The Work of Body and Technologies: Analysis of Practices of Reading and Writing in Kursk Musical College-Boarding House for the Blind

Abstract

We suggest looking at the object of our study - disability - through the prism of science and technology studies. Disability is neither an entity rooted in the body, nor a "perspective" of doctors or lay people. (Dis)ability is always the effect of concrete material practices. Successful body and technology work leads to the fact that blindness is not enacted in the practices of participants of the study - students of the Kursk Music College of the Blind. For example, accustomed to the use of audio programs synthesizing speech from the digital text, students read books, websites, messages, mail, use social networks. However, disability is enacted, for example, when they encounter CAPTCHA, i.e. codes from pictures requested by some sites. The appearance of a graphic element that is not distinguishable by the physical sensoria and computer software can disentangle interaction, interrupting a smooth flow of work with an electronic text. Faced with this situation, a person either stops interacting, or appeals to the help of a sighted person, or - if possible - uses new technologies. Disability as some kind of limitation on actions thus appears every time in a different way, it can be triggered by different elements of the situation.