Welcome to CS 325!

Description: In this course, students will learn how to design for people with diverse abilities. Students will encounter models of disability, accessible design frameworks, multimodal interaction methods, and forms of ableism through readings and hands-on activities. Students will form teams and work to design accessible experiences together.

Prerequisites: CS 220 or appropriate self-study.

Lecture Meeting Times: Tuesdays and Fridays, 12:45-2pm

Meeting Location: Science Center L Wing 120 (HCI Lab).

Office Hours: Mondays 10:30AM - 12:30PM Science Center L Wing 121 (across from the HCI Lab). Tuesdays 3:00-4:00 PM remote: Google Meet Link

Course Overview

Goals

Over the semester, we will cover a range of research, disability, and assistive technology topics. We will engage with these topics in a variety of ways, including reading and discussing research papers, learning from domain experts, and group projects. At the end of the semester, you should be able to:

• Define common models of disability and distinct perspectives on what it means for a system to be “accessible.”
• Apply principles of disability justice and participatory action research to your design thinking.
• Create accessible solutions for existing and new technologies.
• Work with a variety of prototyping methods, both digital and physical.
• Evaluate systems for accessibility.
• Create and carry out an accessible presentation.
• Read, analyze, synthesize, and discuss academic research papers.
• Consider intersectional participant identities and how your positionality/identity impacts you and your design thinking.

Materials

All readings will be available online and/or linked to the course schedule as PDFs. For presentations, we will be working on shared Google slide decks, so students will need a Google account to access and edit (your Wellesley email should work for this purpose).

I will provide a dotted notebook for you to use this semester. You will need to provide drawing/writing materials (pens, pencils) for yourself.

Assignments and Evaluation

Participation: 20% At the 300 level, class is less about lectures and more about discussion, engagement, and hands-on learning. Therefore, attendance, timeliness, focus, and engagement are a significant portion of your evaluation and grade.

Group Project: 80% During the semester, you will complete a group project incorporating the skills and content we learn through the course. The project has multiple components which you will be responsible for tracking:

• P0 Group Formation (0 pts, not graded)
• P1 Question and Answer Notes (10 pts)
• P2 Surveying Students and Project Plan (15 pts)
• P3 Project Ideation and Low Fidelity Prototype (20 pts)
• P4 Evaluation and Refinement Presentation (15 pts)
• P5 High Fidelity Prototype Demo and Presentation (20 pts)
• Accessibility Experience Report (20 pts)

If you need help with time management, please contact me immediately to help your team make a project completion plan.

We will use Gradescope to submit all projects and any other assignments. Please make a Gradescope account and register for our course using the code 6KNEY6.

Grading Policy: There is no arbitrary limit on the number of As, Bs, Cs, etc. for the class. Every student will be assigned the grade they earn and deserve according to the rubric for each assignment.

The mapping from numerical score to letter grades looks like this in CS325:

A: 95%+

A-: 90-94.99%

B+: 86-89.99%

B: 83-85.99%

B-: 80-82.99%

C+: 76-79.99%

C: 73-75.99%

C-: 70-72.99%

D: 60-69.99%

F: 0-59.99%

Late Assignment Policy: Deadlines are strategically placed to align with course content. However, I understand that life happens. Multiple project milestones have a submission grace period (specified in the milestone instructions). If you need extra time beyond this grace period, it is required that you contact the instructor during the grace period.

Course Expectations

Attendance and Participation

Our classes will have a variety of formats (lectures, discussions, work days, presentations, maker space trips, etc.). You are expected to attend all classes and engage in all of these different formats with sincerity, kindness, and respect for yourself, your peers, and me.

Project Groups

Students will possess unique skill sets and likely work on distinct tasks, but all are expected to contribute “equally.” This includes actively participating in group discussions, sharing ideas, and dividing work fairly. You should respect the opinions and ideas of your peers, and be open to constructive criticism. Communication is key, so you should keep everyone in the loop about their progress and any challenges you might be facing. Additionally, you should meet deadlines set by the group.

I will provide time in class for group project work, but I expect you to meet with your group regularly outside of class to work on the project. Ultimately, the goal of a group project is not only to produce high-quality output but also to learn from each other and develop teamwork and collaboration skills.

Collaboration Policy

The Wellesley College honor code applies to CS325.

This course emphasizes collaboration, as working effectively within teams is an important part of innovation culture. I strongly encourage you to get to know all of your classmates (and me!) and to collaborate extensively with them during the group project and any in-class exercises. Please be mindful of diverse communication styles, needs, and backgrounds when collaborating. If you or your group need support to facilitate collaboration, reach out to me.

Use of Generative AI to Complete Assignments

Unless explicitly permitted by me, the use of any generative artificial intelligence tools is prohibited in CS325. This course often depends on personal reflection and insight. Don’t outsource your growth. While I am absolutely not against generative AI tools (we will occasionally use them in class!), and acknowledge they could be helpful in future professional research and design work, they do not have a regular place in CS325. The use of a generative AI tool, unless explicitly permitted by an assignment description or me during class, will be considered an Honor Code Violation.

Student Resources

Accessibility

As an accessibility researcher teaching an accessibility course, I take student accessibility very seriously. I will make every effort possible to accommodate student needs and feedback. To support students, I am implementing the following:

• Grace periods for multiple project milestone submissions.
• No quizzes or exams.
• Multiple in-class project work days.
• Any lecture slides will be accessible (e.g. with alt text, standard layouts, and plain language) and posted on the course website.
• A variety of learning methods.

If you have a disability or any circumstance, either long-term or temporary, and need reasonable academic adjustments in this course, please contact Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR) as soon as possible. You should request accommodations as early as possible in the semester or before the semester begins. If you need immediate assistance or accommodation before your request is completed, please arrange to meet with me as soon as possible. We can create a plan together. If you are unsure but suspect you may have an undocumented need for accommodations, ADR can assist with screening and referrals for assessments. Accessibility and Disability Resources can be reached at accessibility@wellesley.edu or by phone at 781-283-1300. For more information, go to https://www1.wellesley.edu/adr.

Support and Inclusion

During the semester, there may be experiences outside of your control that impact your learning or your class performance. You have lives outside of this course, and this class takes place in challenging times. Please reach out to me if you are having a difficult time with this class, or in general.

My intention as an educator is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all learners. I value the perspectives of individuals from all backgrounds reflecting the diversity of our students. I intend that the diversity you bring to our class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. I am committed and eager to learn from you this semester.

Helpful Links and Contact Information

My email address: vg101@wellesley.edu

My office is L121 in the Science Center (right next to the HCI lab).

Accessibility and Disability Resources: https://www1.wellesley.edu/adr

Title IX: https://www.wellesley.edu/about-us/offices-departments/title-ix

Counseling Services

Website: https://www1.wellesley.edu/Counseling

Email: counseling@wellesley.edu

Phone Number (this number also works after hours for crisis support): 781-283-2839

Wellesley Campus Police (Emergency): 781-283-5555

Wellesley Campus Police (Non-emergency): 781-283-2121

References

The CS325 syllabus and course materials are influenced by and derived in part from:

• INLS 690 at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (William Payne)
• CS 220 at Wellesley College (Orit Shaer, Catherine Delcourt, Vinitha Gadiraju)
• CSE 493e at the University of Washington (Jennifer Mankoff)
• CSCI 5849 at the University of Colorado Boulder (Shaun Kane)
• Accessibility as Creative Practice (NYU Ability Project, Stefanie Koseff)