Alexander Parent

My First Post

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 13:38:37 -0400

Introduction

This website is a work in progress!

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’m Alexander Parent, a PhD student in Rehabilitation Sciences at New York University’s Steinhardt School. My research sits at the intersection of accessibility, human-computer interaction, and crip technoscience — with a focus on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), deaf and hard-of-hearing (deaf/HoH) communities, and DIY adaptive tools.

Before NYU, I completed a Master’s in UX Design at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information (2024), and a Bachelor of Arts in Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies at the University of Toronto (2020).

Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Email: alex.parent@nyu.edu

Affiliation: PhD Student, Rehabilitation Sciences, New York University (Steinhardt School)

CV

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Education

PhD, Rehabilitation Sciences — New York University, Steinhardt School (expected May 2029)
Master’s, UX Design — University of Toronto, Faculty of Information (2024)
BA, Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies — University of Toronto (2020)

Research Interests

Accessibility, human-computer interaction, crip technoscience, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), deaf and hard-of-hearing accessibility, DIY adaptive tools.

Full CV coming soon.

Projects

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

3D Printing in Special Education

An investigation into the implications of 3D printing for special education — exploring how digital fabrication can support customized, low-cost assistive technology and learning tools.

Dis/Usability Workshops

Hands-on accessibility workshops adapting toys and tools for children with disabilities, in the spirit of crip technoscience and participatory making.

More project details coming soon.

Publications

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Parent, A. (2024). “Crip Material Exploration” — HCI accessibility venue (ASSETS/CHI). Full citation to be added.

More publications coming soon.

Research

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

My research focuses on accessibility, with three connected threads:

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) — how people who cannot rely on speech communicate, and how AAC systems are designed, adapted, and standardized.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing (deaf/HoH) accessibility — accessible research methods and design practices for deaf and HoH participants.
DIY adaptive tools and crip technoscience — how disabled people and their communities build, modify, and repurpose assistive technology on their own terms, including 3D-printed adaptations.

Across these threads, I’m interested in a shared question: how can accessibility research center the lived experience of disabled people, rather than treating them as edge cases or afterthoughts?

Speaking

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This page is a work in progress.