Updated structure of and difficulty of finding at assignment

assignments/finding-accessibility.md

@@ -19,9 +19,30 @@ revised: Jan 3, 2023
 {:toc}
 
 
-# Learning Goals
+# Overview
 
-This assignment will expose the class to a range of in-use accessibility technologies, and give you experience with seeking out first-person accounts of disability experiences with technology. It will also give you experience with presenting accessibly.
+The goal of this assignment is give you experience with seeking out first-person accounts of disability experiences with technology. It will also give you experience with presenting accessibly and expose you to a wide range of accessibility technologies. 
+
+
+## Learning Goals/ Competencies
+This homework may contribute to your competency grade on 
+- Image description
+- Accessible presentation creation 
+- Presenting accessibly to an audience with mixed disabilities
+- Finding first person accounts by and for people with disabilities
+- Familiarity with a range of accessibility technologies (requires being present and engaged with student presentations) 
+- Your participation grade, as a percentage of completeness (are all the required parts present)
+
+## Length and Difficulty
+Students in the past have reported that this assignment takes an median of 4 hours (mode=3). However, in our experience many students have to make multiple attempts to fully meet the competency for finding first person accounts. We recommend you carefully read the requirements for that below, and check in if you have a question. Many students also found presenting accessibly difficult, particularly with respect to how to describe images on their slides. We recommend that you practice this ahead of time. 
+Some things students have told us about this assignment:
+- "I like the requirement of looking at real world tools or tech, expanding beyond the computer."
+- "I enjoy doing this because I watched a few videos and learned a lot of accessibility technology tools [and why we have them]."
+- "It was surprisingly difficult to find first-person accounts for the tech I chose."
+
+# Details
+
+To complete this assignment you will need to do the following: 
 
 ## 0. Learn about how to present accessibly
 
@@ -36,14 +57,20 @@ Disability](https://guoanhong.com/papers/CHI21-ImageDescriptions.pdf)
 
 ## 1. Select two examples of an accessibility technology or disability hack
 
-Select two examples of accessibility technology, or disability hack, that you will be presenting about. Roughly speaking, one technology should improve computer access  and one should improve access to "the world" at large; and at least one should involve computers in some way. Try not to pick the same thing as someone else in the class. Also do not choose really really common things (like elevators and glasses).  
+Select two examples of accessibility technology, or disability hack, that you will be presenting about. An accessibility technology is something that is used by a person with a disability to increase accessibility. It can be something that is included in the infrastructure (such as a [curb cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_cut)) or something that is used by an individual (such as [Proloque2Go](https://www.talktometechnologies.com/pages/proloquo2go), a symbol-based communication system), or something that was not designed for accessibility bit is useful (such as these [5 disability life hacks](https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/5-inexpensive-disability-life-wheelchair-hacks))
 
-An accessibility technology is something that is used by a person with a disability to increase accessibility. It can be something that is included in the infrastructure (such as a [curb cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_cut)) or something that is used by an individual (such as [Proloque2Go](https://www.talktometechnologies.com/pages/proloquo2go), a symbol-based communication system), or something that was not designed for accessibility bit is useful (such as these [5 disability life hacks](https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/5-inexpensive-disability-life-wheelchair-hacks))
+When you pick, consider **these requirments**
+- One technology should improve computer access (such as [sticky keys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_keys).
+- One should improve access to "the world" at large (such as Microsoft's [Seeing AI](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai)).
+- At least one should involve computers in some way (such as [sticky keys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_keys).
+- Try not to pick the same thing as someone else in the class.
+- Do not choose really really common things (like elevators and glasses). 
+- Do not pick a [*Disability Dongle*](https://blog.castac.org/2022/04/disability-dongle/)
+- At least one of your chosen technologies is something you can try yourself
 
-In addition, you should pick something that *expands your knowledge of accessibility technology.* You should include two different technologies that 
-- You are not already familiar with
-- Between them address diverse needs. For example, one of your two technologies might improve access to the world (such as Microsoft's [Seeing AI](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai)); the other could improve access to the computer (such as [sticky keys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_keys)) or a screen reader. Or one of your two technologies should improve access using an infrastructure approach; the other can use an individual approach. 
-- Are designed specifically for the disability community, or are mainstream technologies being used in to address access specific needs. Especially if they are mainstream technologies, you should explain what range of disabilities they support (for example, audio books help people who are blind or low vision, as well as people who are dyslexic, or cannot look at a screen without experiencing chronic illness symptoms). 
+In addition, you should pick something that *expands your knowledge of accessibility technology.* You should include two different technologies that you are not already familiar with. Other ideas to consider when searching for technology:
+- Does it address infrastructure (like curb cuts) or is it more individual (like a screen magnifier)? 
+- Was it designed for the disability community (like a screen reader) or is it a mainstream technology being used to address accessibility needs (like [voice assisstants have](https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3173574.3174033)).
 
 ## 2. Find and Generate First Person Experiences
 
@@ -60,9 +87,11 @@ For example, here is a [personal perspective on audio crosswalks](https://www.yo
 
 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iTSAK4yRf5A" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
-Alternatively, you should find a blog or review written by a personal with a disability who would benefit from the AT that you are trying to learn about. This may influence your choice of technologies, it is OK to iterate. 
+Ideally, you will find a video account showing the technology in use. Try searching for "howto" or try searching first for vloggers who have a disability, and then looking in their channels for technology reviews. Also ask for help on our [discussion site]({site.discussion}) if you are having trouble. If you cannot find a video, you can look for a written account, such as a blog or review. In this case, it still needs to be written by a personal with a disability who would benefit from the AT that you are trying to learn about. This may influence your choice of technologies, it is OK to iterate. 
+
+## 3. Try it yourself 
 
-In addition, *try it yourself*. While some technologies may be expensive or hard to get, many accessibility technologies are easily available and some are even re-purposed everyday items. To meet the requirements for this assignment, you'll also need to make sure that at least one of your chosen technologies is something you can try yourself
+While some technologies may be expensive or hard to get, many accessibility technologies are easily available and some are even re-purposed everyday items. Try at least one of the technologies you find yourself. 
 
 ## 3. Reflect on What you Learned
 
@@ -73,36 +102,32 @@ What is the AT?
 - What does the AT do?
 - What is the access gap that the AT is attempting to address?
 - Why was it developed?
+- What are it's strengths and/or weaknesses?
 
-How well does it suit users? 
-- What is its audience? Think outside the box (e.g. did you know that screen readers are used by BLV people, people with dyslexia, and people with other reading disabilities?)
-- What are its strengths and/or weaknesses?
-- What are the benefits that were not encompassed by the original intent?
-- Do the intended users like it?
-- What do the intended users find frustrating about using it?
-<!-- If you were to work on a project to address a user-faced frustration or limitation of this AT: -->
-<!-- - How would you improve this AT? -->
-<!-- - How can you say that the improvement you make can address the user-level frustration or deficiency of this AT? -->
-- If you have a chance to interview users of this technology, what would be one question you would ask, that was not answered in your search for information?
+How did your experience using it differ from the first person account you saw?
 
-# Turnin
+Which disabilities does this technology support? Think broadly about
+this, and try to find evidence for your ideas. For example, audio
+books and screen readers are used by people who are blind or low vision, as well as people who
+are dyslexic, or cannot look at a screen without experiencing chronic
+illness symptoms.
 
-1. You will create one accessible slides (per AT) in a shared slide deck posted in the [Class Discussion]({{site.piazza}}) and on [Canvas]({{site.canvas}}). Your slide should include 
+If you have a chance to interview users of this technology, what would be one question you would ask, that was not answered in your search for information?
+
+## 4. Create two slides, one for each technology you found
+
+You will create one accessible slides (per AT) in a shared slide deck posted in the [Class Discussion]({{site.piazza}}) and on [Canvas]({{site.canvas}}). Your slide should include 
 - A summary of the AT you researched 
-- Information about its audience 
+- Information about its audience (range of disabilities that use it)
 - A picture of it
 - A link to the first person account you found
 - Something you learned from the video and/or by trying it about its strengths and weaknesse
 
-2. You will present at least one of those slides in class. You should be prepared to 
-- Stay on time (3-4 minutes + 1-2 minutes of questions). This will require you to pick and choose what to focus on when you design your slide, and to practice ahead of class.
-- Be accessible (you may want to revisit  [presenting accessible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9TxhGv91kc) by Kyle Rector)
+Make sure the slides are accessible. 
 
-# Competencies
-This homework will contribute to your competency grade on 
-- Image description
-- Accessible presentation creation 
-- Presenting accessibly to an audience with mixed disabilities
-- Finding first person accounts by and for people with disabilities
-- Familiarity with a range of accessibility technologies (requires being present and engaged with student presentations) 
-- Your participation grade, as a percentage of completeness (are all the required parts present)
+# Turnin
+
+1. You will turn the slide in by adding it to the shared slide deck
+2. You will also present at least one of those slides in class. You should be prepared to 
+- Stay on time (3-4 minutes + 1-2 minutes of questions). This will require you to pick and choose what to focus on when you design your slide, and to practice ahead of class.
+- Present accessibly (you may want to revisit  [presenting accessible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9TxhGv91kc) by Kyle Rector)