Curtin University is aiming to improve the lives of people with disability, by bringing key stakeholders from a wide range of fields together to collaborate on new ways to improve accessibility and design.
TheAdvancing Practice in Accessible and Universal Design forum will see researchers, experts, industry and members of the community from diverse fields investigate how to improve the design and delivery of services and products to people with disabilities.
Attendees will bring experience of living with disabilities plus expertise in a range of specialty areas, such as employment, education, built environment, recreation, assisted living and disability services.
Event organiser Dr Luke Butcher from the Faculty of Business and Law’s School of Management and Marketing said it was important for stakeholders to be aware of other relevant areas in the disability sector and identify opportunities to collaborate.
“The industry and broader community is highly fragmented and extremely diverse, yet they will likely converge on many challenges and opportunities facing them in the future,” Dr Butcher said.
“There are many systemic challenges which can hamper delivery of services and products to those who need them, so we’re aiming to establish deeper networks and connections between people in the disability/accessibility industry to provide the opportunity to explore different perspectives.
“This can help form the foundation of collaborative grant proposals, memorandums of understanding, sharing of staff, resources and expertise, plus many other important aspects of providing what people living with disabilities need for improved quality of life.”
The event will feature multiple panel discussions among industry professionals from various backgrounds, addressing important questions and challenges facing the industry.
Attendees will then participate in a “research collaboration sprint”, where they will aim to turn talk into action by developing potential research projects or other ideas for collaborative impact.
“People working in the disability/accessibility sector are so busy and rarely get the chance to stop, gather their thoughts, reflect and plan ahead,” Dr Butcher said.
“This is a valuable opportunity for important people to collaborate with others who are ‘in the trenches’ with them.
“The first step to any collaboration is always a good plan and, hopefully, this lays a foundation for meaningful collaborations post-event to help improve people’s lives.”
