Instructor: Megan Hofmann
Email: m.hofmann@northeastern.edu
Description
This course covers various topics related to disability and accessible and assistive technologies (AT) that people with disabilities use daily. The class will survey a variety of disabilities (e.g., sensory impairments, mobility impairments, cognitive impairments, neurodivergence, chronic health) and how common activities can be adapted to be accessible. Further, the course presents multiple frameworks for understanding disability and performing human-centered engineering activities that produce effective and useful AT. Students in this course will learn how to create and assess the accessibility of computing technologies, how to design computing technologies with assistive applications, and how to work with and engage disabled communities.
Time
Tuesdays 11:45-1:25
Thursdays 2:50-4:30
Location
TBD
Registration
Subject and Course Number: CS 4973 – 13
CRN: 20212
Credit Hours: 4
Section: 13
Course Materials
- This course does not require a textbook.
- This course will require a programming environment such as VSCode, Pycharm, and WebStorm.
Example Lecture Topics
- Disability Ethics
- Models of Disability
- History of Disability Justice
- How to Make Accessible Presentations and Documents
- Introduction to…
- Sensory Impairment
- Mobility Impairments
- Neurodivergence
- Chronic Health
- Universal Design
- Social Accessibility
Expected Learning Outcomes
Understanding Disability and Accessibility
- Develop knowledge about common types of disabilities and how they are managed.
- Learn about different frameworks of disability theory.
Applications of Disability-Centered Engineering
- Identify Applications of Engineering Skills for Creating Access.
- Study Recent Trends in Making Engineering Accessible
Working For and With Disabled People
- Learn how to give accessible presentations.
- Learn how to discuss accessibility and disability.
- Learn how to prepare accessible materials.
Grading
We will use a mix of traditional and competency-based grading for most class elements. This means that 60% of final grades are determined by demonstrating competency at the end of the course, not an average across the whole course. Students must demonstrate competency in three core learning areas by working on assignments, leading in-class discussions, and completing the final project. Additionally, 40% of the final grade is determined by the student’s working skills across the semester and uses traditional grading methods (weighted average). Working skills are evaluated through attendance, in-class participation, and turning assignments in on time.
Learning Outcomes Areas (60% of Final Grade)
By the end of the course, students must demonstrate competency in three learning areas. Each learning area is evaluated on a scale from 0 (incomplete) to 20 (Excellent), with mastery achieved at (15%). Each assignment in the course is assigned to one or more learning outcomes. Your final grade for each area is determined by the average of your 2 highest evaluations across each assignment. So, for example, if you complete five assignments that evaluated your Working for and With People with Disabilities learning outcome and your two highest evaluations are one excellent (20pt) and one master (15pt), then you will score 17.5% out of 20% on your final grade.
Understanding Disabilities and Accessibility (20% of Final Grade)
Students will demonstrate a breadth of knowledge about types of disability and how impairments associated with these disabilities create access barriers. They will present knowledge on frameworks of disability and how they influence the design of technologies for people with disabilities. They will be able to analyze engineering tasks in contexts that include disability and access.
Application of Disability-Centered Engineering (20% of Final Grade)
Students will demonstrate their ability to employ disability-centered engineering and design approaches to create new technologies. They will show this by analyzing existing accessible and assistive solutions, critiquing the results, and performing disability-centered engineering work. While students are not evaluated on the technical complexity of their projects, the complexity should be commiserate with their self-determined engineering educational goals and skill level.
Working for and With Disabled People (20% of Final Grade)
Students will demonstrate their ability to work for and with disabled people by creating accessible presentations and report materials.
Working Skills (40% of Final Grade)
Students must demonstrate consistent working skills across the course. These evaluations have been designed to provide students with substantial flexibility while reflecting the expectations of engineers working on collaborative teams and with disabled clients. Further, these grades incentivize regular participation in all aspects of the course.
Course Policies
Late Assignment Policy
It is critical that students turn in work throughout the semester as assignments align with lecture materials and are spaced out to prevent periods of stress. For example, students should not be working substantially more the week before finals than they were throughout the semester. However, course deadlines may not always align with the outside world, and some late assignments are to be expected.
Students are given two tools to manage their time spent on this course flexibly while keeping up with the course schedule: 10 Flex days and Late-Assignment Grade Points.
10 Flex-Days
Each student starts the semester with ten flex days that they can spend on late assignments with no grade penalty. A flex day is spent turning in an assignment one day late. Students can spend these however they wish. For instance, you can turn in one assignment ten days late or five assignments two days late each. There is no extra credit for left-over flex days at the end of the semester.
Flex days cannot be spent on in-class presentations. If you will be absent when you have an assigned presentation, contact the instructor to work out a presentation plan.
Days are rounded up, so submitting an assignment 5 minutes after the deadline will cost one flex day. Students do not need to contact the instructor to spend their flex days.
Once you have spent all ten flex days, you must set a private meeting with the instructor to find solutions to stay on the course schedule going forward.
10 Late-Assignment Grade Points
Late-assignment grade points act the same as flex days, except each late-assignment grade point will be deducted as 1% of the final grade. Once these are spent, students will lose no more points for late assignments; however, this will trigger another discussion with the instructor to address substantial lateness. Like flex days, late-assignment deductions do not apply to presentations; however, if a presentation cannot be completed on schedule, it may result in losing completion points for that assignment.
Attendance
Students are not evaluated based on their attendance. However, we do not expect students to succeed in this course if they do not regularly attend and actively participate in lectures. In many cases, the content of this course is not covered in readily accessible online materials, and classes are the best place to engage the instructor and fellow students.
All classes will be in person and recorded. Students can access these recordings through Canvas and are expected to watch any lectures they miss.
Faculty / Student Communications
If you have any questions regarding this course, please email the instructor. Please expect a response within two business days.
Please email the professor if you would like to schedule a meeting about this course outside of office hours.
Academic Integrity
A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeastern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University.
As members of the academic community, students must become familiar with their rights and responsibilities. In each course, they are responsible for knowing the requirements and restrictions regarding research and writing, examinations of whatever kind, collaborative work, the use of study aids, the appropriateness of assistance, and other issues. Students are responsible for learning the conventions of documentation and acknowledgment of sources in their fields. Northeastern University expects students to complete all examinations, tests, papers, creative projects, and assignments of any kind according to the highest ethical standards, as set forth either explicitly or implicitly in this Code or by the direction of instructors.
Go to https://osccr.sites.northeastern.edu/academic-integrity-policy/ to access the full academic integrity policy.
Violations of Academic Integrity will result in an automatic 0 on any involved assignments.
Cheating FAQ:
Can I use ChatGPT or other generative AI Tools?
Yes, you can use these tools at your own risk. Be aware that you are responsible for the content of your submissions. If these systems make false statements, it will have the same effect as you making a false statement. If the system plagiarizes another’s work, it will have the same effect as you plagiarizing work.
Use these tools where they are helpful to your learning. If you do use these tools, cite them. Note that citation will not change your responsibility for interpreting the content that you have cited.
Can I work with my classmates?
Yes, and you should! Do not turn in the work of others and call it your own.
Can I use outside sources?
Yes, and you will need to! This class relies on you going out and seeking knowledge from academic publications and first-hand experiences. Keep track of your sources and cite them.
Academic Resources
Student Accommodations
We will work to provide you with any accommodations within our power that serve your learning goals.
The purpose of accommodations is not to make learning easy; it is to make learning effective. We all have different needs and learning styles that require flexibility.
The goal of the class is for every student to be successful. If you have any needs that are not being met in the course or a situation arises that is affecting your coursework, please feel free to bring these things to the instructor’s attention so that we can work together to find the best solution for you. We will not disclose your disability status without your permission.
Default Accommodations
- All lectures will be recorded for viewing after class
- All lectures will be automatically transcribed over Zoom. Transcripts will be made available to students.
- All lecture materials will be posted to Canvas at least an hour before class.
- Students can attend office hours online over Zoom or in person.
- This class does not include timed assignments or exams.
- The flexible deadlines policy is designed to help students balance their workload inside and outside the course.
Disability Resouce Center
We encourage you to use University resources to support and document your accommodation needs. However, we also recognize that these systems are not available to every student in a timely manner. To prevent delays in accommodation, we encourage you to connect with the instructor and university services as early as possible.
Northeastern University and the Disability Resource Center (DRC) are committed to providing disability services that enable students who qualify under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADA) to participate fully in the university’s activities. To receive accommodations through the DRC, students must provide appropriate documentation demonstrating a substantially limiting disability.
For more information, visit: https://drc.sites.northeastern.edu/registered-students/