Karen Nakamura, Nate Tilton
The Nakamura Disability Lab has been operating since 2018 in the San Francisco Bay Area and serves as a central hub for disability-focused research, media, and design work.The lab functions as a:Makerspace, providing an accessible and inclusive space for building and prototyping;Research Lab: the lab conducts research focused on the development of various assistive technologies; andTeaching Space for workshops and learning activities.The lab becomes a holistic environment for disability-centred innovation, knowledge production, and skill-building in an attempt to centralise and amplify disability-led research, design, and education within a dedicated physical space in the Bay Area community.
Tech Accessibility + Literacy: By providing a physical space with tools and resources to promote the research, design, and development of assistive technologies intended to support the disabled community, the UC Berkeley Disability Lab becomes an environment for tech accessibility and digital literacy. As a teaching space, it hosts educational workshops and activities, giving opportunities for learning, training, and promoting digital literacy that is disability-centred to help bridge gaps in access and autonomy that disabled people may face with regards to technology.
How can we create genuine spaces for diverse representation across different disability identities, experiences, and perspectives?How can we identify and work towards addressing barriers to participation in the disabled community?What teaching and learning approaches can we use to foster digital literacy and empower disabled students?In what ways can we build pathways for them to gain technical skills and expertise?