Syllabus

Tandon School of Engineering of New York University 
Technology, Culture and Society
Integrated Design & Media 

DM-UY 4913 G
Digital Accessibility and Creative Applications

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

• Instructor Stefanie Koseff
• 370 Jay Street, Ability Project Lab Rm 316B
• Student / Drop-In hours calendar link  *if none of the times in my calendar work for you, please get in touch and we’ll find a time that works!
• email: smk8882@nyu.edu
• You can get in touch with me via email, a message on Brightspace or google chat. You can also leave a note on my desk, though I can’t guarantee a quick response 🙂 

NB : This syllabus is subject to change

COURSE INFORMATION

• DM-UY 4913-G
• Digital Accessibility and Creative Applications
• Course Description: In this course students will learn fundamental concepts and skills of digital accessibility and apply them creatively and intuitively to their own creative projects. Accessibility will be centered as a requirement for creation, rather than as an afterthought. We will explore how implementing accessible modalities such as alt-text, tactile graphics, captioning, audio description, and touch objects can deepen students’ understanding of the chosen subject or theme while broadening the audience for their work. Students can focus on creating accessible interpretations of existing artwork in the public domain or their own original artwork in any medium, such as (but not limited to) AR/VR, gaming, photography, drawing/painting, textiles, sculpture or physical computing. Students will use Adobe Creative Suite for video and sound editing and for creating captions and audio descriptions. Digital fabrication tools such as 3D printing, laser cutting, embossing, microcapsule printing and digital embroidery can be used for creating tactile graphics and touch objects. Disabled artists and members of the disability arts community will be invited as guest lecturers and critics. We will survey artists working across access modalities and read texts on Disability Arts Activism, disability-centered art praxis, and creative access.
• Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00 AM – 9:50 AM 
• 370 Jay Street, Room 316B (The Ability Project Lab) 

COURSE OVERVIEW AND GOALS

This course is a hands-on studio class in which we will discuss and explore digital accessibility, creative access, disability, creative work, disability justice, the work of disabled artists, creative expression and digital fabrication. We will consider various modes of accessibility, examine how each mode works in a practical way, and then take things further and incorporate these modes in an experimental way in your creative projects. Rejecting typical ways accommodations are often placed on creative works after they are made, you will incorporate accessibility from your project’s inception, critically and thoughtfully engaging with the affordances and limitations of each modality. 

UPON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Identify and describe commonly used modes of accessibility 
• Implement each mode of accessibility in an expressive manner with clarity and intention
• Develop extensive documentation for all projects 
• Create a body of work during the semester that incorporates modes of accessibility from each project’s inception
• Describe how each mode of accessibility functions within their own creative work as well as in others’ work. 
• Propose & Develop a final multimodal project with community partners
• Display (if desired) final projects in an end-of-semester IDM showcase

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In order for all of us to get the most out of this class, please: 

• Talk to me in person about issues or problems
• Consult the class site each week for any updated information in the syllabus/course schedule 
• Come to class on time and be familiar with the current class topics, and be ready to answer or ask questions and participate in discussions
• Give your classmates constructive feedback. Don’t be passive in critiques or take it personally. Push everyone’s ideas further.
• Keep up with all of the readings
• Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and take risks
• Have fun!

CLASS PARTICIPATION

Class participation is crucial to all of this working well, together. Almost every class will consist of each of you presenting your own work and offering constructive feedback to each other.  We will also be exploring work by other artists and discussing how modes of accessibility inform that work.  This is an experimental space where we will be exploring, experimenting and taking risks. 

Students are expected to engage in discussion with each other, invited speakers and at on-site visits. And of course, except for note taking, please refrain from using your computer or the Internet. Use of such tech will limit your ability to participate in discussions.

Participation grades will be determined by the instructor using this rubric: 

	Exemplary (10 Points)	Proficient (8-9 points)	Developing (5-7 Points)	Unacceptable (5 or fewer points)
Frequency of In-class Participation	Student initiates contributions more than once in each class.	Student initiates contribution once in each class.	Student initiates contribution at least in half of the classes	Student does not initiate contribution and needs instructor to solicit input.
Listening Skills During Class	Student listens attentively when others present materials, perspectives, as indicated by comments that build on others’ remarks, i.e., student hears what others say and contributes to the dialogue.	Student is mostly attentive when others present ideas, materials, as indicated by comments that reflect and build on others’ remarks.	Student is often inattentive and needs reminder of focus of class. Occasionally makes disruptive comments while others are speaking.	Does not listen to others; regularly talks while others speak or does not pay attention while others speak; detracts from discussion; sleeps, etc.

Short PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS, Reflection Questions & Process documentation

We will spend the first part of the semester creating short projects which are designed to give you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and practice creating with a number of accessible digital modalities. Remember, finished is better than perfect. An attempt at an assignment that does not meet your expectations is better than nothing at all. You are expected to push yourself, be curious, and be challenged every week.

You’ll be setting up a process website to thoroughly document your work: Documentation for these projects is crucial. Photograph & write about each stage of your creation process.  Be sure to highlight & write about your decisions as you work through these assignments. We want to know what worked, and how you got to where you wanted to get, but also (and maybe more importantly) what did not work. 

For each of the short project assignments, you will be graded on the following criteria:

• • The project (50%)
    • does it incorporate the assigned modality? Does the project show that you’ve understood not only how to implement this modality but also why it is used in this way? 
  • Reflection questions (25%)
    • These five questions provide an opportunity to contextualize your work and reflect on how access functions within the project
      • What is the theme of the work?  
      • How is that theme particularly expressed through the modality of the week? 
      • Which elements of the work are beautifully/wonderfully/perfectly expressed through the modality?
      • Which elements are lost or inexpressible through the modality of the week?
      • Who does this project exclude? Who would not be able to interact with this work? Who is this modality not accessible for?
      • Now that you’ve identified who is excluded, what is one way you could remix this piece to include another population? (You don’t have to make this part, but think about it and write about it).
  • Documentation of the project (25%)
    • photos & videos of each stage of the creation process
    • explanatory text accompanying the images and videos (what are we looking at or listening to)
    • tell the story of how you made this 

Rubric:

Project	Level 4 4 points	Level 3 3 points	Level 2 2 points	Level 1 1 point	Criterion Score
	Used assigned modality. Was able to clearly express chosen theme. Modality was used in a creative way to enrich the theme, effectively conveying the concept.	Used modality. Chosen theme was almost always clear. Modality was used in a creative way.	Used modality. Chosen theme was identified. Modality was used in an adequate way.	Used modality. Chosen theme was not clearly expressed. Modality was used in a basic way.	/ 4
Documentation	Each step of the process was well documented. Five or more images are included. Student included detailed descriptions of documentation images and videos. The beginning, middle, and end of this process is clear.	Most major steps of the process are documented. 3 -4 images or videos are included. There are descriptions of images and videos. The beginning, middle, and end of this process is almost always clear.	Two steps of the process are documented. Student included two images or videos. There are minimal descriptions of the images or videos. The beginning, middle, and end of this process is not very clear.	The final project is documented with one described image. Process is not clear.	/ 4
Reflection Questions	Six questions are thoroughly and thoughtfully answered, with at least two sentences per question.	3-5 questions are answered, with 2 sentences per question OR all of the questions were answered, but with 1 sentence only.	2 questions were answered thoroughly OR 3-5 questions were answered, but with 1 sentence only.	1 question answered with 1 sentence only.	/ 4

Overall Score

	Level 4		Level 3		Level 2		Level 1
	11 points minimum		8 points minimum		5 points minimum		0 points minimum

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readings & OTher Media such as Podcasts, videos & Audio recordings

Assigned Readings & Media & Responses: Each week I will assign texts to read or artworks to look at or listen to, or artist websites to explore, often including images and / or interviews with the artist. These assigned works are intended to give context and further information about the modality, so that you may create informed work.  You’ll post reading responses on your blog. Prompts are on the assignments page. 

Criteria	Level 4 4 points	Level 3 3 points	Level 2 2 points	Level 1 1 point	Criterion Score
Brief Summary	Summary is concise, clear, and accurately captures the essence of the text.	Summary is clear and accurate, capturing the main points of the text.	Summary provides a basicoverview but may be incomplete or slightly inaccurate.	Summary is unclear, inaccurate, or missing key details.	/ 4
One Takeaway	Takeaway is insightful, relevant, and demonstrates deep reflection and understanding of the text’s implications for professional development.	Takeaway is relevant and demonstrates a good understanding of the text with a clear connection to professional development.	Takeaway is relevant but lacks depth or clear connection to the text.	Takeaway is vague, unclear, or lacks relevance to professional development. Connection to real-world example or other class materials not clear	/ 4
Real-World Connection	Connection is strong, insightful, and demonstrates a clear and thoughtful link between the text and real-world applications or broader concepts.	Connection is relevant and clearly linked to the text, showing an understanding of how it applies tot he real world.	Connection is present but maybe weak, underdeveloped, or lack relevance.	Connection is unclear, irrelevant, or missing	/ 4

ACCESS TOOLS LAB 

For each modality we’ll be covering, we’re going to get specific about the tools and technology we can use to design and create access.  We’ll cover topics such as creating captions for video in Adobe Premiere, recording Audio Description, basic video and sound editing, and more!  We’ll also cover fabrication methods such as microcapsule printing and embossing for tactile graphics. 

CREATIVE PRACTICE WORKSHOPS

Give a presentation to the class on your individual creative practice. What is your artistic “origin story”? What do you love about this practice? What do you hate about it? What are your thoughts & ideas thus far about how these modes of accessibility we’ve covered fit into your creative practice? Where do they diverge? Design an activity for the class that illustrates the foundational principles of your creative practice.  Perhaps it’s a 10-minute crash course on video editing? A paper-weaving activity? A 3D modeling activity? A poetry-writing workshop? 

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MIDTERM project

Your midterm assignment will be to add an additional mode of accessibility to two of your short projects, fine-tune your documentation, and create a polished portfolio presentation of all of your work. This portfolio will both showcase the core skills you have learned thus far, as well as your creative experiments around accessibility.

Final project

After the midterm, we will spend the second half of the semester working with HeartShare, a Community Partner. This will be a multi-week project that will entail working directly with HeartShare participants to creatively develop accessible materials for their program. Each of you will create one multimodal project as your final creative piece for the class. 

ASSIGNED READINGS

No required textbook.
Required readings will be posted to the class website.

GRADING OF ASSIGNMENTS

The grade for this course will be determined according to the following:

Assignments/Activities	% of Final Grade
Homework (Short Projects)	[25%]
Reading Responses	[25%]
Midterm Portfolio	[15%]
Final Project	[25%]
Class Participation	[10%]

LETTER GRADES

Letter grades for the entire course will be assigned as follows:

Letter Grade	Points	Percent
A	4.00	Example: 92.5% and higher
A-	3.67	Example: 90.0 – 92.49%
B+	3.33	Example: 87.5% – 89.99%
B	3.00	Example: 82.5% – 87.49%
B-	2.67	Example: 80% – 82.49%
C+	2.33	Example: 77.5% – 79.99%
C	2.00	Example: 72.5% – 77.49%
C-	1.67	Example: 70% – 72.49%
D+	1.33	Example: 67.5% – 69.99%
D	1.00	Example: 62.5% – 67.49
D-	.67	Example: 60% – 62.49%
F	.00	Example: 59.99% and lower

How to Access Your Grades

All assignments will be submitted to Brightspace, where you will also find your grades throughout the semester. 

COURSE MATERIALS

EXPECTATIONS FOR WORK OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Students should expect to spend roughly 5 hours each week on supplemental work in this course. This may include reading assignments, writing, exam preparation, research, homework assignments, building, writing code, study time, unsupervised lab work, unsupervised group work, etc.

RESOURCES

• Access your course materials: https://wp.nyu.edu/ap_classes_digital_accessibility_f24
• Databases, journal articles, and more: Dibner Library (library.nyu.edu)
• Assistance with strengthening your writing: NYU Writing Center (nyu.mywconline.com)
• Obtain 24/7 technology assistance: IT Service Desk (NYU IT) (nyu.edu/it/servicedesk)

COURSE POLICIES

ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS

Your attendance is important. Notify me of all absences prior to class. Each unexcused absence after your first will impact your final grade by a third of a  letter (ex. one unexcused absence will drop a final grade of A- to B+, two  unexcused absences would drop that A- to a B). If you have 3 or more  unexcused absences, you fail the course automatically. 

Arriving more than 5 minutes after class starts, is “late.” Two “lates” equal one absence. Each absence from class will result in a deduction of 2 points from the final course grade.

But also, life happens! So just keep me informed. 

All students are responsible for understanding and complying with the NYU Steinhardt and Tandon Statements on Academic Integrity.  These can be found at:

• https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/current-students/register-classes/registration/statement-academic-integrity
• https://engineering.nyu.edu/campus-and-community/student-life/office-student-affairs/policies/student-code-conduct

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

If you are a student with a disability who is requesting accommodations, please contact New York University’s Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212-998-4980 or mosescsd@nyu.edu. You must be registered with CSD to receive accommodations. Information about the Moses Center can be found at http://www.nyu.edu/csd. The Moses Center is located at 726 Broadway on the 2nd floor.

If you are experiencing an illness or any other situation that might affect your academic performance in a class, please email the Office of Advocacy, Compliance and Student Affairs: eng.studentadvocate@nyu.edu.

STATEMENT ON INCLUSION

The NYU Tandon School values an inclusive and equitable environment for all our students. I hope to foster a sense of community in this class and consider it a place where individuals of all backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities, sexual orientations, religious and political affiliations, and abilities will be treated with respect.  It is my intent that all students’ learning needs be addressed, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit.  If this standard is not being upheld, please feel free to speak with me.