Storytelling and Story-gathering Resources, Tools and Examples

Some thoughts on inclusive digital storytelling

  • supports voices that are otherwise not heard within a community (due to disability, different approaches, etc.)
  • allows connection with others with similar experiences
    • to recognize systemic issues
    • to organize together for change
  • story as sanctuary: hearing part of your story in someone else's
    • insight/reflection through others' stories
  • foster digital literacy, self-awareness and reflection amongst participants
  • can provoke empathy
  • makes issues "real" - real people, real problems, therefore real solutions that work
  • allows dissemination of stories to those who often can't access them
  • captures the history of a community/organization
  • captures a point in time
    • could be used to self-assess one's own progress or changes over time
  • helps with funding and outreach
  • engages people who might not otherwise be able to participate
  • facilitates a contribution to something larger - an issue, a collective experience, etc
  • One of the ways we get to know new people is by telling stories about ourselves and hearing stories from them
  • Some barriers to storytelling
    • Language
    • Culture
    • Modality


  • Consider wordless stories such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBCA3iX3bKc or http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html
  • Stories are also subject to misuse - propaganda, "fake news", politics
    • The story as a weapon
    • Stories and cultural appropriation
  • Questions
    • How to make it easier for everyone to tell stories?
    • How to make it easier for everyone to hear stories?
    • How to make it easier to record stories for everyone?
    • How to make it easier to share stories with everyone?
  • Some things that might be applicable or interesting to explore on this theme
    • Translation
    • Transformation
    • Captioning
    • Nonverbal communication
      • ASL
      • Picture symbols
    • Speech synthesis
    • Speech recognition
    • Augmented / virtual reality
  • Guidelines for inclusive storytelling?