Journals @ Ontario Tech
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My Experience as a Woman with a Disability in Full-Time Employment in Shanghai
No full textThis article presents an autoethnographic account of the challenges faced by a highly educated woman with a physical disability navigating full-time employment in Shanghai, China. Despite possessing top-tier academic credentials, the author details a series of systemic, physical, and attitudinal barriers that complicate professional life. Furthermore, the article highlights the significant hidden financial and temporal costs—the "crip tax"—associated with securing accessible housing and commuting via a public transit system that is theoretically accessible but practically unreliable. Finally, it delves into the workplace environment, characterized by a lack of reasonable accommodations. The author concludes that while physical infrastructure is improving, true accessibility requires a profound shift in social awareness, policy implementation, and workplace culture. The newly enacted Barrier-Free Environment Construction Law (2023) is noted as a potential catalyst for change, yet the path to genuine inclusion remains long
Rarely Done, Poorly Utilised and Tokenistic : Investigating the Meaningful Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Intracranial Hypertension in Research about Intracranial Hypertension
No full textIn this article we present our findings from a critical analysis investigating the meaningful engagement of people with lived experience of Intracranial Hypertension in the research about Intracranial Hypertension.
It is increasingly recognised that people who live with rare disease, chronic illness and disability are involved in the research about their conditions and in the decision-making that determines the associated management and treatment practices about their lives. However, this is often a missed opportunity for research in this area, with community and individual’s expertise often overlooked or engaged in a minimal or tokenistic way, often related to poor definitions of what meaningful engagement might entail, that belies the intention of nothing about us without us in disability research.
This study reports on a literature review of research into Intracranial Hypertension since the turn of the century. Between 2000 and 2025 we identified 246 publications of research into this area. Of these a tiny minority of 14 publications reported on studies that engaged with the people who have the condition being studied. We assess these studies in line with The International Association of Public Participation Spectrum.
The Intracranial Hypertension community has shown in past research that they are keen to work with and embrace research projects in this area, but we find this is rarely and poorly utilised. We note a high level of token involvement in the Intracranial Hypertension research. We find that there is enormous opportunity for a greater level of community and individual engagement in this area of research that encompasses a more diverse range of experience from people with Intracranial Hypertension who come from beyond the current focus on those in Western countries who largely speak English.
We conclude with a call for an expanded research agenda in this area and note parallels that can be made with broader disability and chronic illness research. Through meaningful engagement in the research, we can develop a shared understanding of IH
Going Over the Wall: Supporting Critical Artificial Intelligence Literacy Using Narrative Design Fiction
No full textArtificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly embedded in every aspect of our lives and educators are beginning to consider how to teach with and about it. Most AI curricula distinctly focus on developing digital or physical technical skills such as coding, robotics, and programming, while only sometimes critically considering the social and ethical dimensions of AI. This may lead to a future disparity between critical thinking and technical competency in AI literacy programming. This qualitative case study research focuses on how a week-long virtual camp used narrative design fiction in graphic novel format as a framework for camp activities and discussions for students in grades 6-8, to facilitate conversations related to the social and ethical implications of AI use. Results suggest that participants gained deeper and more complex opinions on AI and human-technology relationships via critical conversations facilitated through the narrative design fiction. Recommendations for future work on speculative futures, reflection, and narrative design fiction are presented
Cross-evaluation of Large Language Model Assessment Behaviours in Educational Tasks by Cognitive Level
No full textLarge language models show promise for educational assessment, but their comparative capability across different cognitive domains remains understudied. This paper presents a systematic analysis of seven leading LLMs—ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Mistral, Command R+, and Grok—in their ability to both generate and evaluate educational responses across different levels of the revised Bloom’s taxonomy. Using a novel cross-evaluation methodology, 6,045 evaluations were analyzed using a standard rubric examining content accuracy, cognitive alignment, communication clarity, and response depth. The findings revealed three distinct clusters of grading behaviour: lenient evaluators (Mistral, Gemini, and ChatGPT), moderate evaluators (Claude and Grok), and strict evaluators (Command R+ and Perplexity). Significant variations in grading consistency emerged, with ChatGPT showing the greatest consistency and Perplexity the most variability. Notable systematic biases were observed, including Gemini’s positive bias toward Grok and Command R+’s negative bias toward Gemini. These patterns provide a framework for selecting appropriate LLMs for specific educational tasks while highlighting the importance of understanding their individual evaluation tendencies
Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Digital Game-Based Learning for K-12 Students: A Narrative Review of the Literature
No full textMany K-12 students struggle to stay motivated and engaged in traditional K-12 classrooms. Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has emerged as a promising pedagogical strategy to increase student engagement, motivation, and academic performance. Numerous literature reviews have explored the use of DGBL; however, many are dated, narrowly focused on specific subject areas or outcomes, or include mixed-age populations, limiting their relevance for current K–12 contexts. This narrative review explored the benefits and challenges of digital game-based learning (DGBL) in K–12 education by analyzing 22 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2025. Drawing on a scoping review methodology and inductive thematic analysis, the review identified five key benefits of DGBL: enhanced student attitudes toward learning, increased extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, improved self-efficacy, and greater domain knowledge acquisition. Two key challenges emerged: the negative effects of competitive game mechanisms (e.g., leaderboards) and inconsistent student acceptance of DGBL as a viable educational approach. The review emphasizes the need for thoughtful pedagogical design that balances motivational elements with inclusive, supportive practices. Educational implications include aligning games with curricular goals, scaffolding student learning, and promoting digital game literacy. Future research should focus on effective pedagogical strategies, teacher support, curriculum integration, inclusive practices, and the development of robust evaluation tools to evaluate DGBL’s impact in K–12 contexts
Online Surveys, Disabilities, and Multi-Method Accessibility Conformance Evaluation: A Domain Analysis and Procedures for Improving the User Experience
No full textAccessibility compliance of web-based products is crucial to equal access and may have legal implications as web accessibility policies exist worldwide. Online surveys are web-based products that should also conform to accessibility standards. However, online survey accessibility evaluation procedures are lacking in scholarly literature. The objective of this study was to investigate online survey accessibility by conducting a conformance evaluation with automated checkers, manual testing by the researcher, user testing with individuals who identify with one or more disabilities, and expert testing. The findings culminate in a summative evaluation of the accessibility conformance of four common survey tools: Google Forms, LibWizard, Microsoft Forms, and Qualtrics. The variety of survey tools and checkers help control bias, along with multiple manual testing methods, culminating in accessibility error counts and usability evaluation that informs survey tool selection decisions. The procedures and discussion may help others create accessible instrument designs for a broad audience. They may also serve as design precedents for other researchers to adapt or adopt in studies that use online survey tools. This knowledge will help create conditions for designing and testing at the extremes of the human ability spectrum that benefit everyone
Ethicality of Pandemic Mitigation Measures with a Focus on SARS-CoV-2 and Disabled and Immunocompromised Individuals
No full textThis paper examines the ethical implementation of mask mandates as a pandemic mitigation measure in the context of the ongoing SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic and how mask mandates benefit disabled and immunocompromised individuals as well as the general public. Using the Kass Ethical Framework, this paper explores the ethical tensions present in public health when it comes to pandemic mitigation using the Swiss Cheese Model of Pandemic Mitigation as a guide to determine how to approach pandemic mitigation from a multilayered perspective. This paper makes clear that mask mandates have been effective in reducing transmission of COVID-19 and that they are a necessary public health strategy to protect disabled and immunocompromised individuals while providing massive benefits for society at large. Furthermore, this paper will examine ethical concerns often raised when mask mandates are discussed such as economic, accessibility, and enforcement concerns with solutions highlighted to address such concerns such as resource redistribution efforts like mask blocs. While mask mandates have been highly controversial, this paper argues that such mandates are necessary and ethical to keep populations safe, especially when concerns over equity are considered.Given the recent confirmation of vaccine and pandemic denialists such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., mask mandates and other pandemic mitigation measures must be revisited and discussed. The election of Donald Trump in November of 2024 and the attempts at appointing political directors with questionable scientific backgrounds, especially at the same time as H5N1 is emerging as a viable threat, makes this the time to discuss mask mandates and other pandemic mitigation measures with a focus on disabled and immunocompromised individuals who are at most need of protecting from both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and any other emerging pandemics
Working Without Sight? An ANT Analysis of Employment in Data Annotation for People with Visual Impairment
No full textThis study, grounded in Actor-Network Theory (ANT), uses a case study approach to analyze three levels of networks through which visually impaired individuals become data annotators and achieve secure employment. At the micro level, annotation work depends on coordination between the body and assistive technologies. At the meso level, spatiotemporal arrangements by self-help organizations and a culture of interdependence among people with disabilities enable sustained participation in annotation work. At the macro level, commercialization drives translation processes, incorporating clients and wider stakeholders into the network. This reinforces and expands the network to promote diverse employment opportunities for the visually impaired. The capacities and limitations of visually impaired individuals are shaped within a dynamic network of relationships. As these relations change, the stability of employment may be threatened. Therefore, disability employment initiatives should shift focus. Instead of solely enhancing individual abilities, fixing specific jobs, or enforcing inclusive hiring, efforts should prioritize building relational networks that empower people with disabilities. From an ANT perspective, special attention is needed on the ethics of assistive technology. Technological tools and environments must better support diverse and high-quality employment and living conditions for disabled people. This study offers a new perspective on the capabilities of people with disabilities and broadens the scope of research on disability employment
