Design for Social Accessibility

A design framework that extends traditional accessibility approaches by addressing not only the functional usability of technology but also the social contexts and implications of its use. Design for Social Accessibility is built on three tenets: incorporating users with and without disabilities together throughout the design process, addressing functional and social factors simultaneously, and using structured tools like method cards to prompt designers to consider social dimensions. The framework recognizes that assistive technology use occurs in social settings where factors like stigma, self-presentation, and social identity significantly affect whether a technically accessible solution is actually adopted and used.