“Accessibility is not just a 'to-do' list at work. It's a 'to-be' list in everyday life.”
Dr. Stephanie Cawthon
Disability Is Human:
The Vital Power of Accessibility in Everyday Life
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Accessibility has the power to move the needle in your life and work — and help the people around you be their best selves
Are you ready to make the world more accessible?
Author Dr. Stephanie Cawthon draws upon more than 25 years of experience as a professional educator, groundbreaking researcher, and educational psychologist who dispels myths and raises expectations about disabled people.
In Disability Is Human, she brings the same energy and insights from her popular presentations and workshops in nearly every industry — where Dr. Cawthon has empowered, encouraged, and supported thousands of people in the journey toward greater access.
With relatable stories, real-world examples, personal experiences, and actionable tips, Disability Is Human is a breakthrough book that:
”Accessibility is not a diversity initiative. It’s a human initiative.
Dr. Stephanie Cawthon
Praise for Disability Is Human
Dr. Stephanie Cawthon has provided the world with a book that not only helps educate those who want to learn more about accessibility but also dispels myths about people with disabilities and how ableism is affecting those of us with disabilities. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, those who have disabilities, those who wish to become more knowledgeable and those who want to step away from the ableism that has become an ingrained part of many peoples thinking.
Stephanie Cawthon’s ‘Disability is Human’ is an important book for anyone who wants to understand how the design of our environment communicates our values about how welcome people are in our community. It achieves this goal through stories that bring us into the lives of people with disabilities that help readers to understand the world through other people’s experiences, and by highlighting how accessibility affects people’s sense of being fully integrated into society.
Disability is Human has certainly found its way onto our AdaptX recommended reading list. It is a fantastic resource for advocates and organizations who want to address ableist tendencies and create more inclusive and accessible environments and opportunities.
With ‘Disability Is Human,’ psychologist and thought leader Dr. Stephanie Cawthon has contributed a seminal book to the world. With humor, compassion and rich personal stories as well as data and research, she demonstrates the vital contributions of disabled people to all our lives. She gently guides us away from harmful ableist biases, all with the intention of creating a kinder, wiser, and more diverse society.
I initially started reading Dr. Stephanie Cawthon’s insightful and thought-provoking book, “Disability is Human,” so I could defend my career [goal to be a special education teacher]. But I had more aha moments in several hours of reading it than I could have imagined.
“I’ve been looking forward to Dr. Cawthon’s book and workbook, because I often present at workshops and conferences about disability inclusion and the challenges of disclosure due to stigma and bias. I include the statistics and an extensive literature review, but I start with our stories. Disability Is Human includes both the background to build context and our individual and collective stories to share the human faces of disability. | Full book review
A deeply intersectional book that weaves compassion and dignity into discussions resonant with identity politics: What it means to “pass” as able-bodied. How language shapes our experiences. How our bodies (and minds) shift in function over time, even as they are cast against the impossible backdrop of “normal” and “ideal.” Reminding us that “we are all only temporarily abled” – a phrase borrowed from Cindy Li – Stephanie Cawthon brings humanity to the experience of physicality in a way that deepens our connections to all the other bodies we encounter. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time. Once you read it, you will, too.
This book is the perfect combination of lived experience, academic evidence, and “holy heck everyone come on this just makes sense and it’s not that hard.” Importantly, the starting point for access is shared humanity, not onerous federally mandated requirements (which truthfully usually are a minimum bar – rather than inclusive access). I’m adopting this book for my Introductory level “Disability as Identity: Differences Make Us Human” course. It’s written accessibly, with stories that keep your attention, and practical ideas for implementation throughout. The companion workbook just makes teaching all that much easier – saving class planning and prep time for student engagement and reflection.
Dr. Stephanie Cawthon is an exceptional leader who cares. Thanks to her work, we feel a sense of hope for the future.
Leadership, executive suites, human resources: This is a clarion call. You have the power to push for change. Start hiring incredible disabled employees. Learn how to talk about disability in the workplace [from] Dr. Stephanie Cawthon’s “Disability is Human” book and workbook.
Join The Movement
For too long disability has been shunned, stigmatized, and shut out. Now it’s time build an accessible world that embraces the humanity in all of us. Use this hashtag to share your story, connect with a community, and continue to tap the power of accessibility!
The Official Workbook
Disability Is Human: The Vital Power of Accessibility in Everyday Life | The Official Workbook
The Official Workbook is ideal for people who want to go to the next level — including people managers and leaders in every industry, teachers and activists, and even family members!
It has additional strategies, activities, and exercises for both individuals and groups — along with implementable plans and templates so you don’t have to start from scratch. Every workbook activity reflects Dr. Cawthon’s wealth of experience as an award-winning instructor and mentor.
Buy the WorkbookLearn More
About the Author
Stephanie W. Cawthon, PhD, is an internationally renowned author, educational psychologist, and consultant who brings relatable insights and real-world skills to her mission that—when we tap the power of accessibility—we ensure disabled people can thrive and succeed.
Dr. Cawthon’s groundbreaking research has been funded by over $50 million in federal and other grants. In 2023 she founded the National Disability Center for Student Success at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is the Catherine Mae Parker Centennial Professor in Education the Department of Educational Psychology, with a special appointment in the Department of Special Education.
She also brings a lived experience to her work. In addition to her congenital hearing loss, she has several mental health and physical disabilities that have a significant impact on her ability to engage in important life activities.
Dr. Cawthon earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Stanford University and her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Beyond Words: Dr. Cawthon Breaks Down Her Book Title
About “Disability Is Human”
Disability is a human experience and something nearly every human will experience at some point, either temporarily or permanently. But millions of disabled people will tell you they are not treated as human. “Disability is human” is not a catchphrase or a meme. It’s an orientation — a reminder to readers of our fundamental humanity.
Here’s what I know: People want to make things more accessible. They say,“just tell me what to do”. But the strategies are not the starting point– we have to back them up to the humanity of disability first. We start with disability itself because, without that, accessibility efforts will fail. We then dig deeper into the many barriers disabled people face – especially negative attitudes about disability. We name the ableism that is in our language, in our media, and in our workplaces.
People recognize and value accessibility. We anchor them in an understanding of the humanity of disability experience so that accessibility is grounded in something real.
About “The Vital Power of Accessibility”
Vitality is also about humanity. I’m thinking about where energy comes from, as a life force, as a human force. I’m thinking about “vital” not just as “essential” or “important,” but as a space for expansion, a space for thriving, a space for more than just existence.
Vital also comes from Zen, which taps the Eastern traditions of energy flow—energy that moves us forward, toward movement, into action.
That’s how I think about accessibility—not as a means to an end, but as a means in and of itself that has action and movement. It is our attitudes, actions, and perspectives. It is a catalyst in terms of moving towards change. It is a spark. It is an “aha” moment.