The Disability Interaction (DIX) Approach

Abstract

The Disability Interactions manifesto, which appeared in the Interactions magazine in 2019, was the first attempt at describing a new agenda for developing technology for people with disabilities. In it, a wider vision for disability and HCI was explored. This vision built on the established concepts of ability-based design and accessibility and looked a little wider at the power of social movements and the possibilities for radically different approaches to designing technology which aims to target all aspects of disability inclusion. In essence, it sought to push the boundaries of HCI research beyond the abilities of people with disabilities, toward full acceptance of people and their technology in society. This new space incorporated a little of Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW) and much of the HCI for Development (HCI4D) agenda. The manifesto laid out five principles upon which we could build an expanded vision of disability inclusion, thus enabling what was termed: disability interactions.