Disability advocates are bringing accessible design to more people than ever

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>> Sreenivasan: SINCE THE
PASSAGE OF THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT 28 YEARS AGO,
SOCIETY HAS BECOME MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED
COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE
DONE.
RECENTLY, SOME OF THE MOST
PROMISING EFFORTS HAVE COME FROM
THE DESIGN WORLD.
INCREASED AWARENESS, ADVOCACY
AND ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY MEAN
THAT PRODUCTS WE ALL USE ARE
BECOMING MORE ACCESSIBLE.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S MEGHAN
THOMPSON REPORTS.
>> Reporter: WALEI SABRY WORKS
FOR THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
SABRY IS LOSING HIS VISION DUE
TO A PROGRESSIVE EYE CONDITION
AND BEGAN IDENTIFYING AS BLIND
13 YEARS AGO AT THE AGE OF 19.
HE SAYS, BACK THEN, HIS
DISABILITY MEANT HE HAD
DIFFICULTY USING SOME
TECHNOLOGIES THAT EVERYONE ELSE
COULD, LIKE MOBILE PHONES.
>> AND I WAS GETTING MOBILE
PHONES THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY
ADAPTED.
SO, I WOULD HAVE TO GET A SUPER
EXPENSIVE PHONE AND THEN GET A
SUPER EXPENSIVE SOFTWARE ON TOP
OF THAT TO MAKE THAT PHONE GIVE
ME ACCESS TO MAYBE 20% OF ITS
FEATURES.
>> Reporter: THEN CAME THE
iPHONE.
ITS DESIGNERS BUILT IN FEATURES
FOR THOSE WITH A VISION
DISABILITY.
>> NOW, WHATEVER I WILL TOUCH ON
THE SCREEN, IT WILL READ OUT
LOUD.
SO...
>> WALEI SABRY, HELLO.
>> HERE WAS A PHONE THAT ANYONE
COULD GET, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO
PAY EXTRA FOR IT.
I PAID THE SAME PRICE AS
EVERYONE ELSE, AND I HAD ACCESS
TO A LOT MORE OF THE FEATURES
THAN JUST MAKING A CALL AND
MAYBE SENDING A TEXT MESSAGE.
>> WALEI IS TYPING.
>> I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE
IMPORTANT AREA NOW FOR DESIGN
ACTIVITY THAN THIS AREA.
>> Reporter: CARA McCARTY IS THE
HEAD CURATOR AT THE COOPER
HEWITT SMITHSONIAN DESIGN
MUSEUM IN NEW YORK.
SHE PUT TOGETHER ITS CURRENT
EXHIBIT, "ACCESS+ABILITY," WHICH
CALLS ATTENTION TO THE RECENT
SURGE IN DESIGN FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
THE EXHIBIT HAS PROTOTYPES LIKE
THIS BODYSUIT WITH ELECTRIC
MUSCLES TO AID MOVEMENT...
>> WE SEE THESE NOW WITH PEOPLE
WHO'VE HAD STROKES, WHO NEED TO
RELEARN HOW TO WALK.
>> Reporter: ...AND CANES WITH
FEATURES LIKE LIGHT-UP HANDLES
AND WEIGHTED BASES.
>> WE'RE SEEING EXPERIMENTS WITH
SELF-RIGHTING CANES, SORT OF
LIKE BUOYS IN WATER THAT TIP
OVER AND THEY... THEY RIGHT
THEMSELVES UP TO BALANCE.
>> Reporter: McCARTY SAYS THIS
INCREASE IN ACCESSIBLE DESIGN
MEANS THAT PRODUCTS WE ALL USE
ARE BEING MADE TO BE MORE
INCLUSIVE.
AND PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY FOR
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE
BEING MADE BETTER.
>> THIS COMPARISON IS JUST SO
POWERFUL.
>> Reporter: AND, DESIGN IS
BEING USED TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS
ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A CAMPAIGN
TO UPDATE THE INTERNATIONAL
SYMBOL OF ACCESS FROM THIS
DEPICTION OF A PERSON IN A
WHEELCHAIR...
>> JUST SITTING THERE, QUIETLY,
PASSIVELY.
>> Reporter: ...TO THIS.
>> JUST BY INCLINING THE TORSO A
LITTLE BIT, ARMS BACK,
PROPELLING THE WHEELCHAIR GIVES
THIS SENSE ABOUT GET UP AND GO,
AND JUST ENGAGE.
>> DISABILITY WILL AFFECT
EVERYONE AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER
IN THEIR LIVES.
WHETHER IT'S AS THEY AGE OR, YOU
KNOW, IF SOMEBODY BREAKS A LEG,
ACCESSIBILITY IS THERE IF THEY
NEED IT.
>> Reporter: IN 2016, WALEI
SABRY WAS PUT IN CHARGE OF
MAKING ALL OF NEW YORK CITY'S
GOVERNMENT WEB SITES AND DIGITAL
TOOLS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
>> JUST DIFFERENT POLICIES LIKE
WHAT... WHAT WILL OUR POLICY BE
FOR MAKING VIDEOS ACCESSIBLE?
WHAT WILL OUR POLICIES BE FOR
ENSURING THAT PLAIN LANGUAGE IS
USED ON OUR WEB SITES?
>> INSTAGRAM, BE MY EYES.
SEEING A.I.
>> Reporter: HE SAYS APP
DESIGNERS HAVE STEPPED UP THEIR
GAME RECENTLY, TOO.
>> LET'S OPEN A RANDOM PAGE
HERE.
>> Reporter: MICROSOFT'S APP
CALLED "SEEING A.I." READS
PRINTED TEXT TO SABRY...
>> DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.
>> Reporter: ...AND IDENTIFIES
OBJECTS IN FRONT OF HIM.
>> WOMAN WITH BLONDE HAIR
LOOKING HAPPY.
>> Reporter: SABRY SAYS IN CASES
WHEN HE HAS TO USE A SEPARATE,
SPECIALIZED DEVICE, IT DRAWS
ATTENTION HE DOESN'T NECESSARILY
WANT.
>> THE CONVERSATION WOULD BE,
"OH, LET ME SEE HOW DIFFERENT
YOU ARE.
I WANT TO SEE HOW YOU DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY."
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF
CONVERSATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW,
FURTHER EXCLUSION, IN MY
OPINION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
CELEBRATING DIFFERENCES AND, YOU
KNOW, POINTING THEM OUT.
>> I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS
VOTING BOOTH.
>> Reporter: CARA McCARTY SAYS
THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF
INCLUSIVE DESIGN, A NEW VOTING
MACHINE CREATED FOR LOS ANGELES
COUNTY FOR THE 2020 ELECTIONS.
>> TODAY, IF SOMEONE HAS A
DISABILITY, OFTEN THEY VOTE
SEPARATELY.
OFTEN THEY... THEY DON'T HAVE
THE PRIVACY BECAUSE THEY
VERBALIZE HOW THEY WANT TO VOTE,
SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN HEAR HOW
THEY ARE VOTING.
THIS HAS NOT ONLY A PRIVACY
SCREEN, IT CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR
SOMEONE WHO'S STANDING.
IF YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU
CAN ROLL UP TO IT.
THE BALLOT IS ELECTRONIC.
WE CAN CHANGE THE FONT SIZE IF
SOMEONE HAS DIFFICULTIES WITH
THEIR VISION.
>> Reporter: THE MACHINE WAS
DESIGNED BY IDEO, A COMPANY
KNOWN FOR INCLUDING USERS IN THE
DESIGN PROCESS.
>> THAT HAS REALLY CREATED AND
RESULTED IN A LOT OF PRODUCTS
THAT ARE MUCH MORE FUNCTIONAL,
OFTEN MORE AESTHETICALLY
PLEASING.
>> Reporter: FOR EXAMPLE, IDEO
CONSULTED PEOPLE WITH CEREBRAL
PALSY.
THE DESIGNERS FOUND THAT TOUCH
SCREENS WORKED BEST FOR THEM.
AND, IT TURNED OUT, TOUCH
SCREENS WORKED BEST FOR MOST
OTHER VOTERS, TOO.
McCARTY SAYS THAT'S TYPICAL.
SEVERAL OF THE PRODUCTS IN THE
COOPER HEWITT EXHIBIT WERE
ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR SOMEONE
WITH A DISABILITY BUT ENDED UP
BEING USEFUL FOR MANY; LIKE THIS
SMARTPHONE APP MADE BY MAYAAN
ZIV, WHO HAS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY
AND FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND
INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER SHE
COULD ACCESS BUILDINGS IN HER
WHEELCHAIR.
>> ONE CAN PUT AN ADDRESS IN IT
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
IS IT ACCESSIBLE?
ARE THE RESTROOMS ACCESSIBLE?
IS THE PATIO ACCESSIBLE?
JUST REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE
PERHAPS A PARENT PUSHING A
STROLLER, THE SAME NEEDS APPLY
TO THEM.
>> Reporter: IN PRODUCTS USED
PRIMARILY BY SOMEONE WITH A
DISABILITY, LIKE WHEELCHAIRS,
McCARTY SAYS USERS ARE GETTING
MORE CHOICES AND MORE FEATURES.
>> FOR SO LONG, WHEELCHAIRS WERE
VIEWED AS JUST A PLACE TO SIT,
SORT OF ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
>> Reporter: NOW, FOR EXAMPLE,
THERE'S THIS WHEELCHAIR, MADE
SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE IN THE
DEVELOPING WORLD WHERE STREETS
ARE OFTEN UNPAVED.
>> SO, THE WHEELCHAIRS ARE VERY
DURABLE.
NOTE THAT IT IS THREE WHEELS AS
OPPOSED TO FOUR.
THIS IS A MUCH MORE STABLE
CONFIGURATION.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE MORE
OPTIONS IN FASHION, TOO.
>> SOME VERY SIMPLE CHANGES.
>> Reporter: THERE'S A SHIRT
THAT LOOKS LIKE ONE YOU COULD
FIND IN ANY DEPARTMENT STORE,
BUT IT HAS MAGNETS BEHIND THE
BUTTONS, MAKING IT EASIER TO
SNAP TOGETHER FOR SOMEONE WITH
LIMITED DEXTERITY.
>> AND THEN, ONE OF MY FAVORITES
HERE.
>> Reporter: AGAIN, IT'S NOT
OBVIOUS THESE SNEAKERS ARE
DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHERS.
NIKE DESIGNED THEM AFTER BEING
CONTACTED BY A 16-YEAR-OLD WITH
CEREBRAL PALSY.
>> AND HE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO
PUT ON HIS OWN PAIR OF COOL
SHOES BY HIMSELF.
SO, THEY RESPONDED BY CREATING
THESE FLYEASE SHOES WHERE
THERE'S A REAR ENTRY.
SO, THE... THE PERSON CAN JUST
PUT THEIR FOOT IN THAT WAY.
AND BY THE WAY, ANYBODY CAN WEAR
THESE.
>> Reporter: AND ASSISTIVE
DEVICES ARE GETTING NEW LOOKS.
THESE HEARING AIDS ARE DECORATED
WITH COLORFUL RHINESTONES,
MAKING THEM LOOK LIKE EARRINGS.
AND PROSTHETIC LIMBS ARE GETTING
A MAKEOVER, TOO.
>> SO MANY PEOPLE USE
ACCESSORIES IN OUTFITS AS A WAY
TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, AND IT
SHOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR
ANY... FOR US, RIGHT?
>> Reporter: MAMA CAX IS A NEW
YORK-BASED FASHION MODEL.
HER RIGHT LEG WAS AMPUTATED WHEN
SHE WAS A DIAGNOSED WITH BONE
CANCER AS A TEENAGER.
AT FIRST, SHE COVERED HER
PROSTHETIC WITH SKIN-COLORED
FOAM TO HIDE HER DISABILITY.
THEN, SHE COVERED IT WITH
NOTHING AT ALL.
>> AND I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE THE
LOOK.
IT WASN'T FASHIONABLE ENOUGH FOR
ME.
>> Reporter: A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, MAMA CAX FOUND THESE
PROSTHETIC LEG COVERS
MANUFACTURED BY A COMPANY CALLED
ALLELES.
>> I THINK BEFORE, THE CONSTANT
THING WAS MEETING PEOPLE WHO HAD
THIS SORT OF, LIKE, LOOK OF
PITY.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT STILL HAPPENS
NOW, BUT I THINK WHEN PEOPLE SEE
ME, THE FIRST THING THEY THINK
OF IS HOW COOL OF A DESIGN IT
IS.
AND THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
IT.
THEY WANT TO KNOW IF I DESIGNED
IT MYSELF OR HOW MANY OF THEM I
HAVE.
>> Reporter: CAX OWNS 18 COVERS
IN ALL, AND SHE DID DESIGN ONE
HERSELF IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
COMPANY.
>> IT... IT JUST GIVES ME THIS,
YOU KNOW, NEWFOUND CONFIDENCE
BECAUSE I... I JUST FEEL LIKE
IT'S SUCH A GREAT WAY TO EXPRESS
MYSELF.
>> Reporter: AND THAT, CARA
McCARTY SAYS, IS THE POWER OF
INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE
DESIGN-- GIVING PEOPLE CHOICES,
INDEPENDENCE AND PRIDE.
THE COOPER HEWITT ACCESS+ABILITY
EXHIBIT WILL RUN UNTIL
SEPTEMBER.

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Disability advocates are bringing accessible design to more people than ever

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