whether people are deaf, blind, or have physical disabilities, we can all communicate with each other via the Internet. In person, I can't easily communicate with someone who is deaf because I don't know sign language and my speech is difficult to lip read. The Internet enables people that come from many different backgrounds to discuss issues and advocate for change.
Question: What features do you like and dislike on websites?
David: It is very important that websites accommodate as many people as possible. I like when websites give readers choices on how they want to access the information. For example, I have difficulty reading tiny print. Choices on font size, font colour, layout of material, etc. allow the reader to access the website in the most suitable way. I appreciate when web designers seek the opinion of people with disabilities when designing their websites, and I'm sure it's an advantage for a website to have as many readers as possible.
CAPTCHAs [images of characters on top of a coloured or patterned background] really annoy me. I have a difficult time seeing the small letters and numbers, and it often takes me several tries to get it right. On the other hand, spammers and people who comment merely to stir up trouble with hateful words need to be limited. I do appreciate that Blogger offers the option of "comment moderation" if needed.
Question: What are some of your favourite websites?
David: I really like Equip for Equality - great content and I like their formatting. I also like National Public Radio for their in-depth coverage of stories, plus it is easy to navigate the site. I have quite a few favorite blogs. Here are some of them - individuals sharing their own lives and perspectives such as The Gimp Parade, Disability Studies at Temple U, Wheelie Catholic, Ballastexistenz and A Deaf Mom Shares her World.
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