The hidden power of universal design | Dr. Heather Ashley Hayes | TEDxAlabaster
Why are we still using 1990 rules to design a 2025 world?In this transformative TEDxAlabaster talk, communication scholar Dr. Heather Ashley Hayes reimagines accessibility, universal design, and inclusive communication as the engine of innovation. Grounded in research and in her lived experience as a brain-tumor survivor, Hayes pairs data with human stories to show how designing for disability from the start improves outcomes across higher education, media, and civic technology. Anchored by the curb cut effect, the talk explains why pre-Internet compliance frameworks miss today's realities—and, Dr. Hayes maps what a possibility-driven approach can deliver: multimodal materials, high-quality captions, blended "paper-plus-digital" learning, and accessible tools and spaces that scale from classrooms to campuses and cities. Come explore the ways that with one in four people facing barriers, inclusive design is not an add-on; it's core civic infrastructure that strengthens learning, participation, and creativity for everyone. This is a research-backed, inspirational case for building systems where stories and data work together—so communities can thrive. Dr. Heather Ashley Hayes is an educator, researcher, and universal design advocate. Currently an associate professor at the University of Alabama, she directs the Rhetoric, Discourse, and Public Culture Research Lab. Her award winning research focuses on public discourse, accessibility, and social change. She also currently directs the doctoral program in the College of Communication and Information Sciences and is a nationally award winning teacher and mentor of more than two decades as well as a highly sought after public speaker on issues of public communication. Dr. Hayes holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies and a graduate degree in Neuroscience. In 2019, her journey was interrupted by a life-threatening brain tumor. After a terminal prognosis, a 20-hour surgery, and a year-long recovery, Dr. Hayes adapted to losing the sight in her right eye and some of her hearing. This experience deepened her understanding of the brain, how we learn, and accessibility. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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