Swedish AccessCoVE partners KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Begripsam created a participatory learning moment focused on accessibility. The initiative highlighted the value of knowledge exchange between students, consultants from Begripsam with lived disability experience, and AccessCoVE network partners.
At KTH, students are getting a unique and practical experience of designing accessible solutions. In the course “Designing Human centered technology for Disabilities”, students collaborate with accessibility experts with lived experiences of cognitive disability during a participatory session to identify barriers and improve real-world services together.
The course was developed and held by AccessCoVE partner KTH and supported by another partner, Begripsam, whose members are accessibility experts with lived experience of disability. While the course is not directly part of the AccessCoVE project, KTH and Begripsam are both involved in this growing European initiative. AccessCoVE was also introduced during the course as an example of ongoing international developments in educational efforts in accessibility.
When theory meets reality
In one of the course’s standout moments, students and consultants came together in a participatory session inspired by a “speed-dating” format previously introduced in the course by Begripsam’s founder, Stefan Johansson. They engaged in conversations to explore lived experiences of inaccessibility. The consultants were paid for their time and regarded as co-educators, some also attended final student presentations to offer another round of feedback.
“It was great to see students apply their insights and what they learned from the experts’ own experiences in their projects. The participatory session turned accessibility from theory into something real by involving human diversity at the center of students’ projects,” said Sofia Strömqvist, PhD candidate in accessibility at KTH, who facilitated the session.
Together for accessibility
This kind of real world engagement not only left a strong impact on students, it also stands as an example of knowledge exchange and collaboration among AccessCoVE partners. It shows how initiatives stemming from AccessCoVEs connections can enrich the wider ecosystem of accessibility education and inspire further development.
“Opportunities like this help us grow together across organizations, expertise and roles. That’s what AccessCoVE is all about.” – Viktor Johansson, accessibility expert from Begripsam.
The AccessCoVE network in motion
Collaboration through AccessCoVE shows that accessibility happens when people learn from each other, when theory bridges with practice, when ideas turn to action. When we share our experiences, we develop and strengthen our knowledge and help build more accessible solutions for the future – through knowledge exchange and movement forward together.