Disabled Reality | Dr. Ashley Shew | TEDxBoulder

Quick Overview

Dr. Ashley Shew argues that the societal narrative surrounding disability, often framed by technologists and doctors, positions disabled people as perpetual consumers or victims needing fixing, rather than as experts of their own embodied reality, leading to technologies like AI proctoring and specialized devices that often amplify existing biases and create new barriers for disabled individuals.

Key Points: Shew identifies the prevailing narrative as one where disabled people are viewed as passive recipients of help or consumers needing to be 'fixed' by technology and medical professionals. She coined the term 'techno-ableism' to describe the trend where technology reinforces ableist biases, citing examples like AI proctoring services and expensive mobility aids that are often poorly designed for real-world use. The speaker notes that medical textbooks and behavioral techniques often focus on eradicating disability rather than accepting it as part of universal existence. She points out that disability visibility in media often falls into the trap of making disabled people seem inspirational solely for existing, obscuring the systemic barriers they face. Shew states that many technologies, like ADA-compliant designs or even new prosthetics, fail because they are created without input from the disabled community, leading to expensive, impractical solutions. She concludes that the future is disabled, implying that disability is a normal, inherent part of the human condition that technology should adapt to, not try to erase.

Context: Dr. Ashley Shew delivers a TEDxBoulder talk titled "Dreams & Reality" focusing on the concept of techno-ableism and how technology and societal perceptions often fail the disability community. She shares personal experiences, including surviving cancer and living with an amputation, to critique the prevailing medical and technological narratives that position disabled individuals as problems to be solved rather than experts of their own lives.