Tim Cordes one of few sightless doctors in U.S. by Todd Finkelmeyer (The Capital Times, 2010)

Tim Cordes one of few sightless doctors in U.S. by Todd Finkelmeyer (The Capital Times, 2010)

This feature on Dr. Tim Cordes, who is blind, published in 2010 by Madison, Wisconsin, newspaper The Capital Times, describes how assistive technology enables Cordes to satisfy his productive role as a psychiatrist. By focusing exclusively on professional applications of technology, the article reinforces accepted cultural assumptions that equate physical and economic autonomy with social inclusion. The story briefly mentions Cordes' contribution to the development of software that uses varying musical tones to explain protein structures, but does so primarily to highlight his work ethic and tireless determination to overcome barriers related to his visual impairment. Defining this technology based on the intended purpose of assisting individuals with visual impairments creates a barrier that restricts consideration of its possible contributions to medical practice in general.

Todd Finkelmeyer