For a while now, I have been following and impressed by Enabled by Design. The basic question that Enabled by Design asks is why should anybody who requires any form of assistive equipment to support them to live independently have to put up with stuff that looks like crappy hospital equipment?
The wider question that Enabeld by Design poses, of course, is one that relates to disability as a whole: why is disability — as an issue, a policy area, a debate — the poorer cousin of virtually every other area of public and private life? Why separate and not equal?
It's a debate typically overshadowed by more pressing issues (such as the basic quality of life that is denied a ridiculous number of disabled people). This is understandable. But one encouraging sign of the last 18 months or so is how disability is gaining traction amongst a small (but growing) number of people who understand the debate as being one that has to be set in the wider context of public services and society. This group understands that the disability debate necessarily has to involve everyone and not just disabled people. (In other words, 'separate but equal' cuts both ways. But that's for another time.)
If you have chance, please do check out Enabled by Design. In particular, if it's something you're interested in, the upcoming event — We are Enabled by Design: making design truly universal — would be a good time to get involved.
