User Empowerment

A design philosophy that prioritizes giving users, particularly people with disabilities, the agency and tools to solve their own problems, customize their experiences, and participate as active creators rather than passive consumers of technology. Coined in accessibility contexts by Richard Ladner, design for user empowerment moves beyond accommodation — where solutions are built for disabled users by non-disabled developers — toward enabling self-determination and self-advocacy through technology. This approach recognizes that people with disabilities are experts in their own needs and should have the means to build, adapt, and share assistive solutions within their communities.