Re: AT and AI (GitHub Issue 325)

Hi Claire,

It's great to hear from you and to know that you're at Midjourney. I
believe that members of COGA understand that people with all kinds of
disabilities are using AI as AT, including people with cognitive
disabilities. As a matter of fact, many members of our group identify as
people with cognitive disabilities and are using AI in this way.

With that said, I won't speak for the entire group, but I will share my
perspective. I definitely recognize the power of AI to support all kinds of
needs, but that is not what my concern is. My concern is that authors still
need to take responsibility for their content and they need to ensure that
they're testing all functionality. I don't want content authors to make
assumptions that AI will work the same for everyone or that it will always
be accurate. I want people with disabilities to truly have equivalent
experiences and I believe that means that authors are still responsible for
what they produce.

WCAG 3 will eventually be the international standard used to guide how
digital content is designed and COGA wants to make sure it is structured so
that content authors know what they need to know to meet the needs of
people with cognitive disabilities. AI is currently playing a huge role in
the lives of people with disabilities and that is only going to increase.
It will also play a huge role in improving the accessibility of digital
content in general. Unfortunately, as evidenced by several current overlay
companies, we are already seeing people make false claims that one line of
code can fix all accessibility barriers on a website. This kind of behavior
is harmful to people with disabilities. I believe in the power of AI when
it is used responsibly. It is going to be a key component to a more
inclusive future, so my personal interest is that its power be used to help
and not harm people with disabilities. When people make assumptions, no one
wins. Like any tool used to develop digital environments, AI needs to be
used responsibly and content authors need to understand that they have the
power to include or exclude people in the environments they build.

*Jan McSorley*
*Accessibility Consultant*
*512-731-7957 (mobile)*
linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley <https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley>

*We put a man on the moon in the 1960's. Surely we can make information
technology fully accessible to people with disabilities. It can be done. It
must be done. It will be done!*


On Thu, Aug 8, 2024 at 8:31 AM Claire Benedikt <clarinet@hey.com> wrote:

> Hello, I am the Lead Educator for Midjourney, an academic AI laboratory.
> We have over 20 million users participating in our current beta. A
> disproportionate number of the most vocal users self-report disability,
> including Downs, Parkinsons, and Traumatic Brain Injury.  They are without
> exception using the tool as AT. Whatever reservations this group has about
> AI as AT must be quickly and aggressively dispelled. If there’s anything I
> can do to facilitate a breakthrough of understanding in this group, please
> let me know.
>
> Claire Benedikt
>
>
> On August 5, 2024, Jan McSorley <mcsorleyjan@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Julie,
>
> I attempted to capture some of these thoughts in a comment on issue 104
> <https://github.com/w3c/wcag3/discussions/104>. I will see what I can do
> to rearrange my schedule tomorrow so that I can attend AG.
>
> *Jan McSorley*
> *Accessibility Consultant*
> *512-731-7957 (mobile)*
> linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley <https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley>
>
>
> *We put a man on the moon in the 1960's. Surely we can make information
> technology fully accessible to people with disabilities. It can be done. It
> must be done. It will be done!*
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM Julie Rawe <jrawe@understood.org> wrote:
>
> Hi, Jan, your comments are very timely and relevant to GitHub issue #104
>> <https://github.com/w3c/wcag3/discussions/104> that we discussed at
>> today's COGA meeting and that will be discussed at tomorrow's AG meeting.
>> Please consider pasting some of your comments/questions into this newer
>> GitHub #104 thread, so a larger group of AG folks can think these things
>> during tomorrow's AG discussion on this topic, thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Aug 5, 2024 at 12:14 PM Jan McSorley <mcsorleyjan@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>> I pasted my comments on GitHub Issue 325 into a Google Doc titled, "Assistive
>>> Technology and AI Considerations
>>> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HM8osZPl5vcgR5Prgp8a3XMDpJgl0EEi7DvLCnnbhhY/edit?usp=sharing>."
>>> My initial thoughts were in response to Phil Jenkin's comments on GitHub
>>> issue 325 - (linked inside of the google doc). Hopefully we can use this as
>>> a starting point to decide how COGA will address the topic of AT within
>>> COGA guidance and to also discuss the impact of AI on AT.
>>>
>>> Many thanks,
>>>
>>> *Jan McSorley*
>>> *Accessibility Consultant*
>>> *512-731-7957 (mobile)*
>>> linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley <https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmcsorley>
>>>
>>> *We put a man on the moon in the 1960's. Surely we can make information
>>> technology fully accessible to people with disabilities. It can be done. It
>>> must be done. It will be done!*
>>>
>>