Exploring non-bionormative prosthesis design: Challenging norms and fostering situative learning ecology

This article explores the innovative fusion of critical disability studies and research through design (RtD) within a university course. Through partnership with Luca Szabados, who has a congenital limb difference, the course shifted from a traditional ‘design for care’ paradigm to a collaborative endeavour, embracing the co-Ability framework rooted in posthuman perspectives on disability. This transformative journey challenged traditional hierarchical classroom structures, emphasizing bidirectional and non-linear interactions in the learning process. It placed a strong emphasis on experiential approaches, fostering meaningful validation derived from Luca’s experiences and aligning with the principles of design for social innovation. The course employed prosthetic prototypes as tools to foster knowledge construction through embodied interaction, shedding light on the underlying normative assumptions embedded in the designed environment. The various methods applied during the semester facilitated emergent learning outcomes, leading to an enriched understanding of the complex ethical and political dimensions of disability’s intersection with design. This course exemplified the potential to reshape educational ecology in university settings and advance disability studies within information processing through design, emphasizing the value of situated learning.