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For two weeks this summer 14–28 June 2026, the University of East London became home to an extraordinary community of learners, innovators and changemakers. Delivered in partnership with the University of Florida and Learn International, the RIX Inclusive Innovation Summer School 2026 welcomed 15 students with lived experience of disability and five faculty members to London for an ‘Innovate for Access’ immersive programme exploring disability, accessibility, artificial intelligence and inclusive design.

More than a study abroad experience, the Summer School challenged students to rethink disability, question assumptions and discover what is possible when people with lived experience become equal partners in innovation.

From the very first day, students were introduced to the principles that underpin the work of Rix Inclusive Research: co-production, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), person-centred practice and the belief that the people who experience barriers every day are the experts in designing better solutions.

Rather than beginning with technology, the programme began with people.

Throughout the two weeks, students worked alongside RIX co-researchers, disabled people, academics and practitioners to understand the barriers that still prevent many people from participating fully in society. Through conversations, workshops and reflective discussions, they explored how disability is shaped not simply by an individual’s impairment but by the way environments, services and systems are designed.

Learning extended far beyond the classroom.

London itself became a living laboratory for inclusive design. Students travelled independently using London’s public transport network, learning first-hand how transport systems can either enable or restrict participation. They explored the city not simply as visitors but as researchers, observing accessibility, identifying barriers and reflecting on how design influences everyday life.

One of the highlights of the programme was visiting Charlton Park Academy, where students saw how assistive technology and inclusive education enable children and young people with complex needs to communicate, learn and thrive. Many described this visit as transformative, recognising the importance of designing environments that assume competence rather than limitation. Students met Abdi Omar, an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) user, CEO of ‘Limitless Entrepreneur’, whose powerful insights challenged perceptions about communication, independence and participation.

Technology was another central theme throughout the programme.

Students explored the opportunities and limitations of artificial intelligence, learning that AI is not a solution in itself but a tool that must be designed responsibly and inclusively. Rather than asking what AI can do, they asked how AI can remove barriers, increase independence and improve quality of life. They combined these ideas with Universal Design principles and person-centred thinking to develop practical solutions to real-world accessibility challenges.

Working within interdisciplinary teams, students collaborated with people with lived experience to identify problems before attempting to design solutions. This approach encouraged deeper listening, empathy and critical thinking while demonstrating that the best innovations emerge through genuine collaboration rather than assumptions.

The programme also introduced students to some of the UK’s leading centres of innovation. Visits to Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centre demonstrated how accessibility is becoming embedded within mainstream technology, while the visit to PEARL (Person Environment Activity Research Laboratory) showcased how immersive research environments can support the design of future products and services. Students also visited Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, exploring how accessibility can be embedded within world-class sporting venues, alongside museums, community organisations and other examples of inclusive practice across London.

The learning experience combined formal teaching with active, experiential learning. Reflection formed an essential part of each day, allowing students to connect theory with practice, discuss what they had observed and consider how these experiences might influence their future careers.

The programme culminated in the RIX Inclusive Hackathon, where students worked alongside disabled people, researchers and community members to develop innovative concepts addressing real accessibility challenges. Importantly, participants learned that successful innovation begins with understanding people’s experiences rather than simply creating new technology.

The impact of the programme is perhaps best reflected in the students’ own words.

Many described arriving in London feeling uncertain about what they could contribute, but leaving with renewed confidence, empathy and a stronger sense of purpose. Several students explained that hearing directly from people with lived experience fundamentally changed how they approached engineering, healthcare, psychology, policy and design. Others spoke about discovering that inclusion is not an additional feature but the foundation of good design.

Student feedback reinforced these reflections. Participants consistently identified working alongside people with lived experience, visiting Charlton Park Academy, using London’s public transport and taking part in the Community Hackathon as the most influential aspects of the programme. Many also reported that they would take inclusive design principles into their future careers, whether in engineering, healthcare, policy, psychology or software development.

Ultimately, the RIX Inclusive Innovation Summer School is about much more than spending two weeks in London. It provides students, particularly those with disabilities and those committed to creating a more inclusive society, with an opportunity to experience another culture, challenge their thinking and become part of an international community working towards a common goal.

The programme demonstrates that inclusion is not simply about removing barriers. It is about creating environments where everyone belongs, everyone’s expertise is valued and innovation is shaped by the people whose lives it is intended to improve.

As students return home to the United States, they take with them much more than memories of London. They leave with new friendships, new perspectives and, perhaps most importantly, a renewed commitment to designing a world where accessibility, dignity and opportunity are available to everyone. That is the lasting legacy of the RIX Inclusive Innovation Summer School.

Gosia Kwiatkowska, RIX Director

We are proud to be hosting a London Tech Week Fringe Event in partnership with Tech For Disability and Policy Connect.

Locked Out by Design: Financial Systems and the People They Were Never Built For

As the UK continues to move towards a more digital and cashless society, it is vital that financial systems work for everyone. Yet many disabled people continue to face barriers when accessing and using financial services, from digital platforms and identity verification processes to customer support and everyday banking.

At RIX, we believe that people with lived experience should be at the heart of designing the services, technologies, and policies that affect their lives. Inclusive innovation happens when diverse voices are listened to, valued, and meaningfully involved in shaping solutions.

We are delighted that members of the RIX team will be contributing to this important discussion:

• Paul Watts, Reader and Associate Professor at the University of East London, whose work focuses on inclusive research, participation, and social justice
• Ros Weinberg, who will bring the invaluable perspective of lived experience, helping to highlight the real-world impact that inaccessible systems can have on people’s everyday lives

Together with experts from technology, policy, research, and disability communities, the event will explore:

• How financial systems can unintentionally exclude disabled people
• Why lived experience is essential to designing accessible services
• What more inclusive financial systems could look like
• How technology, policy, and co-production can help drive meaningful change

Event details

Thursday 11 June 2026

1pm – 2:30pm

Online

 

Register here

 

Reflections on the event from Katie Brown, CAPA Intern

I found the Locked Out by Design panel to be interesting and informative. Throughout the seminar, the discussion was not focused solely on making digital finances more accessible but expanded on what that means in practice. Becks made the point at the beginning of the seminar that a bank can do everything in its power to create an accessible system. However, if those who need those available resources are unaware of them, the system is useless. As exciting as it is to finish a project and launch new software, companies should make a continued effort to support customers in the use of accessible features. Additionally, a flaw with several accessible designs is that they were not created alongside people with disabilities. Therefore, although they seem accessible, in reality they are not. During the panel, Ros advocated for including people with lived experience in accessible design and spoke about her challenges with the current card-dominant currency. People want to make anything they can more efficient, however, changes such as a business refusing to accept cash, can leave many individuals behind. That is not to say that there cannot be a shift to make life more efficient; it just must be done in an equitable way.  

Another topic discussed by the panel was the idea that technology should be designed to increase autonomy and independence, not decrease it. Oftentimes, advances in technology require someone who has a disability to obtain further assistance rather than less. For businesses, this can lead to a loss of customers because people with disabilities do not want the extra burden that technological advances have caused. Specifically, in terms of finances, this idea of independence is important. Paul stated that money and health are deeply linked. Without easy access to their money, a person with disabilities struggles in terms of quality of life. They are unable to buy their favourite food or do more than just window shopping. Many people with disabilities may have health concerns, and there is no need to add to their vulnerability through the added stress around accessing their finances.  

In relation to security, the panel had insightful comments. Accessibility is typically not one change that can be made, but rather the addition of options to create a space that serves many different needs. Security questions can be difficult to remember, and different financial institutions use various methods for keeping an account secure. Becks spoke on the topic that switching designs is not the automatic fix for accessibility. She used the example of changing bank security to Face ID for every user. However, there are some people with disabilities that are unable to use Face ID. Therefore, to ensure that software is accessible for a range of different people, choices are important. 

I am glad that I attended this seminar. I use my online and mobile banking almost every day. So, this panel contained information that pushed me to think about how banks have changed in my lifetime and the systems that are currently used and their accessibility or lack thereof.