Reclaiming accessible mixed-ability collaborations in human-computer interaction using the disability justice lens

The thesis aims to understand the role of collaborative technologies for the organization of access by mixed-ability collaborators using disability justice perspectives within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. The developed design implications for collaborative technologies are to support accessible, and justice-oriented mixed-ability collaborations, and interactions. Existing mixed-ability studies in HCI mainly highlight collective access and interdependence by focusing on how a group of disabled people (e.g., people with visual impairments) interact with a group of non-disabled people. To expand this view, the Disability Justice scholars point to the importance of further aspects such as cross-disability solidarity and collective liberation. This thesis overlays state of the art in mixed ability studies in HCI and provides five studies to debate a perspective of cross-disability interactions. The driving research questions of this thesis are: (1) How do mixed-ability communities interact around access, (2) in which ways collaborative technologies are used in this process? and (3) what are the design implications for collaborative technologies to support justice and solidarity-based negotiation of access for the mixed-ability collaborators? To answer these questions, this thesis builds on 5 studies. All the studies build on social constructivist epistemology and qualitative research methodology. The selective sampling and the study setups applying different techniques in each study makes the thesis as diversified as possible. The first study focuses on interactions between mixed-ability caregivers on a Facebook group using digital ethnography, the second study focuses on interactions between mixed-ability gatekeepers in a higher education institution and uses in-depth interviews, the third study uses self-ethnography, and I present my experiences as a disabled design researcher, fourth study focuses on interactions of a mixed-ability social entrepreneur group works on an online workspace and fifth study shows a literature review of mixed-ability interactions in HCI. The findings of the thesis show how mixed-ability communities used collaborative technologies for their interactions around access. Three categories are: 1) redefining lived experience around disability and access 2) sharing experience for shaping visibility and challenging priorities 3) building community through engaging in activism, negotiating power, and conflict resolution. Based on these three categories, this thesis provides practical implications for collaborative technologies. Overall, this thesis highlights the importance of cross-disability mixed-ability interactions from the perspective of Disability Justice and contributes to the mixed-ability research in HCI.