4ALL Capstone Documentation Video

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

Hi, my name is Haley Thompson, and this is the documentation video for my Capstone project, 4ALL.

The disabled community has long been left out of the world of fashion. From clothing to shoes to jewelry, products are rarely designed with accessible options. With my project, I am hoping to take a step forward in changing that.

For my capstone project, I am exploring what a completely accessible shopping experience could be for disabled individuals, particularly those with mobility and or vision impairments, where everything from the product to the webstore are accessible as the rule and not the exception.

To do this, I created an assortment of jewelry with accessibility modifications built in, including necklaces and bracelets with specialized magnetic clasps, non-slip and adjustable rings for prosthetics and shaky hands, clip on, spring clasp, and press closed earrings, snap fastener buttons, and a handful sensory specific pieces.

Because in person stores can pose challenges for many disabled individuals, I decided to display my accessible jewelry in an online store format – to bring the products to my target audience and eliminate a potential obstacle. I coded the website to be fully accessible, not just to a general audience but also for screen readers and keyboard navigation in order to ensure that my target audience can access the product.

Even though the jewelry is displayed in an online store format, I’m not looking to start a business, or even actually sell the jewelry. Profit is not the point. The point of my project is to prove that accessibility and design are not mutually exclusive, and equal access in all aspects of jewelry and shopping is not only possible, but can and should be emulated by everyone.