StoryToGo

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You Need More Than an Elevator Pitch

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With any position you hold, you most likely have a short description of it prepared for when anyone asks about what you do, commonly known as an elevator pitch. For more well-known positions, this may be enough for someone to understand your role but what happens if your field of work is new or more complex? Having a short response is necessary to have on hand but you also need to be prepared to answer follow-up questions and in some cases, defend your profession.

Art Therapy as an Example

Art therapy is a growing field and many people have yet to hear about it. Most art therapists will find themselves having to explain and defend their work to potential employers and people who are simply curious. With many clinics and organizations not yet utilizing art therapy, it is hard for art therapists to find jobs outside of private practice. Some art therapists have taken to reaching out to those sites in the hopes that they might consider adding an art therapist to their team. In this case, much more than an elevator pitch is needed.

Egyptian women painting with water colours, on the banks of Heisa Island Aswan, as a part of an art therapy session.
Art therapy in Aswan, as photographed by Rowan El Shimi (via Flickr).

Representing Yourself

When I say that art therapy combines models of counselling with the creative process to facilitate healing and growth, that is only a snapshot of a complex profession that holds entirely unique experiences for each client. That statement does not contain the nuances and different processes that may be involved during an art therapy session.

Illustrating anxiety on a colourful mind map.
Illustrating anxiety as photographed by Anima Visual via UnSplash.

When it comes to representing yourself you need to be able to answer questions efficiently and professionally. Questions you might ask yourself when preparing might be:

  1. What is my definition of my profession?
  2. What is my approach and how adaptable is it?
  3. What does a session typically look like? What are the applications of my profession?
  4. What population do I work with? Think ages, genders, cultures, socio-economic status, specific mental or physical conditions, etc.
  5. What is my intake process? (new client procedure)
  6. How do you know when a therapeutic/professional relationship should end?
  7. What does current research say about my profession?

Common questions people ask about art therapy are:

  1. How is art therapy different from art class?
  2. How is art therapy different from “art therapy” colouring books?
  3. What is the difference between counselling and art therapy? What are the benefits?
  4. How can art therapy work for me?
    • A question like this is the most important one to pay attention to when trying to promote yourself. It is easier for someone to see the usefulness of something when they can see it working for themselves.
    • This cannot be answered so simply without knowing a client’s needs and goals. Short answer: It would be determined and explained in the intake process and explored in the initial sessions as art therapy is applied differently for each client.
  5. If I bought an art therapy directive book, what would be the difference between completing it on my own versus working with an art therapist instead?
Rohingya children drawing pictures of what they witnessed in Burma.
Inside a UNICEF child friendly space, supported by UK aid, at Batukhali refugee camp in Bangladesh, art therapy helps Rohingya children recover from the trauma they have experienced. (Photographed by Anna Dubuis of DFID, care of Flickr.)

I will show how I would answer these questions later on in the article but please note that the answers will vary between different art therapists.

Be Prepared for the Unexpected

One night, I was out for dinner with some friends and we started talking about our jobs. One of them was familiar with the counselling process but had not heard of art therapy. At first, I gave my elevator pitch but they were curious to know more. As the conversation went on, it became clear that they did not see how art therapy could be effective. This caught me off guard as I was not ready to defend my profession at a casual dinner. I could feel the knowledge I needed retreating into the deep corners of my brain as the pressure set in with everyone waiting for my answers.

My friend’s questions revolved more around how art therapy could work for them. They also had a hard time understanding that an art therapy session is not the same as attending an art class or having someone supervise you while you make art. I talked about my approach to art therapy and how each art therapist ascribes to different psychological theories so the process would vary and also be tailored to the client’s needs. I also explained that similar to counselling, art therapy does not work for everyone. I did my best during this conversation, however, it ended with them still having a shaky belief in the effectiveness of art therapy.

After this conversation, I reflected on the questions and concerns that were raised so I could prepare myself for any similar situations in the future. Since I was caught off guard and didn’t have quick answers, I fear that contributed to my friend not taking myself or art therapy seriously. I honestly felt embarrassed that I had such a hard time since it made me feel that my profession was seen as a joke by someone close to me. Queue the imposter syndrome. I knew that what I have done so far with previous clients has been effective and made lasting impacts so I was able to find comfort in that. It is also near impossible to memorize every benefit and application of art therapy.

I want to take this time to acknowledge that in some cases, people have already made up their minds and there is not much or anything you can say to change it. Try not to be hard on yourself for not being able to gain someone’s support. Especially when you are unexpectedly on the defence.

Representing Myself as an Art Therapist

Below are my answers to the questions mentioned above. They will change as I progress through my career as I am a newcomer to this field. Again, the answers to these questions will vary between art therapists and it is common for clients to ‘shop around’ until they find an art therapist or counsellor that they connect and align with.

  • What is my definition of art therapy?
    • Art therapy is a mental health profession that combines models of counselling with the creative process to promote healing and growth. Through the use of art materials, personal exploration can lead to discoveries, understandings, and resolutions. No previous art experience is necessary!
    • Follow up: Sometimes words can be limiting in their definitions and expressing through art can expand those boundaries. It can transcend the spoken word and serve as a non-verbal means of expression.
  • What is my approach and how adaptable is it?
    • I take an anti-oppressive, person-centred and postmodern approach. Sometimes I will provide an art directive and sometimes I will leave the session completely open for you to create whatever needs to be expressed, also known as an open studio approach. I will also work with you to identify what is positive and functional in your life so that we can nourish what keeps you well.
    • I believe that you have the ability to bring the change you seek. You are the expert on your life and you have the power to take the session wherever you want. We will work together to find how much structure you require on your healing/growth journey.
    • An art therapy session with me is tailored uniquely for each client. I recognize that what works for one person, may not work for the next and that could include utilizing a different theory and therapeutic approach.
  • What does a session typically look like?
    • This varies for each client but it typically starts with a check-in where we discuss anything the client wants to bring up since the last session and if there is something specific they wanted to address that day. This is then followed by the art making and then of course a discussion of that art and the process. For some, there is no discussion after the art if they feel that is enough for them and it aligns with the goals that have been set. Some also talk during the creation process.
Students creating collages from magazine clippings in an art therapy class.
A Converse University student lead art therapy class. (Care of Flickr.)
  • What population do I work with?
    • While my practicum experience was primarily with elementary school-aged children and some seniors, I plan on working with all ages in the future. This may change as I gain experience and move through life.
  • What is my intake process?
    • This question is unique to each therapist and depends on multiple factors. Some may choose to offer a short phone or video call consultation to conduct the intake. Some may choose to have an entirely self-serve digital intake process and then discuss it during the first session. Since I am still a student, I don’t have a personal answer to this question yet.
  • How do I know when a therapeutic relationship should end?
    • Ending a client/therapist relationship happens uniquely for each client. Sometimes the end date is set during the initial sessions and sometimes the ending is based on set goals. It is the art therapists job to make note on when benchmarks are being met or not.
    • If progress does not seem to be happening, the treatment plan should be revisited and changed in the hope that it might be more effective. In some cases, a client may need to be referred to someone else.
    • If art therapy is not effective with one art therapist, it does not mean the client should give up on art therapy. As I have mentioned before, everyone has a unique approach with different perspectives. Compatibility is important.
  • What is the difference between counselling and art therapy?
    • While counselling and art therapy share similarities, art therapy can provide a non-threatening alternative to traditional talk-based therapy. Themes and topics are explored through art making which can be less threatening and confrontational for some. While talking can be a part of an art therapy session, a session can be done in complete silence and still be effective.
    • Art therapy can also address physical concerns and improve self confidence by increasing artistic abilities.
    • Some people see both a counsellor and an art therapist to get support in multiple areas.
  • What does current research say about my profession?
    • The short answer here is that research shows art therapy to be effective on a similar level to counselling but existing studies are not capable of showing the true effectiveness of art therapy due to how they were conducted (research limitations).
  • How is art therapy different from an art class?
    • Hopefully after explaining the points above, one would understand that difference but to elaborate further, art therapists do not teach clients technique or evaluate the quality of the art. The focus is on the process and the content, not the quality. A safe space is created for clients to not feel intimidated to meet certain standards.
  • How is art therapy different from ‘art therapy’ colouring books
    • While colouring books can feel therapeutic and serve as stress diffusers, they are not the same as working with a trained professional toward growth and change. They can be a tool during the therapeutic journey but the process requires much more. This answer would be the same if you were to purchase a book full of art therapy directives.
Soldiers exploring clay in the Resiliency through Art program at the Vicenza Art Center.
Soldiers exploring clay in the Resiliency through Art program at the Vicenza Art Center. (Image care of Flickr.)

You may not ever need to get this in-depth during a regular conversation but it helps to be prepared. Throughout my conversations with people, I’ve noticed that the main issue people struggle to get over is that art therapy is a form of psychotherapy and not an art class.

Pay attention to what people ask you when you are first getting into your field of work. Take note of the most common questions and misconceptions so you can be prepared with answers in the future. If you have any other business tips or stories about defending your profession, feel free to drop them in the comments!

Art Prompt: Strengths Fan

Paper fan, decorated with your words of strength.

In this summer heat, you need a fan to keep you cool! What better way to beat the heat than fanning yourself with your own strengths that you have identified about yourself? Okay, air conditioning is pretty cool too.

Materials Needed

  • paper (8.5 x 11)
  • stapler or paperclips
  • pens, coloured pencils, markers, etc

Instructions

  • Fold the piece of paper alternating directions until you have an accordion like piece of paper.
  • On each fold, think of and write a strength about yourself. Think about things that you are good at or important parts of your personality.
  • Decorate the fan in any way you please
  • Staple or paperclip the bottom to keep it together and you are ready to fan away

Reflections

This prompt is meant to help you think positively about yourself and identify how strong you are in various areas. Sometimes, the fan is left blank in some spots and that is okay. You may find yourself to be comfortable with the amount of strengths listed or you may use the blank spaces as inspiration to one day fill them with more strengths.

Bjorn Yearwood fanning himself with his strengths fan.

As usual, completing this is not equivalent to attending a session with an art therapist but is meant to give you a glimpse into what might be explored.

If you feel so inspired, share a comment below and share your strengths, tips and / or queries in sharing your elevator pitch. Thank you for reading!

Lessons Learned From Being a Clown and Becoming a Better Human Being

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I began my clown journey knowing absolutely nothing.  I am pleased to say that having nothing in your head remains one of the key successes to being a clown.  Of course, when I started, I had no idea how useful not knowing anything was. In fact, it rocked me to my core for not being “good enough” when I initially started.

Jennifer Rose Garcia and fellow students at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, in full clown regalia.
A couple of my clown friends and I clowning around at clown school.

I came to clown school at Ecole Philippe Gaulier with a wealth of experience as a performer and lover of the arts.  Many years of my youth consisted of training in areas of theatrical acting, musical theatre, show choirs, dance, and acting for film and television work.  One area I did lack in was the incredible theatre sport that is improvisation.  I was told by one of my former acting instructors that clown was “improv on fire”.  I knew that if I were to venture into clown work that my improvisation skills needed to be sharpened.  

I took a couple of local improv classes, so I understood the basic requirements of improvisation, but it was never my go-to form of performance.  I am definitely an over-thinker to a fault, and love to make plans – but being a teacher as my day job allowed me to improvise (or as others put it be “flexible”) in order to maintain engagement.  In a way, this kind of improvising is useful to a clown – as its main goal is to “win over” the audience.

I will say that my journey in France and introduction to clown was a rough one, but I have definitely learned a ton along the way.  The following list is a generalized summary of what I have gathered in the world of clown, and how it has re-informed my understanding of performance, connection and humanity.

Clown instructor Philippe Gaulier surrounded by students in clown regalia.
My reaction after being pinched in the face by the infamous clown instructor Philippe Gaulier in Étampes, France.
  1. You’re not as clever as you think you are.  If you come in with an idea you think is brilliant to your own standards and come out to the stage with confidence that you are brilliant, your idea will most likely make you flop*.  Instead, listen to your gut and let in others into your initial spark of an idea, and adjust accordingly.  You will be amazed with what you can accomplish when you show up as you are, and just embrace where you are emotionally and physically in the moment.
  2. Embrace failure.  It’s okay flop*, when you try something for the first time.  It’s the earnest effort that counts.  You get bonus points for trying again with that same earnest effort.  Embrace the flop – most times, your audience responds more genuinely to your reaction to your failure in a kind a way, and you end up winning over the audience anyway.
  3. Embrace change.  When you can feel the flop* arising from the audience, change what you are doing immediately – or embrace and accept the flop.
  4. Enjoy the glow when you’re in the show.  When something is going well on stage, and you are getting laughs, DO NOT change what you are doing.  Keep doing the same thing (saying the same things or doing similar gestures), because apparently what you are doing on stage is working and you’re winning over the audience!
  5. Eye contact and connection are key.  Don’t look up into the sky, or the ground, or behind your audience.  Do not be afraid to make eye contact and make connections with the audience.  It’s okay to engage even in a short conversation with them.
  6. Do your very best.  If a clown does not care, the audience does not care.  Care about your task, regardless how silly or tedious or challenging it may be.  When the clown tries their best, the audience will root for your success and love you regardless if you are successful or not.  A clown’s job is to “save the show” — do your best doing so!
  7. Do not hold a grudge.  Throwing blame or shame will blow up in your face.  Do not get angry at the audience for not responding positively to your performance because it will be very tough to win them back.  Instead use your flop* as an opportunity to mentally recoup, listen to what the audience is telling you through their body language and adjust what you are doing. 
  8. Start in a place of joy and curiosity.  When a clown begins a performance, they must be curious about the audience, task or activity – and they should have fun doing so!  This energy is contagious when spread genuinely, and the audience will be enticed and curious to what the clown will do next.  Be warry of those who start off grumpy – this energy is also contagious.
  9. When all else fails, follow your heart.  When a clown is floundering, and if reverting to previous performance tactics are not working and a flop is at about to arise, think about what makes your heart happy and follow that guttural instinct.  Sing, dance, talk about something you adore – whatever it is, allow it to bring the sparkle in your eye to let the audience in on the love you experience.  When you feel it, the audience feels it too.
  10. Exit when you’re prompted to.  When we’re killing a performance, we wish it goes on forever.  We want the audience to feel like putty in our hands and will want to earn that feeling again and again on stage.  Unfortunately, there will be a time where that moment ends.  It’s not necessarily a flop* or sign of defeat, but all great things come to a natural end, and we too, clown and humans alike, should embrace that finish line and know when it is time to move on.
Jennifer in a clown exercise with experienced clown Yuriko Ogino.
Me in my first week of Clown School at Ecole Philippe Gaulier.

These lessons learned in clown have not only allowed me to learn how to open up on stage, but have allowed me to open up in my personal life.  I feel like at our very core, all of us humans are clowns.  We live our lives seeking love and validation whether we like it or not.  We respond graciously to positive reinforcement and constantly adjust ourselves in response to others.  We listen, receive and adapt constantly, doing our very best to survive and to save the “show”.  The “show” which symbolizes our existence among those we cohabitate.  Like a clown, we yearn to connect, love and be accepted for who we are, flops and all. 

Clown Jennifer taking a bow in front of the Ecole Philippe Gaulier poster.
Me at the end of my Second Week of Clown School at Ecole Philippe Gaulier.


*flop: (of a performer or show) be completely unsuccessful; fail totally

Exploring Art Therapy Theories

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Art therapists often utilize multiple theories and approaches in their practice, but usually have one or two art therapy theories that provide their guiding principles. When I first started studying art therapy, I had a limited understanding of a few theories and was completely clueless as to how I would build an approach. With the large volume of therapeutic models, it was difficult to find what aligned with my personal values as an art therapist, as I was not yet in a place where I felt comfortable in my approach.

To listen to this article, click the red play arrow on the SoundCloud recording below:

Keep reading to learn about a few different art therapy theories and how I inform my approach to art therapy.

Digital drawing of a sphere containing shapes fitting together like puzzle pieces
Ideas Connecting Like Puzzle Pieces (2022), Bjorn Yearwood

The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute’s course on history and theories introduced me to some of the founding art therapy philosophies and theories as they emerged and evolved through time. Some art therapy theories felt that they were right for me but as I continued exploring them, I found that they weren’t the right fit. The same went for the theories that I was initially hesitant to embrace.

As I researched and closed any misunderstandings, I was able to identify what theories would guide my practice. My personal theory should be viewed as living and constantly evolving as I progress through my art therapy training and career. I was also advised that I should never put a theory in stone because if we create a closed system out of our theories, we will not be able to respond openly to new contexts.

A Sample of Art Therapy Theories

Going into every existing art therapy theory and approach would be quite a heavy read so I have selected a few to provide a glimpse into what is out there.

Gestalt Art Therapy

Gestalt theory focuses on the idea that change can naturally occur when someone expands their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment (Corey, 2011). My interpretation is that employing a Gestalt approach to art therapy would focus more on the process of the art-making and the client’s immediate perception of their art. Through the sensory experience of art therapy, clients can gain insight about their relationship with their environment.

Postmodern Art Therapy

Postmodern principles reinforce the belief that there is no one style, construct, and medium that is appropriate for every client.

Alter-Muri and Klein (2007)

Postmodern approaches to art therapy resonate with me because they promote implementing multiple approaches and using them based on what is best for the client. What works for one client may have a different outcome with another. I also tend to use a solution-focused approach when a goal is defined. I think about what can be done in the present to get to what is wanted or needed in the future. There is much more to postmodern approaches than this but these principles are what stood out to me the most and help guide my practice.

Person-Centred Art Therapy

My therapeutic approach is mainly informed by person-centred principles. If an environment has the correct conditions, I believe that people can identify problems, make their own goals, and make the effort to reach them through self-directed means. This is known as self-actualization. I aim to facilitate an environment where that change can take place.

What Is the Goal?

The client not only has to work towards change but their ideal self needs to be in harmony with how they see themselves in the present (Corey, 2011). This doesn’t mean that they need to always be at the height of their goals, but rather that they have an awareness of and hold acceptance for where they currently are on their self-actualization journey. This awareness includes the acceptance that self-actualization is an ongoing process and a continuous struggle (Corey, 2011). The congruency between the present and future-self is an important factor in the client feeling empowered about where they stand throughout the process.

Yes, I know this sounds like I’m saying the client does all the work so you’re probably wondering why an art therapist would be necessary if someone is capable of making their own change. The art therapist can provide the space and the tools that a client may be lacking so that they can start or continue their efforts towards growth. Throughout the therapeutic relationship, the client and art therapist will work together to find what is needed to meet the client’s goals. This could even mean using a completely different approach!

What’s My Approach to Art Therapy?

Digital art block with a character based on the author with overlaying text "My Therapeutic Approach"

I have already touched on this briefly but to elaborate, I take a person-centred and postmodern approach that allows me to have the client lead the session while also utilizing other approaches as they are needed. For longer sessions, I may come prepared with a warm-up activity that I find relevant to get the session rolling but I always provide the opportunity for my clients to create freely, followed by a discussion.

I typically do not provide art directives or prompts when facilitating a session because I want the client to create and express whatever is needed in that moment as opposed to following a plan I made based on our last session. I might have felt it to be beneficial then but there could be completely different circumstances or problems to work through by the next session. Of course, if it is identified that the client needs more guidance or a different approach to reach their goals and it is requested, I will come prepared with a plan.

I want to address the fact that there is much more information on the theories and approaches than I have presented, including my own. What you see is a snapshot of an expansive world. Trust me, I’ve written about 13 pages on person-centred theory alone. If you would like to learn more, please look to the references at the bottom of this article. As I continue my studies and articles, you will most likely see how my working theory continues to evolve. I’m glad to have you all on this journey.

Art Prompt: Creating With Nature

twigs and branches put together in the shape of a tree on grass

If you’re looking for a reason to get outside, then this activity is for you!

All you need to do is roam around your neighbourhood, go to a park, or anywhere that you can find objects to create with.

To the left is an image of a tree shape that I made with fallen branches and leaves. I found it interesting that what was once part of a whole tree was put back together in the image of its former body.

Please do not pluck or pull any plants or living organisms from their home when completing this activity. The goal is to find objects that have been discarded and create something new. This one is a fun activity to get outdoors but it might also provide an opportunity for reflection on your relationship with your environment.

References

Alter-Muri, S., & Klein, L. (2007). Dissolving the boundaries: Postmodern art and art therapy. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 24(2), 82-86.

Corey, G. (2011). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Cengage learning.

Learning and Creating with Read&Write

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In this first article of our new Inclusive Design series, we explore learning and creating with Read&Write, a literacy support tool that offers help with everyday digital tasks, including reading digital text aloud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work. 

Tune into the video below for a walk through of the Read&Write Chrome Extension, including it’s features, my experiences with it, and this writer / educator’s thoughts on some of the ways that Read&Write can help individuals to gain understanding from the digital content they read, engage with the digital content that they read, and express themselves through their own digital writing.

Read&Write Tools / Features

Designed initially to help students to understand, engage, and express themselves with their digital reading and writing, Read&Write is just as useful for adults and youth, in educational and work settings, as well as for aiding individuals in achieving some of their personal goals.

Help students understand, engage and express themselves with Read&Write. Read&Write is a literacy support tool that offers help with everyday tasks like reading text out loud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work.

Below are some of the reading, comprehension, and writing tools and features that Read&Write offers.

Reading Tools

These are a few of the tools that Read&Write offers to support users with accessing digital readings.

Text to Speech Reader

The Read&Write toolbar acts as a Text to Speech Reader, allowing you to listen to the text on your screen by pressing the play button, as well as pausing and stopping the reading. To help you in following along with what is being read, the sentence is highlighted in yellow and the word in blue.

Read&Write Text to Speech Reader in action.

The voice doing the reading and speed of the reading can be changed within the settings.

Audio Maker

By highlighting text and clicking on Audio Maker, Read&Write will create a Text to Speech audio reading of up to 10,000 characters of text, allowing you to listen to digital readings while offline and on the go.

Screen Masking

Clicking on Screen Masking will add a dark filter on your screen, with a light strip that moves with your cursor, to narrow your focus to the specific sentence or paragraph that you are reading.

Read&Write's Screen Masking in action.

Simplify Page

This tool creates a simplified page of the page that you are reading, free of images, videos, and ads. It also allows you to change the background and text colour on the page, the font, the size of the text, and the line spacing. In addition, it offers a Discover feature, which identifies keywords that readers might need help comprehending. By clicking these keywords, it provides a picture and a description of the what the word(s) refer to / mean.

An example of Read&Write's Simplify Page in action.

Comprehension Tools

Read&Write offers a number of tools to aid in research and reading comprehension, allowing readers to engage with the text that they are readings.

Dictionary

By highlighting a word and clicking on the dictionary, a dictionary description of all the uses and meanings of that word will appear in both audio and text form.

Read&Write Dictionary and Picture Dictionary response to 'mammoth'.

Picture Dictionary

By highlighting a word and clicking on the picture dictionary, a picture depicting that word will appear.

Web Search

By highlighting a word or phrase and clicking on the web search tool, a new tab will open taking you to a google search of that term.

Google search for 'mammoth'.

Translator

To see and listen to a word in a different language, in the settings, select the desired language for translations under ‘Speech’, and then click translate.

Read&Write's Translator tool sharing the word 'mammoth' in Arabic.

Highlighters

The Read&Write toolbar allows you to highlight text in a digital document in up to four colours and to clear those highlights at the click of a button.

Collect Highlights

By clicking the Collect Highlights tool, you can select which colour of highlights you would like collected, and it will collect those in a Google Document and include a link to the article that the highlights were collected from.

Read&Write's Collect Highlights in action.
Vocabulary List

By selecting the Vocabulary List tool, Read&Write will create a table in a Google Document with the highlighted words, their meaning, a symbol that represents them, and a column for you to add your notes.

An example of a vocabulary list created by Read&Write.

Writing Tools

Read&Write offers a number of tools to aid in the writing process.

Prediction

With the Prediction tool activated in the Read&Write toolbar while you are typing, it will offer a number of options for predictive text, helping writers with their spelling and tenses.

Read&Write Prediction tool in action.

Talk & Type

The Read&Write Talk & Type tool will type out the words you speak, when turned on, acting as a dictaphone.

Practice Reading Out Loud

By using the Practice Reading Out Loud tool, writers can read and record the text that they have written, and then listen to what they have read, in order to proofread their writing and catch any mistakes.

Uses of Read&Write for Inclusion and Accessibility

Read&Write offers tools that can aid everyone with their reading, reading comprehension, research, and writing, while at the same time offering solutions and workarounds for those that face difficulties and challenges with reading, reading comprehension, research, and writing.

Digital literacy accessibility with Read&Write.

Reading

For newer readers, individuals that struggle with reading, and those reading in a different language, Read&Write allows individuals to read-a-long with the text to speech reader, following the words being read aloud, being able to play, pause, and stop readings as they wish.

For those that learn better from auditory learning, that learn better while being active, who need to multi-task due to time constraints or need to limit their screen time, Audio Maker offers the ability to prepare audio files to listen to without the need of looking at a screen.

Read&Write's Audio Maker

For those that need to limit distractions while reading, Screen Masking, Text to Speech highlighting, and Simplify Page, all offer options for this.

For those that need the ability to manipulate their reading environment, Simplify Page offers this ability, allowing individuals to change text size, fonts, line spacing, and colour patterns to suit their individual needs and preferences.

Reading Comprehension

Whether learning new words, studying a new topic, or learning a new language, Read&Write offers readers the ability to build upon their vocabulary and understanding with ease. Read&Write allows readers to look up the meanings and uses of words in auditory, written, and pictorial form within the document they are reading at the click of a button with the Dictionary, Picture Dictionary, and Discover (within Simplify Page) tools. Readers can even build full vocabulary lists, curated to specific topics, using their colour coded Highlighters and the Vocabulary List tool.

For readers, reading in a new language, they can also use the Translator tool for the translation of words in audio and written format.

Research

Read&Write can aid in research by allowing researchers to highlight and colour code key pieces of information in their reading, and then curate and collect those highlights in a Google Doc with a link to the source using the Collect Highlights tool. Should the researcher wish more information on a particular topic, they can also use the Web Search tool to search terms with ease beyond the article.

Writing

Text Help character with a pencil.

Whether struggling with writer’s block or spelling, writing in a different language or simply needing a writing prompt, Read&Write’s Prediction tool can help with that.

And provided a writer is able to organise their thoughts in advance, Talk & Type can write up someone’s spoken words, aiding those that have challenges with typing or are in need of ways of limiting their screen time. It is also helpful for those unsure of how to spell a particular word.

Finally using the Practice Reading Out Loud tool after you are done writing, is highly useful in editing your writing, catching editing errors and disconnects in the flow of your writing.

Access Read&Write

Currently Read&Write is available for:

If you are affiliate with an educational institution, check with your institution as many have a license that allows for students and staff to use Read&Write at little to no cost. Additionally, Read&Write offers free individual plans to teachers.

Share Your Experiences with Read&Write

Have you used Read&Write? We’d love to hear of your experience with it. How do you use it? What do you find it useful for? Do you have any tips and tricks to using Read&Write?

Toolbelt Theory for Learning and Accessibility

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A trap that so many of us have a tendency to fall into is to try and help others by pushing our ideals and what works for us onto them. This can be particularly true in how we approach children, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and those who are sick or injured; perceiving them as more vulnerable and in need of our help in making decisions for them. We forget that we are all individuals and that what works for us, may not work for them. Ultimately the only expert in what works for them is them (not you or whatever degrees and credentials you might have).

To listen to this article, click the red play arrow on the SoundCloud recording below:

Toolbelt Theory

Take for example, 3 carpentry students that are given a toolbelt. They might all start with the same toolbelt, but as they learn, experiment, and discover what works for them, it is not going to be long before each of those toolbelts are unique to each individual carpenter. This is the premise behind Ira David Socal’s Toolbelt Theory. While tools might be useful to us in performing certain tasks, how we utilise those tools and which are useful to us in the environments in which we work is very individual. Ultimately, in order to discover which tools will be useful to any one person, that person needs to know what is available to them and to have the opportunity to test the tools out in their environment, so that they can build a toolbelt that is useful to them.

Chico's well stocked tool belt from Chris Monroe's book Monkey with a Tool Belt
Chico certainly has a tool belt unique to him. Read on in Chris Monroe’s book Monkey with a Tool Belt.

Toolbelt Theory is based around the idea that as humans we are tool users, and that we choose tools most effectively when that choice begins with the Task at hand, and then considers the Environment in which that task must be performed, the Skill set of the individual (the tool chooser), and the Tools which are available. (Thus the acronym TEST).

~ Ira David Socal

Exploring Toolbelt Theory From the Perspective of Pain Management

As someone who has spent the last 9-years learning to manage pain and 5-years learning to manage post concussion syndrome, this makes a tremendous amount of sense to me. Key to what I have learned from the medical specialists, group pain management classes, and from my fellow patients is that what works for one person in their pain management, does not necessarily work for all. In teaching pain management to patients, medical specialists are essentially presenting patients with a number of tools (although in this case, we are not necessarily discussing physical tools) for managing their pain and asking the patient to experiment with the different pain management tools to figure out which methods of pain management work for them. In essence, each of us patients are creating a pain management toolbelt.

Avoiding the Pitfall of the Misguided Notion that the Educator Knows Best

The key here is allowing the individual to figure this out for themselves, which for whatever reason can be a hard for some educators to understand, perhaps due to the misguided notion that by limiting options, we are keeping things simpler for the student or saving the student time. I just need to look to my Masters to see examples of this. In asking the Accessibility Centre for help in finding ways of managing the online course readings without aggravating my concussion symptoms, I was presented with one solution – Read and Write Gold. Only after that did not work for me, was I presented with a second option on having real voice audio recordings made of my course readings. The latter helped but only with the course readings, for everything else I was left proceeding with extreme caution, walking a fine line with each course in not aggravating my symptoms too badly from all the online reading. And this leaves me with no solution for consuming online readings and research after I’m done my Masters. Fortunately in taking GDSE 584 on Universal Design for Learning and Inclusive Design and exploring the UDL Resource site, I am discovering a number of tools to navigate screen based devices to learn, research, consume content, and create content in a way that will minimise the aggravation of my concussion symptoms. Basically, instead of being given one bandaid of the brand and shape that someone else thought would work for me, I am being welcomed into a whole holistic clinic in which I am being introduced to the tools that are available, shown how to use them, and being left to experiment with them, in order for me to find which tools work best for me and in what way. Discovering these tools and recognising the possibilities that they hold has left me with such a feeling of relieve that I’ve actually cried.

Crafting My Toolbelt for Digital Learning and Creating

As I begin to create my own toolbelt for digital learning and creating, I’ve been reflected on who I am, how I learn, what my challenges are, what my strengths are, and where my passions and interests lie.

Personal Reflections on my Inclusive Design Action Plan Brainstorming Mind Map

To give you, dear reader, a bit of an overview of me as a learner, I am dyslexic, and manage chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and post concussion syndrome. I am also highly inquisitive, creative, a problem solver and an experimenter. I love storytelling, am discovering a new passion for audio storytelling, and am a biologist and educator by training. My main love in science is steeped in nature. Time in nature and with my cat are the two greatest calming influences in my life.

My current needs include:

  • mind mapping to organise my thoughts
  • tactile ways of thinking and organising
  • calming visuals that aren’t too loud
  • calming audio
  • natural voice readings
  • reminders to limit work and screen time
  • regular offline / calming breaks
  • healthy relationships
  • dimmed lighting
  • an environment in which I can control my work position, lighting and sound
  • audio recordings for remembering details from interviews
  • time in nature
  • cat snuggles

I am still fully immersed in TESTing (Task – Environment – Skills – Tools) tools with different tasks, but thus far, these are some of the tools that I am finding to be useful for me for my toolbelt for digital learning and creating:

Next up on my TESTing schedule for my toolbelt for digital learning and creating are:

In highlighting the individual nature of one’s toolbelt even when you have individuals with the same challenges, a colleague in my Masters also has post concussion syndrome and in asking him how he manages the online readings, he uses text to speech readers, which typically for me aggravate my symptoms. In addition, he also follows strict meditation practices, which is something that I find does help me.

Aiding Students in Building their Toolbelt for Learning

If toolbelts for learning are so individualistic, how do we as educators or parents help our students to build their toolbelts for learning, without falling into the trap of simply providing them with what we think they need?

What's in your toolbelt? What will help you reach your goals?
Image created with the aid of Vector Portal.

In contemplating this, this again has me reflecting back on my experiences with learning to manage my chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and post concussion syndrome in which the ChangePain Clinic, Complex Chronic Diseases Program, and Brain Injury Society of Toronto offered me different classes in learning to manage my conditions. While the classes introduced me to the tools and how they could be used, the homework in between the classes gave me the opportunity to test out tools in my own environment to see which worked for me and in what way. This is essentially what the TEST is in Toolbelt Theory.

To aid your students in creating their Toolbelts for Learning, teach them to TEST. Based on the Task they need to do, in the Environment that they need to do that task, with the Skills they have, have them try out the Tools that are available, so that they can determine which tools are the best fit for them and in which way.

Resources for Creating Toolbelts for Digital Learning and Creating

For many educators part of the challenge in aiding students in creating their toolbelt for learning, rather than simply telling students what tools / solutions they should be using, is taking the time to find what is available for their students to meet their various needs. Fortunately, Dr. Paul Hamilton has created the UDL Resource site to help with that.

A toolbelt full of digital tools for learning, creating, and exploring.
A Digital Toolbelt of Gwyneth Jones, the Daring Librarian.

One of our goals over the next few months with our StoryToGo Community Resources is to build a Library of Accessibility Resources and an open, self paced course in the StoryToGo Classroom on Building Your Digital Accessibility Toolbelt. In addition to this, we aim to create a video and blog series on StoryToGo giving people an overview of different accessibility tools and how to use them.

If you have resource suggestions for the series, library, and / or course, we’d love to hear about them in the comments. We’d also love any advice you might have on helping students to develop their toolbelt for learning.

Thanks so much!

~ Erica

Inclusive Design Action Plan

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One of the goals that has been important to me in studying my Masters of Educational Technology has been to gain a greater understanding and immersion in accessible digital design, and hence universal design for learning (UDL) and inclusive design. Tied to this, I wanted to gain a better understanding of disability thinking and language, as well as of systemic ableism. While promoting accessibility, equity, and diversity have long been central and important to my team’s and my storytelling at Ahimsa Media (a company founded on the concept of crafting media that is about creating around the notion of “love and peace on the road to harmony with your surroundings”), I have become much more aware of accessibility issues, as well as systemic ableism, inequities, and the treatment of marginalised groups since a car accident in 2013 that gave me new disabilities, changing my life and realities. This has made accessibility, inclusion, equity and disability storytelling central to my creative partner’s and my goals in our storytelling, course development, and digital design.

To listen to this article, click the red play arrow on the SoundCloud recording below:

This was so important to me that I both fought to get such a course included in my Master’s program and spent an extensive amount of time researching courses that would meet UBC’s criteria for it to be accepted as a credit into my Masters. For others searching for such a Masters course in Canada, while there are courses and self paced resources on accessibility, universal design for learning, and inclusive design that can be accessed online, I could only find two online Masters courses that fit my needs and desires – GDSE 584: Assistive Technology and UDL: Foundations & Exemplary Practices at Vancouver Island University and INCD 6016: Inclusive Art, Design and Communications at OCAD. I took GDSE 584, catching Dr. Paul Hamilton in his last course before retirement, and am incredibly thankful that I did, as this course and Paul’s resources made me aware of a number of resources that stand to improve both my students’ and my own life. In addition to GDSE 584, I have also taken ETEC 565C: Ableism, Equity and Educational Technology from UBC, which along with speaker training from RespectAbility, have helped me with gaining a better understanding of disability history, thinking and language, as well as of systemic ableism.

Art installation exploring What is Ableism. "Disability is not tragic."
Vanessa Blaylock‘s photo of Sun Cat Mellison’s installation What is Ableism?

For those of you looking for open and self paced study on Accessibility, Universal Design for Learning, and Inclusive Design, as a starting place, check out the resources below:

You can also discover my initial understanding and reflections on universal design for learning and inclusive design by visiting Exploring Universal Design for Learning and the Evolution to Inclusive Design.

As I have been working my way through GDSE 584, I have been doing so with crafting an Inclusive Design Action Plan in mind.

Crafting My Inclusive Design Action Plan

In crafting my Inclusive Design Action Plan, it is rather fitting that I was drawn to utilising a Mind Mapping / Illustrated Concept Building App called Concepts. The reason why this was so fitting is that mind mapping has played an enormously important role for me in my journey with dyslexia. It is a skill that a grad student, who I met with weekly in my first year of university, taught me to both organise my thoughts and my writing. I wish I remembered that grad student’s name, as by teaching me to mind map it is thanks to her that I learned to organise the many, many thoughts and connections that whirl around in my brain, helping to enable me to become a professional writer, communicator and storyteller.

A young Erica Hargreave of around 8 -10, performing a dance in a straw flat top hat tilted down over her eyes, with a cane, while dressed in a purple swimsuit and wearing soccer cleats.

And in this case processing my thoughts around creating an Inclusive Design Action Plan, you can see from the mind map below that they are many and varied, as I have been processing and reflecting on inclusive design in how it impacts my personal life, how I can implement it in my courses, and how to utilise it as I approach my storytelling and media creation.

Inclusive Design Action Plan Mind Map
Processing my thoughts on UDL and Inclusive Design as I develop my Action Plan.

Below you will find my Inclusive Design Action Plan for my personal life, course development and teaching, and storytelling and media creation.

Inclusive Design in My Personal Life

In addition to dyslexia, I am someone that manages chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and post concussion syndrome, post two car accidents. These, and particularly the post concussion syndrome have posed some challenges to me in approaching my Masters. Some of those challenges I addressed by finding a Masters Program that fit for my desired studies and was part time and online, allowing me to create my own pace at working through my studies. It should be noted here though, that in making a decision that was best for my health and self-esteem (in not constantly having to ask for special accommodations), I later learned that this meant I was unable to access the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities as the rules surrounding make the grant inaccessible to students registered in part time studies programs. This is an example of systemic ableism in our Canadian education and student aid system that not only impacts students with disabilities that need part time studies, but also students that require part studies as they are caring for children or sick loved ones. I have tried raising these concerns with my MP and MLA, but those governing this grant federally point the finger at provincial student aid systems and provincial student aid systems point the finger back at the federal system, resulting in nothing being changed.

Personal Reflections on my Inclusive Design Action Plan Brainstorming Mind Map.
Reflecting on the personal side of UDL and Inclusive Design in my life.

With my post concussion syndrome, I asked for help from the Accessibility Centre as online readings were aggravating my concussion badly. This was met with being doled out, prescribed accessibility solutions one at a time, and only after I visited the Accessibility Centre in person to have my needs accessed. At which point I was told that the tools I was being given came at great cost, in the case of Read and Write Gold, which I have since discovered is not the case, and that only they could place the program on my laptop. Only after Read and Write Gold further aggravated my symptoms was I introduced to the next option of having my course readings read in real voices for me. This has been a good solution for me, but is limited to only the ‘officially published course readings’ and not to research readings, written materials within the course or engagement with my peers in the course, and offers for no on-going solution after I am done my Masters. In reflecting on this experience in the context of universal design for learning and discovering all the tools that Paul has introduced us to in GDSE 584, I have been feeling quite emotional. Not only was I treated in my Master, upon asking for help and expressing my needs, in a way that made me feel as though I was the problem child, but now that Paul has introduced me to the array of resources available and encouraged me to experiment and build a tool kit that works for me, I realise that could have had the resources to better balance pushing myself forward while limiting aggravations to the concussion symptoms all along. In moving forward, this is something that I need to take a moment to acknowledge and grief, as well as learn from.

For my personal Inclusive Design Action Plan, this means:

  • taking the time to research new / new-to-me accessibility tools
  • experimenting with those new / new-to-me accessibility tools
  • occasionally revisiting accessibility tools to see how they have changed over time, and if those changes meet my current needs
  • recognising what my current needs are
  • building an accessibility tool kit that meets those current needs

My current needs include:

  • mind mapping to organise my thoughts
  • tactile ways of thinking and organising
  • calming visuals that aren’t too loud
  • calming audio
  • natural voice readings
  • reminders to limit work and screen time
  • regular offline / calming breaks
  • healthy relationships
  • dimmed lighting
  • an environment in which I can control my work position, lighting and sound
  • audio recordings for remembering details from interviews
Two women lying in a tree
Cornelia Krikke teaching me about being mindful in the moment and grounding in nature.

I feel as though I am just beginning to discover all the accessibility tools available to me, but some of the ones that I have added to my tool kit thus far, include:

As I mentioned, this is just beginning of my experimenting and building my toolkit, but on my priority list are:

Implementing Inclusive Design into my Course Development and Teaching

One of the positive realisation in studying Universal Design for Learning has been discovering that much of the approach to Universal Design, through giving students choice and diversity in the manners in which the materials are presented, is how I have always been intuitively drawn to teach, along with empowering students to take ownership over their learning by getting them to develop and design projects of their choosing, that matter to them. In addition, with my own struggles with my post-concussion syndrome in my own studies, Lori Yearwood and I began to build fun and calming screen break activities into our online course to both remind students to take a health and wellness break and share some healthy digital hygiene with our students. We have shared those screen breaks as open educational resources on my speaking site under the category of Online Activity Breaks.

Course Reflections on my Inclusive Design Action Plan Brainstorming Mind Map.
Reflecting on my teaching and how I might apply UDL and Inclusive Design to my courses.

There are a number of areas in my courses that I could and should address to be even more inclusive in my course design and teaching. As I teach to very different students in very different venues, I will address some of those key teaching environments below.

BCIT

At BCIT, I predominantly develop and teach online, asynchronous (on your own schedule), credited courses for adults in the Broadcast Media and Communications Part Time Studies Program, although I do also develop and lead synchronous online summer camps for kids and have been asked to develop and lead in-person summer intensives for adults. All of my courses are project based with the subject matter of the project being up to the participants, with the hope that they will build the base for something of use to them in their future endeavours. These courses also involve students experimenting and reflecting on what they learn from both the course materials and their experiments, and how they will apply that to the continued growth of their project and / or future endeavours.

"together we create" street art
Image care of ‘My Life Through a Lens’ on UnSplash.

With my online courses, BCIT has now added an audio reader at the beginning of all of my course readings to allow the students to listen to the reading, should they choose to do so.

I have also discovered that BCIT’s Accessibility Services has created a new Adaptive Technology Lab that shares accessibility tools like Read & Write Gold, some of which are accessible to all students and staff, and others which students need to have registered with the Accessibility Lab to access through BCIT.

My action plan to make my BCIT courses even more accessible and inclusive, includes:

  • creating an optional ‘opening Unit’ on Accessibility in my courses with an overview of tools, so that students can review and put together their own accessibility tool kits
  • making the ‘opening Unit’ on Accessibility available to students before the actual course begins
  • giving students access to the course in it’s entirety from Week 1, so that students can work ahead when reviewing elements of ease to them, and spend more time working through the elements that present them with a greater time investment
  • updating each unit of each course to include a health and wellness activity break
  • as I teach things like digital storytelling, I’d like to add in digital accessibility spotlights into each unit, so that students are thinking accessibility and inclusivity in creating their digital content
  • adding natural voice audio recordings of all of the course readings
  • updating all auto generated captioning on course videos created by myself or my team to ensure accuracy in the captioning
  • ensuring that all imagery has properly done Alt text on it
  • the addition of weekly optional virtual sessions for discussion on the content, Q&As, and sharing of the content everyone is working on
  • a virtual hang out space in Spatial for students to use and connect when they wish with examples of past students work, like in this Spatial gallery that I built for the Interledger Foundation
Virtual Web Monetization Gallery in Spatial
Web Monetization Gallery in Spatial.

StoryToGo Classroom

The StoryToGo Classroom was designed with the idea of being able to provide more in-depth resources and learning activities to build upon our talks and workshops, as well as to provide clients with the knowledge and the skills to manage the digital storyworlds and communities that we build for them longer term. We also had the vision of this being a space to bring our varied community of storytellers, technologists and educators together to teach and learn from one another.

This teaching portal came through to fruition at the beginning of the pandemic, and as such has been used for other needs, in addition to the aforementioned ones, including synchronous online courses for kids and online teaching support environments for Ahimsa Kids.

Aside from the kid classes, a number of open, self-directed courses have been created in the StoryToGo Classroom to explore ideas in contemporary media and education, as well as craft and share health and wellness tools. Long term, we want to build a ‘health and wellness studio’ and ‘teaching resource centre’ on this site, along with our courses in contemporary media and private group classes.

In terms of universal design, our inclusive design action plan for the StoryToGo Classroom includes:

  • creating an open course on Building Your Digital Accessibility Tool Belt with an overview of tools, so that participants can review at their leisure and put together their own accessibility tool kits
  • creating an open course on Digital Accessibility Best Practices with professional development for digital storytellers and educators in mind
  • giving the students the ability to work through the courses in a manner of their own choosing
  • in courses relating to digital storytelling, adding in digital accessibility spotlights into each unit, so that students are thinking accessibility and inclusivity in creating their digital content
  • adding natural voice audio recordings of all of the course readings
  • updating all auto generated captioning on course videos created by myself or my team to ensure accuracy in the captioning
  • ensuring that all imagery has properly done Alt text on it
  • an invitation to the StoryToGo Facebook public and private groups to ask questions, discuss ideas / concepts, and share their work with the broader community
  • a virtual hang out space in Spatial for participants to use and connect when they wish with examples of community work, like in this Spatial gallery that I built for the Interledger Foundation
  • continue building wellness studio and resources
  • finding new ways within the courses to encourage engagement with the material, others going through the course, and the StoryToGo educators
Lori doing warrior pose.

With that last point on engagement, I have been experimenting with different discussion boards tools and forums, but haven’t found one that I like yet, and that does not attract in a number of spam bots. Should you have a potential solution, please share it in the comments below.

Ahimsa Kids

Ahimsa Kids is our set teaching arm, where we provide teachers to the film industry to help keep school age actors up to date with what their peers are studying in school. Typically this has us teaching in small environments with 1 – 3 kids at a time. While we have to stick with the work that is being studied in the classroom, the assignments laid out by each young actor’s classroom teacher, and to the production’s schedule, there are ways to approach this with universal design for learning in mind. In training our teachers in set teaching, a lot of it is about learning to read the student with empathy in mind, setting out choices in their day to know when to tackle the harder work with them and find spaces for more relaxed educational activities and inquiry, and creating engaging and enriched learning opportunities, where possible.

Interactive story building with kids in Elementari.

In terms of an inclusive design action plan for our set teaching, some of the ways we could be even more more accessible and inclusive, include:

  • creating a resource to teach my teachers about accessibility resources so that they are aware of accessibility tools that are available to them and their students
  • demonstrating for our teachers how they can utilise online set classrooms on the StoryToGo Classroom site to better support their students and aid them in their studies, both when teaching them in-person and virtually
  • setting up a professional development half day with our teachers to share accessibility resources, talk about effective use of virtual tools and spaces, and have each teacher share something from their own tool kit that they’ve found works well with kids on sets
  • introduce the option of setting up a Spatial classroom space, when teaching virtually, in addition to the zoom classroom and StoryToGo Classroom

Approaching our Digital Storytelling with Inclusive Design

Lastly, it is important to me that my team and I also approach our storytelling with inclusive design in mind. As we are cross-platform, interactive and immersive storytellers this means thinking about what inclusive design looks like to different forms of media from websites, to podcasts, to digital video, to augmented and virtual reality. Below, I share my initially thoughts on that pertaining to a few of our current mediums for storytelling.

Media Creation Reflections on my Inclusive Design Action Plan Brainstorming Mind Map.
Reflecting on the media that my team and I create and how we might apply UDL and Inclusive Design to our content creation.

Digital Magazines, Blogs & Websites

  • add natural voice audio recordings to all articles, blog posts, and pages
  • in the case of the natural voice audio recordings of articles and blog posts, our plan is to additionally share these as a pseudo podcast to attract new audiences to our content via audio storytelling platforms
  • ensure that all imagery has properly done Alt text on it
  • add a translation tool to the websites
  • on StoryToGo create a library of digital accessibility tools
  • create a blog post series on StoryToGo giving people an overview of different accessibility tools
The Pseudo Podcast, StoryToGo Reads, of read article on the StoryToGo site.

Podcasts

  • where possible record interview / discussion style podcasts with the Fireside Chat App as it creates a live transcript while recording, and offers a number of different ways to interact with the in studio recording of the podcast, including reaction buttons, sound effects, texting responses, verbally asking questions, as well as the option of recording with audio and / or video
  • the Fireside Chat App also provides downloads of podcasts in both video and audio formats
  • update and fix the auto generated written transcripts of podcasts both on the Fireside Chat App and when sharing to other platforms

Web Series, Films & Other Digital Video

  • update all auto generated captioning on videos created by myself or my team to ensure accuracy in the captioning, where this has not been previously done
  • when possible, film in multiple languages to make as inclusive as possible at the onset
  • transcribe captioning into different languages
  • create screencast videos on different accessibility tools to accompany the blog post series on StoryToGo

Augment Reality & Virtual Reality

  • with augmented reality storytelling, design to work with smartphones and tablets, to create for a more accessible experience than the glasses provide
  • with augmented reality storytelling, build in choice for audio and visual storytelling
  • craft mindfulness virtual reality experience
  • approach both augmented and virtual reality storytelling with steady camera and high film quality in mind to reduce the effects of VR motion sickness
  • design augmented and virtual reality storytelling with short chaptered storytelling in mind to reduce the effects of VR motion sickness

Being Mindful of My Own and My Team’s Wellbeing in Implementing Our Inclusive Design Plans

An artistic rendition of Mount Maxwell on Salt Spring Island as the Great Spirit Being.
An artistic reminder of Mount Maxwell from Season 1 of Naturally Ours and Hwiemtum’s words about connecting with nature for our health and wellbeing.

The key with thinking and approaching the various aspects of what we do in terms of universal design and inclusive design is not to be overwhelmed by it. Where we can approach new development and content with universal design and inclusive design in mind from the start, making the steps of approaching accessibility a habit and part of our content creation process. While also remembering that our own health and wellbeing is important too, so not beating ourselves up if we don’t get it all done on day one. Content can always be updated to improve accessibility later if need be, as long as we do not forget. This means training my team in this too, so I am not trying to do it all on my own.

Any Advice on Ways of Approaching Inclusive Design?

If you have any helpful tools or techniques for making your content more accessible with inclusive design in mind, then I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.