10 Insightful TED Talks about Disabilities, Accessibility and Inclusion
The topic of disability can make many people uncomfortable, and to some extent, even considered taboo by some. There are many reasons for this; learned behaviour, misconception and misunderstanding, and stereotypes just to name a few. However, it is important to have open and respectful conversations about disabilities in order to promote understanding, empathy, and acceptance so that we can begin dealing with more pressing issues about existing physical and attitudinal barriers – at individual, organizational and systemic levels – that continue to hinder and hold back people living with disabilities from fully participating in all aspects of life.
In Canada, approximately 22% of Canadians live with some form of disability. And to be clear, there are many kinds of disabilities – both visible and invisible. Some people are born with disabilities or impairments, while others result from injury, illness or old-age to name a few. Just as there are so many different types of disabilities and impairments, similarly, the lived experiences and perspectives of people who live with or who identify as living with disabilities also differ. There is no single, uniform experience of disability. So it is important to speak with, listen and learn to the stories and experiences of the individuals around us.
One great way to learn is to watch the many TED Talks that are available that addresses various topics about disabilities, and to think and consider the messages and lessons shared by these presenters. But don’t just watch it on your own. Host a Watch Party and view the TED Talks with a friend, your family members or roommates, colleagues and have an open discussion afterwards about it. To help get you started, we have compiled below ten of our favourite TED Talks from around the world addressing a variety of issues related to disabilities, accessibility and inclusion.
- Download and view a PDF poster of this list
- Check out more Red Shirt Day Resources here
- Watch more TED Talks on disability on TED.com and Youtube.
Click on the images below to watch the video clip. Additional controls for captions and to resize the videos (to watch in full screen) are available once the video clips start.