thank you I’ve been death all my life well technically that’s not really true
well technically that’s not really true
well technically that’s not really true I was born a healthy baby and I lost my
I was born a healthy baby and I lost my
I was born a healthy baby and I lost my hearing when I was 2 years old I was bit
hearing when I was 2 years old I was bit
hearing when I was 2 years old I was bit by another kid in my day care and I
by another kid in my day care and I
by another kid in my day care and I contracted meningitis in fact this is
contracted meningitis in fact this is
contracted meningitis in fact this is why my friends call me the deaf spider
why my friends call me the deaf spider
why my friends call me the deaf spider boy like spider-man I was bit not by a
boy like spider-man I was bit not by a
boy like spider-man I was bit not by a spider but by a small child and I didn’t
spider but by a small child and I didn’t
spider but by a small child and I didn’t gain any superpowers but I did lose my
gain any superpowers but I did lose my
gain any superpowers but I did lose my hearing and so I was implanted with a
hearing and so I was implanted with a
hearing and so I was implanted with a cochlear implant which would give me the
cochlear implant which would give me the
cochlear implant which would give me the ability to hear this was a high-risk
ability to hear this was a high-risk
ability to hear this was a high-risk 20-hour surgery and I was the last
20-hour surgery and I was the last
20-hour surgery and I was the last patient to go through the beta trials at
patient to go through the beta trials at
patient to go through the beta trials at the University of Iowa before it was
the University of Iowa before it was
the University of Iowa before it was released to the public and after several
released to the public and after several
released to the public and after several months of hardships my implant finally
months of hardships my implant finally
months of hardships my implant finally worked for me one important thing to
worked for me one important thing to
worked for me one important thing to understand about the cochlear implant is
understand about the cochlear implant is
understand about the cochlear implant is that I here artificially through
that I here artificially through
that I here artificially through electronic impulses this is an
electronic impulses this is an
electronic impulses this is an illustration of a cochlear implant
illustration of a cochlear implant
illustration of a cochlear implant notice the wiring right here that’s
notice the wiring right here that’s
notice the wiring right here that’s wrapped around the cochlea the
wrapped around the cochlea the
wrapped around the cochlea the microphone on the outside receives sound
microphone on the outside receives sound
microphone on the outside receives sound and transmits and electronic impulse
and transmits and electronic impulse
and transmits and electronic impulse which my hearing nerve then receives
which my hearing nerve then receives
which my hearing nerve then receives interprets and sends a message to the
interprets and sends a message to the
interprets and sends a message to the brain it in no way is perfect or even
brain it in no way is perfect or even
brain it in no way is perfect or even achieves normal hearing but it is
achieves normal hearing but it is
achieves normal hearing but it is certainly gift me a few major pitfalls
certainly gift me a few major pitfalls
certainly gift me a few major pitfalls that I face are not being able to
that I face are not being able to
that I face are not being able to distinguish pitch or background noise so
distinguish pitch or background noise so
distinguish pitch or background noise so if there were 30 conversations in this
if there were 30 conversations in this
if there were 30 conversations in this room my implant wouldn’t be able to
room my implant wouldn’t be able to
room my implant wouldn’t be able to distinguish the difference between the
distinguish the difference between the
distinguish the difference between the 29 other ones or the one that I’m
29 other ones or the one that I’m
29 other ones or the one that I’m participating in if an air-conditioner
participating in if an air-conditioner
participating in if an air-conditioner in a room is especially loud I’ll
in a room is especially loud I’ll
in a room is especially loud I’ll struggle to hear over the noise I’m a
struggle to hear over the noise I’m a
struggle to hear over the noise I’m a deaf student here at Iowa State
deaf student here at Iowa State
deaf student here at Iowa State University I receive all the
University I receive all the
University I receive all the accommodations that are required by law
accommodations that are required by law
accommodations that are required by law including sign language interpreters and
including sign language interpreters and
including sign language interpreters and classroom accommodations
classroom accommodations
classroom accommodations however I learned that there are still
however I learned that there are still
however I learned that there are still many challenges and barriers that exist
many challenges and barriers that exist
many challenges and barriers that exist on campus and I made this discovery when
on campus and I made this discovery when
on campus and I made this discovery when I attended size cinema a University
I attended size cinema a University
I attended size cinema a University sponsored movie theaters showing all the
sponsored movie theaters showing all the
sponsored movie theaters showing all the latest movies I requested to have the
latest movies I requested to have the
latest movies I requested to have the closed captions turned on right before
closed captions turned on right before
closed captions turned on right before the movie started so that I could enjoy
the movie started so that I could enjoy
the movie started so that I could enjoy the film just as any other student can
the film just as any other student can
the film just as any other student can this was a simple request that literally
this was a simple request that literally
this was a simple request that literally required the flip of a switch and after
required the flip of a switch and after
required the flip of a switch and after a lengthy period various proposals that
a lengthy period various proposals that
a lengthy period various proposals that didn’t work the final solution that they
didn’t work the final solution that they
didn’t work the final solution that they offered me was that I could request out
offered me was that I could request out
offered me was that I could request out of the closed captions turned on right
of the closed captions turned on right
of the closed captions turned on right before the movie started and this was a
before the movie started and this was a
before the movie started and this was a conflicting answer for me because this
conflicting answer for me because this
conflicting answer for me because this was a solution that worked for what I
was a solution that worked for what I
was a solution that worked for what I had requested however this information
had requested however this information
had requested however this information was available only to me and not to any
was available only to me and not to any
was available only to me and not to any other student and so this didn’t exactly
other student and so this didn’t exactly
other student and so this didn’t exactly benefit the other deaf hard-of-hearing
benefit the other deaf hard-of-hearing
benefit the other deaf hard-of-hearing or even non-native English speakers on
or even non-native English speakers on
or even non-native English speakers on campus and what was just as
campus and what was just as
campus and what was just as disappointing is that the transaction of
disappointing is that the transaction of
disappointing is that the transaction of emails took place over a period of two
emails took place over a period of two
emails took place over a period of two months a completely unreasonable amount
months a completely unreasonable amount
months a completely unreasonable amount of time to receive simple accommodations
of time to receive simple accommodations
of time to receive simple accommodations and so I reached out to student
and so I reached out to student
and so I reached out to student disability resources on campus to share
disability resources on campus to share
disability resources on campus to share my story and that’s when I learned that
my story and that’s when I learned that
my story and that’s when I learned that there was nothing more that they could
there was nothing more that they could
there was nothing more that they could do to create a more inclusive
do to create a more inclusive
do to create a more inclusive environment they simply had no power
environment they simply had no power
environment they simply had no power outside of the classroom to create more
outside of the classroom to create more
outside of the classroom to create more accommodations or in one instance to get
accommodations or in one instance to get
accommodations or in one instance to get people to their class I met a student
people to their class I met a student
people to their class I met a student who uses a wheelchair and when the
who uses a wheelchair and when the
who uses a wheelchair and when the elevator to her class on the third floor
elevator to her class on the third floor
elevator to her class on the third floor broke she relied on her boyfriend to
broke she relied on her boyfriend to
broke she relied on her boyfriend to carry her to class for six weeks another
carry her to class for six weeks another
carry her to class for six weeks another student who’s visually impaired
student who’s visually impaired
student who’s visually impaired can’t fully participate in social events
can’t fully participate in social events
can’t fully participate in social events the reason he can’t stop to read flyers
the reason he can’t stop to read flyers
the reason he can’t stop to read flyers on bulletin boards or because his text
on bulletin boards or because his text
on bulletin boards or because his text to audio program can’t convert PDF files
to audio program can’t convert PDF files
to audio program can’t convert PDF files that are emailed to him you realize
that are emailed to him you realize
that are emailed to him you realize solely on word of mouth to know what’s
solely on word of mouth to know what’s
solely on word of mouth to know what’s happening in our community and these are
happening in our community and these are
happening in our community and these are just two tragic examples of exclusion on
just two tragic examples of exclusion on
just two tragic examples of exclusion on campus myself the students that I
campus myself the students that I
campus myself the students that I described in 49 million other disabled
described in 49 million other disabled
described in 49 million other disabled Americans would benefit from inclusive
Americans would benefit from inclusive
Americans would benefit from inclusive design principles and what exactly is
design principles and what exactly is
design principles and what exactly is inclusive design inclusive design
inclusive design inclusive design
inclusive design inclusive design tailors and environment to meet the
tailors and environment to meet the
tailors and environment to meet the needs of the people and while it’s
needs of the people and while it’s
needs of the people and while it’s nearly impossible to cater to the
nearly impossible to cater to the
nearly impossible to cater to the individual spectrum of seven billion
individual spectrum of seven billion
individual spectrum of seven billion people on our planet we can certainly
people on our planet we can certainly
people on our planet we can certainly create a flexible environment that can
create a flexible environment that can
create a flexible environment that can adapt and evolve to meet the needs of
adapt and evolve to meet the needs of
adapt and evolve to meet the needs of the people and that’s why inclusive
the people and that’s why inclusive
the people and that’s why inclusive design is so important inclusive design
design is so important inclusive design
design is so important inclusive design is for everyone not just people with
is for everyone not just people with
is for everyone not just people with disabilities there are many guiding
disabilities there are many guiding
disabilities there are many guiding principles that annoyingly make your
principles that annoyingly make your
principles that annoyingly make your lives easier as well as mine and these
lives easier as well as mine and these
lives easier as well as mine and these all contribute to creating a welcoming
all contribute to creating a welcoming
all contribute to creating a welcoming space for people with disabilities so we
space for people with disabilities so we
space for people with disabilities so we need to create environments that cater
need to create environments that cater
need to create environments that cater to people with diverse abilities one
to people with diverse abilities one
to people with diverse abilities one example that we all know is the
example that we all know is the
example that we all know is the automatic opening door commonly seen in
automatic opening door commonly seen in
automatic opening door commonly seen in grocery stores and other places of
grocery stores and other places of
grocery stores and other places of business whether you’re in a wheelchair
business whether you’re in a wheelchair
business whether you’re in a wheelchair pushing a shopping cart or you have your
pushing a shopping cart or you have your
pushing a shopping cart or you have your hands full you are able to safely enter
hands full you are able to safely enter
hands full you are able to safely enter and exit the building it also completely
and exit the building it also completely
and exit the building it also completely eliminates that awkward eight second
eliminates that awkward eight second
eliminates that awkward eight second period of when you hold a door open
period of when you hold a door open
period of when you hold a door open first stranger and it turns out they’re
first stranger and it turns out they’re
first stranger and it turns out they’re pretty far away we need to create
pretty far away we need to create
pretty far away we need to create environments that can accommodate a wide
environments that can accommodate a wide
environments that can accommodate a wide range of individual preferences when I
range of individual preferences when I
range of individual preferences when I visited the Anne Frank museum in
visited the Anne Frank museum in
visited the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam the videos that they were
Amsterdam the videos that they were
Amsterdam the videos that they were playing had closed captions streaming in
playing had closed captions streaming in
playing had closed captions streaming in six different languages allowing people
six different languages allowing people
six different languages allowing people diverse people to customize their
diverse people to customize their
diverse people to customize their experiences and access information in
experiences and access information in
experiences and access information in their own way let’s make environments
their own way let’s make environments
their own way let’s make environments simple and easy to use a design that is
simple and easy to use a design that is
simple and easy to use a design that is easily understood by anybody regardless
easily understood by anybody regardless
easily understood by anybody regardless of experience knowledge education level
of experience knowledge education level
of experience knowledge education level or language skill can serve to benefit
distress phones commonly found in cities
distress phones commonly found in cities and on college campuses or excellent
and on college campuses or excellent
and on college campuses or excellent example
example
example one push of a button instantly connects
one push of a button instantly connects
one push of a button instantly connects you with the police department who can
you with the police department who can
you with the police department who can assist you and this device is so simple
assist you and this device is so simple
assist you and this device is so simple that even a child can use it in case of
that even a child can use it in case of
that even a child can use it in case of an emergency we need to evaluate how
an emergency we need to evaluate how
an emergency we need to evaluate how perceptible information is we should be
perceptible information is we should be
perceptible information is we should be able to communicate effectively
able to communicate effectively
able to communicate effectively regardless of ambient conditions or
regardless of ambient conditions or
regardless of ambient conditions or users sensory abilities when I moved
users sensory abilities when I moved
users sensory abilities when I moved into my Greek house at the beginning of
into my Greek house at the beginning of
into my Greek house at the beginning of the school year the fire alarms went off
the school year the fire alarms went off
the school year the fire alarms went off in the middle of the night and because I
in the middle of the night and because I
in the middle of the night and because I picked my cochlear implant off when I go
picked my cochlear implant off when I go
picked my cochlear implant off when I go to sleep I can’t hear anything and as a
to sleep I can’t hear anything and as a
to sleep I can’t hear anything and as a result I did not wake up and I relied on
result I did not wake up and I relied on
result I did not wake up and I relied on my roommates to make sure that I was out
my roommates to make sure that I was out
my roommates to make sure that I was out of bed this situation would have been
of bed this situation would have been
of bed this situation would have been prevented with a strobe fire alarm and
prevented with a strobe fire alarm and
prevented with a strobe fire alarm and finally we need to better plan the
finally we need to better plan the
finally we need to better plan the layout of our homes our offices our
layout of our homes our offices our
layout of our homes our offices our restaurants and basically anywhere
restaurants and basically anywhere
restaurants and basically anywhere people are too frequently we cram so
people are too frequently we cram so
people are too frequently we cram so much furniture into for example and I’m
much furniture into for example and I’m
much furniture into for example and I’m sure you can all relate to this college
sure you can all relate to this college
sure you can all relate to this college dining halls here’s a challenge in a
dining halls here’s a challenge in a
dining halls here’s a challenge in a wheelchair meet up with your friends in
wheelchair meet up with your friends in
wheelchair meet up with your friends in the center of this room it’s not so easy
the center of this room it’s not so easy
the center of this room it’s not so easy this environment is inaccessible to
this environment is inaccessible to
this environment is inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs or are even
people who use wheelchairs or are even
people who use wheelchairs or are even obese we need to ensure that appropriate
obese we need to ensure that appropriate
obese we need to ensure that appropriate size in space is provided for
size in space is provided for
size in space is provided for approaching use regardless of the users
approaching use regardless of the users
approaching use regardless of the users body size posture or mobility in short
body size posture or mobility in short
body size posture or mobility in short inclusive design serves to benefit
inclusive design serves to benefit
inclusive design serves to benefit everyone whether you notice it or not it
everyone whether you notice it or not it
everyone whether you notice it or not it makes parking your car easier walking on
makes parking your car easier walking on
makes parking your car easier walking on sidewalks a breeze and opening doors
sidewalks a breeze and opening doors
sidewalks a breeze and opening doors effortless inclusive design can be as
effortless inclusive design can be as
effortless inclusive design can be as simple as having clearly marked signage
simple as having clearly marked signage
simple as having clearly marked signage or lowering a reception desk to be a
or lowering a reception desk to be a
or lowering a reception desk to be a welcoming of people in wheelchairs an
welcoming of people in wheelchairs an
welcoming of people in wheelchairs an inclusive design architecture expert
inclusive design architecture expert
inclusive design architecture expert that I met named dr. Arvid Osterberg
that I met named dr. Arvid Osterberg
that I met named dr. Arvid Osterberg said it best we need to build to meet
said it best we need to build to meet
said it best we need to build to meet the needs of the people not build to
the needs of the people not build to
the needs of the people not build to meet them the minimum requirements
meet them the minimum requirements
meet them the minimum requirements and that’s what I want to shift the
and that’s what I want to shift the
and that’s what I want to shift the mindset to not just for building
mindset to not just for building
mindset to not just for building architecture but for social situations
architecture but for social situations
architecture but for social situations like football tailgating and movie
like football tailgating and movie
like football tailgating and movie theaters or implementing it on websites
theaters or implementing it on websites
theaters or implementing it on websites by having by closed captioning videos or
by having by closed captioning videos or
by having by closed captioning videos or having colorblind friendly toggles if we
having colorblind friendly toggles if we
having colorblind friendly toggles if we can get in a mindset to plan for as many
can get in a mindset to plan for as many
can get in a mindset to plan for as many different people as we can when creating
different people as we can when creating
different people as we can when creating environments it’s going to be a lot
environments it’s going to be a lot
environments it’s going to be a lot easier cheaper and welcoming to
easier cheaper and welcoming to
easier cheaper and welcoming to accommodate a person well the need has
accommodate a person well the need has
accommodate a person well the need has been met proactively rather than
been met proactively rather than
been met proactively rather than reactively
reactively
reactively think of building a school without an
think of building a school without an
think of building a school without an elevator and then realizing that you
elevator and then realizing that you
elevator and then realizing that you should have had one to start with so I
should have had one to start with so I
should have had one to start with so I encourage you all to evaluate
encourage you all to evaluate
encourage you all to evaluate environments that you are a part of can
environments that you are a part of can
environments that you are a part of can a person with a disability have an equal
a person with a disability have an equal
a person with a disability have an equal opportunity to participate in or have a
opportunity to participate in or have a
opportunity to participate in or have a paralleled experience and think beyond
paralleled experience and think beyond
paralleled experience and think beyond wheelchair ramps evaluate all of the
wheelchair ramps evaluate all of the
wheelchair ramps evaluate all of the elements and identify actions that you
elements and identify actions that you
elements and identify actions that you and your organization can take to be as
and your organization can take to be as
and your organization can take to be as inclusive as possible
inclusive as possible
inclusive as possible in addition demand accountability for
in addition demand accountability for
in addition demand accountability for those who do create environments just in
those who do create environments just in
those who do create environments just in the last month deaf and hard of hearing
the last month deaf and hard of hearing
the last month deaf and hard of hearing people campaign for the White House to
people campaign for the White House to
people campaign for the White House to caption its videos on social media and
caption its videos on social media and
caption its videos on social media and they finally address the needs of the
they finally address the needs of the
they finally address the needs of the people by advocating for inclusive
people by advocating for inclusive
people by advocating for inclusive design we will tear down institutional
design we will tear down institutional
design we will tear down institutional barriers and allow people regardless of
barriers and allow people regardless of
barriers and allow people regardless of ability to have an equal opportunity to
ability to have an equal opportunity to
ability to have an equal opportunity to participate in and feel welcome in our
participate in and feel welcome in our
participate in and feel welcome in our society thank you
society thank you
society thank you [Applause]
”
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