“The educators involved argue that beyond filling the shoes of retiring scientists, broadening the range of perspectives can help create better technological solutions for everyone. Indeed, the technologies behind such innovations as the Segway and voice-recognition software were originally created for people with disabilities. ‘Great ideas come from diversity, not from single-mindedness,’ [UW CSE’s Richard] Ladner points out. ‘If you look at bigger companies like IBM and Microsoft, they pride themselves on having diverse workforces. They’re hiring people who are blind and deaf and in wheelchairs because they know they’ll do great things.'”
Read the full article here. Learn about Ladner’s Access Computing Alliance here.