I have decided to keep a written record of my process of creating my MRP. The change in the semester appears to be the organic start of research and work.
When I came into the Master of Digital Media program, my proposed MRP topic entered around examining the intersection of digital media and accessibility studies, explicitly relating to disability accommodations and the best practices in project management adopted to conform to government regulations. At that moment, I was very interested in seeing how technology affected individuals with disabilities and how the transition from educational institutions to private sector employment affects them. This interest surrounded my upcoming transition into a career. After completing my first semester, I am still hoping to achieve this type of research.
At this point in the semester, we are starting to work towards the proposal for our paper. To begin this process, I have started the Collaborative Workshop class that lays the MRP groundwork, which all MDM students are taking this semester. So I should be able to gain a lot of insight into writing this paper through that.
When I initially entered this program, I assumed that the solution would be a desktop application or program. Recently when talking to my supervisor, Ramona Pringle, we discussed that instead of making an application, creating a website that could act as a one-stop-shop for people entering the workforce that needed accommodations. This page could include the top 5 accommodation needs, videos for employers about those needs (a lot of facts and science), a download for a bot of helper or tutorial to use existing technology, and tips and tricks. Additional resources could be technology and the grants available. The potential for a “Share your hacks” or forum type community would also provide user-driven interaction.
This week, I want to start by reaching out to AAS (Ryerson accommodation service) and seeing the most common accommodations and how they are assisted.
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: I would like to start acknowledging the things I find most interesting from the previous week; this week was the term “Neurodivergent.” Located within Disabled-World.com, this quote speaks to me.
“Today, neurodiversity is broadly defined as an approach to learning and disability that suggests diverse neurological conditions appear as a result of normal variations in the human genome. Neurodiversity advocates promote support systems (such as inclusion-focused services, accommodations, communication and assistive technologies, occupational training, and independent living support) that allow those who are neuro-divergent to live their lives as they are, rather than being coerced or forced to adopt uncritically accepted ideas of normality, or to conform to a clinical ideal.” (https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/awareness/neurodiversity/)
– A
ANNA LANG 
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