Teach the Cast
Some of InclusionForge’s cast are still learning. When you teach them, YOU learn it best — catch what they get wrong, then quiz them.
See where the barrier really lives
The barrier is the STAIR — a property of the space, not the person.
Fix the SPACE — add a ramp. You don’t “fix” the person.
- the SPACE — how the place is built
- the PERSON — who wants to get in
It’s not the wheel — it’s the stair. A barrier lives in the SPACE.
A two-frame diagram. Left, “The barrier”: a person at a door blocked by a stair — the stair is marked as the barrier, a property of the space. Right, “The fix”: the same door with a ramp added and the person now inside — the ramp is marked as the fix, a change to the space. The person is the same in both; only the space changed.
Teach Notice
Teach the connections
Show how the inclusive-design ideas connect
Notice (barrier-identification — barriers are properties of spaces, never of people; it is not the wheel, it is the stair) × Design (universal design — multi-modal solutions; three doors, different doors, all doors)
A person using a wheelchair cannot enter a building with only stairs. How do Notice and Design frame the fix?
Notice then says: “When someone cannot use a space, the problem is with the person, not the space.” — is that right?
It is not the wheel, it is the stair — so redesign the stair.
Lens (perspective-taking — asking and listening, never mind-reading; I cannot BE you, but I can ASK) × Ask (ask-don't-assume and amplify — make space for voices, never replace them)
You want to design something accessible but you are not disabled yourself. How do Lens and Ask guide you?
Lens then says: “If you cannot share someone's experience, the best you can do is guess their needs yourself.” — is that right?
You cannot be them, but you can ask them.
Capstone — design for everyone together
Three inclusive-design moves. Bring in the cast member for each.
See the barrier as part of the space. Who?
Ask the people affected, do not assume. Who?
Build multi-modal, many-door solutions. Who?
Notice, ask, and design — for everyone.