The Pulse

We speak with Darcy DeToni, co-producer and videographer AMI-tv’s newest original documentary ""Blind Gaming."" He explores the barriers and accessible features available in video gaming. And, he shares the varying perspectives of three blind gamers through a collection of games from different eras.

This is the June 5, 2018 episode.

We share some news and updates on past stories we covered this year. First, we hear an excerpt by Dr. Julian Brinkley discussing the potential societal impact of driverless cars. Second, we listen back to low vision runner and Paralympian Stuart McGregor who ran the 2018 Ottawa Marathon. Third, we reflect on accessibility standards at work with disability advocate Rick Hansen. And finally, we hear a clip from our interview with director Rick Goldsmith who chatted the prevalence of mental health issues in professional sports.

This is the June 4, 2018 episode.

Election season is upon us. Between the debates, advertising, lawn signs, and door knocking, most of us rely on the media to boil the information down into digestible bits. With so much happening at once, is it getting more difficult for journalists to cover policy issues?

Michelle McQuigge is a reporter for The Canadian Press. She shares with us her perspective as a journalist covering the 2018 Ontario general election.

This is the June 1, 2018 episode.

Employment is a pressing issue within the disability community. A 2011 Statistics Canada survey indicated that only half of Canadians with a disability between the ages of 18 and 64 had some form of employment. But many people with disabilities who do have a job still them fall into a grey area.

Frank Smith is the national coordinator of the National Educational Association of Disabled Students also known as NEADS. He speaks with us alongside Keenan Wellar, the co-leader and director of communications at Live Work Play. They discuss the ethics of fair wages and meaningful employment for people with disabilities and answer the question: should minimum wage exemptions exist for people with disabilties?

This is the May 31, 2018 episode.

We've all sent messages online. But how much of that information is being collected by the wrong people?

Lex Gill is a research fellow at Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. She discusses the realities of privacy and data collection online. She also explores how privacy intersects with human rights, global security, and government policy.

This is the May 30, 2018 episode.

There have already been over two dozen shootings at American schools this year, including mass shootings in Kentucky, Florida, Texas, and Indiana. How do we explain this epidemic of gun violence?

Dr. Jooyoung Lee is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. He joins us to compare gun violence in the United States and Canada, and to discuss the factors that contribute to these mass shootings.

This is the May 29, 2018 episode.

Cities are built with concrete, but they aren’t set in stone. That means it's important for municipal leaders to have a long-term vision. So how do we understand cities? And how do we build better ones?

Dr. Shauna Brail is the director of the urban studies program at the University of Toronto. She also advises the university president about urban engagement. She says the university is taking a multidisciplinary approach to understanding smart and inclusive cities, through its latest initiatives: UofT Cities and School of Cities.

This is the May 28, 2018 episode.

Museums have traditionally been heavily visual environments. You look but you don’t touch. That assumption is now changing.

Ellen Lupton is the senior curator of contemporary design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. She explains how the museum is creating an immersive experience by incorporating multi-sensory design. She also discusses their latest exhibit “The Senses: Design Beyond Vision.""

This is the May 25, 2018 episode.

According to a report by Statistics Canada, Canadians with a disability are twice as likely to be the victim of a violent crime. Nearly four out of ten violent crimes involve a victim with a disability. For women with a disability, the statistics are even bleaker.

Karine Myrgianie Jean-François is the senior project manager at DAWN-RAFH Canada. She discusses violence against women with disabilities in Canada and explores possible solutions.

This is the May 24, 2018 episode.

Accessibility comes in many forms, but so do barriers. As Ontario races towards the AODA deadlines, there are still plenty of private businesses that aren't meeting their obligations. What should businesses be doing to comply with accessibility standards?

Luke Anderson is the founder of the StopGap Foundation. He discusses their national efforts to remove barriers. He also describes their upcoming initiatives to raise awareness on accessibility.

This is the May 23, 2018 episode.