Maria’s role is to work with people with disability and the QUT students to enable and conduct contextual interviews with technology use. Maria undertakes a semi-structured contextual interview with each participant and their supports, aiming to understand their interests, activities, motivations, technologies used, competencies and barriers encountered.
Maria has facilitated Techshops hosted by QUT since 2023. The variety of this responsibility includes logistics, communication, media, community engagement and accessibility. The Techshops align to Maria’s vales described highly reciprocal approach to co- designing technologies for people with an intellectual disability and their supports. Maria enjoys the alternative way for the research team to give back to the community who supports their work.
Maria has lived experience with disability and worked with in community of people with disability for many years and in previous roles worked with people with disability to identify the supports they needed and would enable them to achieve their goals and aspirations. This has enhanced the Inclusive Technology team and researchers gain from Maria’s experience working with people to maximise their participation in the community, conducting needs assessments and bringing an innovative approach to explore options for technology