Source: Down Syndrome Ireland
Into the Infinite, and Beyond:
Say you’re walking down the Infinite and you bump into a friend. You begin walking together. While catching up about what you’re up to this semester, they ask: “Oh! You’re taking PPAT? What’s that?”
At MIT, where numbers and acronyms dominate, this seems like a fairly harmless question. But the reply we choose to give has implications far beyond Lobby 7.
There are, in essence, three replies we could give our friend:
1) The obvious: “Oh, Principles and Practices of Assistive Technology!”
2) The descriptive: “Oh! PPAT is a course where we design products to make disabled people’s lives easier.”
3) The normative: “Oh! PPAT is a course where we work alongside people with disabilities to build a solution that allows them to lead a more independent life.”
Which answer should we give our friend? If we’re late to a midterm and shout Option 1 while jetting into the distance, well, alright — that’s understandable. But what if we’ve got a few minutes to chat? What’s the difference between Option 2 and Option 3, and why should we make a conscious effort to choose one description over another?
After a month in the course, that distinction becomes clear:
One of the first lessons we’re taught in PPAT is the importance of not only using “People First” language, but also to internalize and practice the philosophy behind it. People First language advocates “putting the person before the disability,” and reminds us that a disability is “simply a medical diagnosis.” Promoted by disability rights activist Kathie Snow, this small shift in our descriptive language has big implications: we actively recognize the potential, power, and agency of the nearly one billion people around the world who happen to have a disability.
This is one of the tools in our People First toolkit, I hope you find it useful!
So, now, if I have a few minutes to spare while chatting with a friend (and even if I don’t!), I vow to intentionally utilize People First language, and to recognize and honor the potential of humans of all abilities. I vow to humbly adhere to this principle throughout the design process, and work to carry its spirit with me beyond my time as a PPAT student.
After all, isn’t that what User-Centered Design (UCD) is all about? Putting the user first?
P.S. If you’re still curious, the answer is Option 3. Definitely Option 3.