Connecting those with Disabilities

Technology has been able to help us stay in touch with others easily, get what we need done faster, and many other useful things. But for people who have disabilities they may not find the same benefits and advantages with technology, and some may have found it as a barrier or a hassle to even use. There are many types of disabilities that people can have which can prevent them from using certain technologies. Sometimes people may call this being "locked in." To be locked in means that one's brain functions normally, but they cannot move or speak because of an injury or disease. The number of people who are locked in is not a small number either, however there are no current statistics on the population of people who suffer from this disease.

Although technologies are very hard for people with disabilities to use, there are many things being done technology wise to help connect these people with the rest of the world whether it be via the internet or in medical ways. Technology has been able to help those with disabilities be able to participate in normal activities they might not be able to normally do. Since technology is giving those with disabilities more opportunities than they have ever had in the past, we are also able to learn from them and their needs, and provide them with useful and helpful technologies.

Section 508 is a law which helps those with disabilities have access to as much technology as a person without disabilities might have. “Individuals with disabilities who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal department or agency to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by such members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities. “
(U.S. Civil Rights Division)

Although one of the characteristics of new media that Jenkins listed was that it is unequal because not everyone can decide to what extent they participate in a technology, Section 508 tries to change that. It is true that technology will not be able to be accessed by everyone especially when it is brand new and has just come out. However, the technologies we can invent afterwards are even more amazing because they can connect those who previously couldn't use these technologies. One new technology that does just that, is called the Brain- Twitter project. This project has made the technology available for someone who may not be able to use Twitter in the conventional ways intended, now able to use the technology and communicate with other people. What is also so incredible about this new discovery is that people who receive these Twitter messages on the other end, might not even be able to recognize that the user on the other end is disabled. This is a breakthrough technology for those who cannot use a computer with their hands or any body part, because they can now type and post whatever they want and communicate it to the rest of the world. "A lot of people think [locked-in patients] want to walk and want fancy prosthetics, but a lot of times what they want are bladder control and basic communication skills." This video shows exactly how this new technology works:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/22/twitter.locked.in/index.html#cnnSTCText

This new technology will help those with disabilities be able to maintain and create new relationships, and help them communicate with more people than they probably ever imagined they would have a chance to. However, although these technologies are being invented for those with disabilities, will they be able to afford them? Many times people with disabilities have already spent a lot of money in hospital visits, check-ups, and other technologies to help them in their everyday lives. Although they are now able to have more opportunities, do they have the money required to buy them? Another aspect to look at also, is how fast technology is constantly changing and being built. Will those who research disabilities be able to keep up with this rate of technology change? Will they be able to keep those with disabilities up to date also?

Crowdsourcing Models and Interpersonal relationships

Crowdsourcing seems to be a new popular idea that many companies are taking advantage of. Some companies have found the best way to utilize crowdsourcing to its fullest, while others haven't gotten the results they were hoping would come from crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing is both a problem solving model and a business model where companies can leverage the power of online crowds for profits. But can crowdsourcing influence our interpersonal relationships? I think that it can.

For example, once I had found out about the Threadless website, I instantly had a few ideas pop into my head. I texted my friend, and asked him if he wanted to design a shirt since he is a very talented artist. He was a little skeptical about the whole idea and even the website, but eventually agreed to give it a try. We have yet to submit the drawing for the shirt, but it has been a fun process. I think crowdsourcing brings together people with similar interests which can allow relationships to build based on certain commonalities.

Although crowdsourcing is more commonly viewed as a business model, it is also an example of participatory media. Participotory media allows for a crowd of people to be part of the decision making process, creating an idea, or even deciding on the finished product. The tv show American Idol utilizes a crowdsourcing model to some extent in which anyone can try out for the show, and the audience of the show votes on who they think should win. This tv show has brought many families, friends, and strangers together to either watch or maybe vote for a friend on the tv show.

I think social capital is a huge part of crowdsourcing, and may be what actually keeps crowdsourcing working. I had not known about crowdsourcing prior to this class, but had found out about it through word of mouth. I then told other people, and found a chance to get involved myself. Most people hear about these opportunities through word of mouth whether it be in the form of an advertisement, a friend, an email,a class, or a news article. When people start talking about something, it reaches others who may or may not check it out depending on their interests, but the people who do also will tell their friends, thus the new information reaches a vast amount of people.

Crowdsourcing also brings people together who have similar interests. On the website threadless, people who are creative and want to create t-shirts are brought together. I have been helping my friend with the website, while he created a design for a shirt; through this process we have bonded more than we might have if we hadn't decided to do this.

A new crowdsourcing model was recently introduced, in which "Organizers of the X Prize, who have set up contests for space travel, DNA research and super-efficient cars, said on Tuesday they are offering $10 million to the winner of a contest to transform the health of people in a small U.S. community." It will be very interesting to see what ideas are proposed for this model, since it involves helping other people out, rather than making an actual physical product people will like. This project not only will have to propose a plan that will transform the health of a community, but also will have to propose a way of involving a community to improve their health together. I think that this crowdsourcing model could provide many opportunities for a community to connect on many levels, but more importantly will connect people who want to stay healthy. In our nation, staying healthy has become an increasing problem for many people. This model of crowdsourcing may find an answer to help our nation become more healthy than it has been in the past.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30229724/

Crowdsourcing can bring people with similar interests together in both the creating process, and the use of the product. Crowdsourcing is not always used for the creation of t-shirts, policies, or tv commercials, but also can be used for our own well being (like improving health in a community). Will there be more crowdsourcing models posed in the future that we as humans may actually benefit from? Will the crowdsourcing model mentioned above to improve a communities health even work? And if it does, what changes might we see in our own society? Will we turn to crowdsourcing to solve more of our societies problems or issues?