Virtual collaboration tools for mixed-ability workspaces: a cross disability solidarity case from Turkey

Abstract

A growing body of literature on mixed-ability teams within HCI investigates how disabled and non-disabled people collaborate. Still, how diferent disabilities can interact in a mixed-ability team is underexplored, especially for long commitments and in non-western contexts. As an emerging perspective in accessibility studies in HCI, disability justice emphasizes the importance of cross-disability collaborations. Collaborative access, interdependence, and crossdisability dialogue are keys to building accessible mixed-ability interactions. We conducted ten in-depth interviews with the members of a unique mixed-ability team (which includes people with diferent physical disabilities) using the same workspace with crossdisability interactions in Turkey. We aim to understand the requirements for an accessible mixed-ability virtual workspace and to identify practical design considerations for cross-disability solidarityoriented virtual collaboration tools. To ensure equal access in virtual workspaces, we suggest implications for centering collective access, balancing external power dynamics, and supporting language and cultural diversities.