The vision of inclusion for disabled engineers and technologists
What needs to change to create a more inclusive environment for disabled engineers and technologists – one in which they feel they are respected and belong, and that their talents are appreciated, utilised and developed?
In summary, advancing inclusion for disabled engineers and technologists requires a shift in approach, from accommodating individuals to redesigning systems.
3.1 Where are we now?
Participants described a sector characterised by what is known as structural ableism, defined as a ‘system of historical and contemporary policies, institutions, and societal norms and practices that devalue and disadvantage people who are disable and privilege people who are positioned as able-bodied’.18
The lived experience of structural ableism is that disabled people must continually self advocate to access the working conditions that others take for granted.
In practice, this means that disabled people have to initiate any conversation about the accommodations and adjustments they need at work, coordinating between HR, line managers, occupational health, IT, and facilities, repeating their story multiple times.
Such interactions tend to be rooted in an abelist view of disability, in which the individual’s disability is something that needs to be ‘fixed’.
Figure 1 - Individual’s accessibility needs, talents and aspirations
Figure 1 illustrates the impact of this. Energy and effort are constantly flowing from the disabled person into their environment, contributing to the disability tax described above, and leading to advocacy fatigue (the fatigue that disabled people experience in constantly having to advocate for themselves and their own needs and requirements in an ableist environment).
Individual responsibility
Individuals have ‘problems’ (disabilities) and they are generally responsible for getting their accessibility needs met.
3.2 What is the vision for the future?
The vision for the future is one in which energy and effort flow in the opposite direction, from the environment towards the disabled person, as illustrated in Figure 2.
Engineers and technologists also have a unique and important role to play in the inclusion of disabled people. By designing and engineering with accessibility needs in mind from the very start, they can contribute to building a future that everyone can fully participate in.
In this context:
- Line managers, HR and colleagues are aware of how to create disability inclusion and work with the disabled person to ensure their physical, psychological and social needs are met
- The physical environment, policies, procedures and other systemic structures are designed with disability inclusion already factored in – indeed, they’re co-created with disabled people
- Cultural attitudes are inclusive and unconscious biases are surfaced and addressed.
Figure 2 - Individual’s accessibility needs, talents and aspirations
Societal responsibility
Individuals are disabled by the environment, organisations and systems around them. Accessibility should be designed in systemically.
Achieving this vision is complex and will take time. The insights and actions in this study provide a clear roadmap for individuals, line managers, HR professionals and organisations to follow to achieve it.