The reading talks about how the design of products aids people with disability. It was really interesting as I never really thought of how certain designs do accommodate people with disabilities – I’m usually unaware of it.
The author mentions that the traditional views on design for disability have been to hide the disability which creates a negative connotation. Not only does it hide a part of the person, but it may also tell the person that they should be ashamed to publicly show and express their disability which could actually be a part of what makes them who they are.
An example of a design for the disabled they gave is eyewear. Glasses have shown the way some people may divert from this traditional view. There are many ranges and styles for eyeglasses giving people the choice to pick out what seems more comfortable and fashionable to them. There are also many people nowadays buying eyeglasses just for the aesthetic even if they have no prescription for them. However, if we look at another design they mentioned such as a prosthetic leg many people may associate negative connotations with it and may hide it due to it ‘not being goodlooking’ even though it is totally functional. I definitely think this needs to change. I don’t think anyone should have to feel that they are ashamed of their disability.
The last thing I want to mention is that I definitely agree with the fact that these designs should be as simple as possible. The main point of these designs is to help people who are disabled. The designs should be simple enough for the users to be able to use them to their full potential without stressing them out.