https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curb_cut_effect

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    1Examples
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    2Implications
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    3See also
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    4References

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Curb cut effect

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Effect of assistive technology

The curb cut effect is the phenomenon of disability-friendly features
being used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they
were designed for. For example, many hearing people use closed
captioning.^[1] The phenomenon is named for curb cuts - miniature
ramps comprising parts of sidewalk - which were first made for
wheelchair access in particular places, but are now universal and no
longer widely recognized as a disability-accessibility feature.^[2]^
[3]

The curb cut effect is a subset of universal design, which is the
purposeful design of an environment so that it is accessible to all
people regardless of ability or disability.^[4] The curb cut effect
differs slightly from universal design as the curb cut phenomenon is
often unintentional rather than purposeful, but results in a similar
outcome.

Examples[edit]

Below are some examples of the curb cut effect.

  * Closed captioning used by hearing people.
  * Curb cuts on sidewalks used for strollers, suitcases, etc.
  * Large print used when reading by those without visual impairment.
  * Game accessibility features in video games used by players with
    no disabilities.^[5]
  * Text-to-speech applications used by seeing people.

Implications[edit]

The curb cut effect has become a prominent phenomenon as society
focuses more on designing accessible and inclusive environments.
Implications of the curb cut effect include an increased awareness
around universal design within the general population. The fact that
many features explicitly designed to be disability-friendly have been
utilized and enjoyed by people outside of the initial target
population has encouraged inclusive design. The curb cut effect has
helped prove that there could be economic benefits derived from
including or developing accessibility accommodations in a business
setting.^[6] Amongst positive implications, the curb cut effect has
also resulted in negative changes, such as the lack of individualized
design for disabled populations.^[7]

See also[edit]

  * Universal design
  * Inclusive design

References[edit]

 1. ^ "Fueling the Creation of New Electronic Curbcuts". The Center
    for an Accessible Society. 1999. Archived from the original on
    2018-12-20. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
 2. ^ Blackwell, Angela Glover (2017). "The Curb-Cut Effect".
    Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
 3. ^ Peterson, Julie (July 15, 2015). "Smashing barriers to access:
    Disability activism and curb cuts". National Museum of American
    History. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
 4. ^ "What is Universal Design | Centre for Excellence in Universal
    Design". universaldesign.ie. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
 5. ^ Heydarian, C. H. (2020). The Curb-Cut Effect and its Interplay
    with Video Games. Arizona State University.
 6. ^ Lawson, David Dyer (2015). "Building a Methodological Framework
    for Establishing a Socio-Economic Business Case for Inclusion:
    The Curb Cut Effect of Accessibility Accommodations as a
    Confounding Variable and a Criterion Variable".
    openresearch.ocadu.ca. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
 7. ^ Reid, Blake Ellis, "The Curb-Cut Effect and the Perils of
    Accessibility without Disability" (October 31, 2022). Feminist
    Cyberlaw, U of Colorado Law Legal Studies Research Paper No.
    22-24, Available at SSRN: SSRN 4262991 or http://dx.doi.org/
    10.2139/ssrn.4262991. Retrieved 2023-11-28.


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