Ideas worth spreading

When we design for disability, we all benefit

1,596,630 views |

Elise Roy |

TEDxMidAtlantic

• September 2015

"I believe that losing my hearing was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received," says Elise Roy. As a disability rights lawyer and design thinker, she knows that being Deaf gives her a unique way of experiencing and reframing the world -- a perspective that could solve some of our largest problems. As she says: "When we design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are better than those when we design for the norm."

"I believe that losing my hearing was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received," says Elise Roy. As a disability rights lawyer and design thinker, she knows that being Deaf gives her a unique way of experiencing and reframing the world -- a perspective that could solve some of our largest problems. As she says: "When we design for disability first, you often stumble upon solutions that are better than those when we design for the norm."

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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About the speaker

Elise Roy

Lawyer, artist, human rights advocate

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Elise Roy thinks that designers have the capacity and responsibility to address and resolve human problems on micro and macro scales and contribute to social well-being.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.