GimpGirl Online: Women With Disabilities Rethinking, Redefining, and Reclaiming Community

What is GimpGirl? We come together to share our lives, in a safe space that centers more on the strengths we have as a collective. Has never been centered towards any particular angle of disability. Over the years it has developed into a growing and ever-evolving collective dedicated to peer counseling and advocacy with a DIY and geeky spirit. Hundreds of members, mostly English-speaking and in a range of different countries.

We come together to share our lives, in a safe space that centers more on the strengths we have as a collective.

Has never been centered towards any particular angle of disability.

Over the years it has developed into a growing and ever-evolving collective dedicated to peer counseling and advocacy with a DIY and geeky spirit.

Hundreds of members, mostly English-speaking and in a range of different countries.

GimpGirl: A Tech Timeline Started in 1998 on SerenityMOO * Had four email lists to start, serving niche communities Transitioned to LiveJournal in 2003 Opened on Second Life, Facebook and Twitter in 2008

Started in 1998 on SerenityMOO

* Had four email lists to start, serving niche communities

Transitioned to LiveJournal in 2003

Opened on Second Life, Facebook and Twitter in 2008

Second Life Provides opportunity to network with other disability, women and nonprofit groups Allows easier collaboration within our community Needed adaptations for further accessibility Added an IRC relay

Provides opportunity to network with other disability, women and nonprofit groups

Allows easier collaboration within our community

Needed adaptations for further accessibility

Added an IRC relay

GimpGirl: Moodle

GimpGirl: Facebook

GimpGirl: Linked in

GimpGirl: Twitter

GimpGirl: Flickr

GimpGirl: Second Life

GimpGirl: Second Life

Interdependent Models of Access to Virtual Worlds * Accommodation for individuals * Architectural access to community space * Universal Design for conversation

Access to information

Different learning styles Universal design and communicating in a range of differerent modes help people with differences in learning styles. UDL (Universal Design for Learning)‏ Attention to accessibility also achieves this goal Useful for education communities

Integrate multiple channels Build strong cross-platform relationships that distribute information on multiple channels Not every platform will be accessible to all people all of the time Many platforms will be accessible to some people some of the time Different people are comfortable on different platforms PWD face challenges seeking information so it's especially important to provide it in many styles.

Best practices for communication * For community events and publications, provide alternative accessible formats (508/WCAG guidelines)‏ http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/ * Live events in virtual worlds should have an IRC text chat bridge, and audio feeds for voice chat. * Use asynchronous methods (blogs, forums) along with synchronous (chat rooms, SL, IRC)‏ * Be inclusive of various speech and writing styles * Acknowledge contributions, big or small, from all community members

Best practices for communication * Use person-first language or other language preferred by people with disabilities * Have clear methods for feedback on accessibility and other topics. * Include your audience/members in planning and execution of events, as part of commitment of inclusion and accessibility. “Nothing about us without us.” * In virtual worlds, visual appearance of accessiblity (ramps, signs) signify inclusion of PWD. * Provide information on additional accommodations

Anti-patterns Impersonal – no opportunity for trust. Profiles in courage. Pity. Charity. Infantilization of PWD by controlling information.

Patterns Authenticity Identity Connection between peers Conversation (hosted or safe space)‏

Credits Most slides and graphics by Katherine Mancuso (CATEA) and Jen Cole (Director, GimpGirl Community)‏ http://gimpgirl.com