Conversation with Computers: an essay on AI and Accessibility

This is me, 27 years ago. I was on the family computer in the dining room, logged in to GeoCities, making my website. What did an 11-year-old in 1999 need a website for? Nothing. It has links to random web rings, dancing baby gifs and was perpetually “under construction” with the flame gif to prove it. It was crude and messy, a child’s drawing brought alive by HTML code. I killed that computer downloading a Backstreet Boys album (virus) from KaZaA. There was always a new computer to be had, though. My mother saw the direction technology was going in and always made sure that we had what we needed to be successful, within her means. I grew up in a fairly small town and didn’t have a van for my wheelchair. My life experiences were limited to how far I could walk or how far my wheelchair would get me on a single charge. I knew exactly what street sign I could get to and still have just enough charge to get up the ramp and die in the house. The world put up boundaries, invisible walls I co