Overview
The Accessibility User Research Collective (AURC) is a research group focusing on the accessibility and usability of mainstream technology. The AURC is an active, national network of people with all types of disabilities. AURC members participate in studies organized and conducted by the AURC staff in conjunction with industry partners. These studies aim to capture the perspectives and experiences of people with disabilities when using mainstream technologies to inform all phases of the iterative design process. This information is disseminated to the industry partners with the goal of improving the accessibility and usability of their products.
Learning Objectives
- Identify three benefits of the consumer network model of user-centered research.
- Describe three phases of product development that would benefit feedback from disabled consumers.
- Discuss four research methods for engaging disabled consumers in product feedback.
Primary & Secondary Strands
Mainstream & Web Accessible Technologies; Research
Target Audience
- Accessibility Professional
- ADA Coordinator
- AT Specialists
- Caregivers
- Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities
- Disability Services
- Family Members
- Government/Non-Profit Agencies
Experience Level
Introductory
Primary Life Cycle Addressed
Adult/Senior
Session Delivery Format
In-person presentation with recording
Course Schedule
This course was given at the ATIA 2023 Conference on Friday, February 3 from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM (EST)
Continuing Education Credits
For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Learning Center CEUs
This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; AOTA; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours.
End date of CRC CEUs offering: January 30, 2024
As this course was included in the ATIA 2023 Virtual Event series, please refer to the ATIA Learning Center CEUs page for further information on how to submit your CRC CEUs for this course to CRCC.
Speaker/s:
Raeda Anderson
Shepherd Center
Biography
Raeda Anderson is a research scientist at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia where she serves as the senior scientist with the Accessibility User Research Collective, analyst for primary and secondary data collection, and methodologist. Her research foci include technology use, social determinants of health, and community participation of people with disabilities. Additionally, Dr. Anderson holds a faculty appointment at Georgia State University's Department of Sociology.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
All researchers on this project are employees of Shepherd Center and thus are paid salary and associated benefits. This study is funded by The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Information and Communications Technology Access (LiveWell RERC) is funded by a 5-year grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (grant number 90RE5028). The opinions contained in this website are those of the LiveWell RERC and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or NIDILRR.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No
Delaney Cowart, BS-BME
Shepherd Center
Biography
Delaney is a user experience researcher and program manager for the Accessibility User Research Collective (AURC) at Shepherd Center. The AURC is a U.S.-based national community of people with all types of disabilities interested in helping make technology, health, and consumer goods companies more accessible and usable. For the AURC, Delaney plans and facilitates studies with industry partners, manages the panel of over 1300 members, designs and implements data collection tools, and returns actionable data to clients. Delaney also works on two NIDILRR-funded projects with Shepherd Center: the App Factory Project, which is a Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project, and the mRehab Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center. Delaney graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University with a dual degree in Biomedical Engineering (B.S.). In 2019, she co-founded Carolina Adapts Toys for Children (CATCH, Inc), a non-profit organization that makes toys more accessible for children with disabilities, for which she still serves as an executive board member.
Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment.
Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: No