The following questions were used to survey self-identified Deaf and d/disabled artists and artists with disabilities in BC for the Axis research project and final report. They are shared here for two reasons: as a reference for anyone curious about the methodology, and as a reusable template for researchers who want to build on this work. The questions were originally provided at accessiblesurveys.com, google forms, via plain text or Microsoft Word and in audio.
The survey questions below are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence. You are welcome to adapt, remix, or reproduce it for your own research, provided you credit Kay Slater and grunt gallery and share any adaptations under the same terms.
If you’d like to take the survey and submit your responses to Kay Slater, the survey is still live on Google forms. The final report will not be altered by any unsolicited and unverified submission after publication, but any responses will go towards Slater’s continued work at the intersection of ai x access and art.
Section 1: Understanding AI
Goal: Establish what participants think AI is and identify their awareness of AI integration in existing tools
Q1. In your own words, what is AI (Artificial Intelligence)?
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Q2. Which of the following do you consider to be AI? (Check all that apply)
ChatGPT, Claude, or similar text generators
Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant)
Auto-captions on Zoom/Teams/Google Meet
Otter.ai or similar transcription services
Predictive text on your phone
Spam filters in your email
Netflix/Spotify recommendations
Google Maps route suggestions
Autocorrect and grammar checkers (Grammarly, Word)
Photo editing “enhance” or “magic” features
Screen readers
Voice-to-text dictation
Text-to-speech apps
Facial recognition for unlocking phones
Smart home devices (thermostats, lights)
Social media content algorithms
Image generators (Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion)
Automatic alt text
Language translation apps
Medical diagnostic tools
Other: [text field]
I’m not sure
Text field:
Q3. Before this survey, were you aware that some of the tools you checked above use AI?
Yes, I was aware for all of them
Yes, I was aware for some of them
No, I wasn’t aware
- I’m still not sure
Section 2: Your Use of AI Tools
Goal: Document actual usage patterns without judgment
Q4. Do you currently use any AI-powered tools in your creative practice or daily life?
Yes, regularly
Yes, occasionally
I have tried them but stopped
No, I haven’t used any
I’m not sure if what I use counts as AI
Q5. If you use AI tools, which ones? What do you use them for? [Open text field – encouraged to share specific examples]
Q6. Are there AI tools you use specifically because they provide access that you cannot get (or cannot easily get) from human services?
Yes → Please describe: [text field]
No
I’m not sure
Text field:
Q7. If you answered yes above: Why do you turn to AI tools instead of (or in addition to) human services? (Check all that apply)
Human services are too expensive
Human services aren’t available when I need them
Human services aren’t available in my location
Wait times for human services are too long
AI tools give me more independence/privacy
AI tools are faster for my needs
AI tools are “good enough” even if not perfect
I prefer AI for some tasks and humans for others
Other: [text field]
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Section 3: Access, Quality, and Limitations
Goal: Understand the gap between what AI provides and what’s actually needed
Q8. When you use AI tools for accessibility, how would you rate their quality compared to human-provided services?
Better than human services
About the same as human services
Worse than human services, but still useful
Worse than human services and not really useful
I don’t use AI tools for accessibility
I can’t compare because I don’t have access to human services
Varies from tool to tool [text field]
Text field: (if you’d like to share based on specific tools)
Q9. Has AI provided you with access that humans have not been able or willing to provide?
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Q10. What are the limitations or failures you’ve experienced with AI tools?
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Q11. This question is about human support workers (captioners, interpreters, transcribers, personal support workers, etc.): Complete this sentence: “When it comes to access support, humans are…”
Text field: (this is intentionally open to capture both positive and negative experiences)
Section 4: Concerns and Risks
Goal: Document worries without leading toward specific answers
Q12. What concerns, fears, or worries do you have about AI? (Check all that apply)
Privacy and data collection
Lack of regulation in Canada
Environmental impact (energy use, water consumption)
Accuracy and reliability of AI outputs
Bias in AI systems (racist, ableist, sexist, etc.)
Job loss for human workers
Organizations using AI as excuse to cut funding for human services
Losing skills or becoming too dependent on AI
Not understanding how AI works or what it’s doing with my data
AI-generated content flooding creative industries
Copyright and intellectual property issues
Inaccessibility of AI tools themselves
Cost of AI tools
Other: [text field]
I don’t have concerns about AI
Text field:
Q13. What’s your biggest worry about AI in relation to disability access specifically?
Text field:
Q14. Have you ever NOT used an AI tool because of privacy, ethical, or other concerns?
Yes → Please explain: [text field]
No
I wanted to but didn’t know how to avoid it
Text field:
Section 5: Agency and Decision-Making
Goal: Understand who’s making choices about AI use
Q15. When AI tools are used in spaces you participate in (meetings, events, services), do you usually have a choice about whether AI is used?
Yes, I’m always asked/given choice
Sometimes I’m asked/given choice
Rarely or never asked/given choice
I don’t know if AI is being used
Not applicable
Q16. Who do you think should be making decisions about when and how AI is used for disability access? (Check all that apply)
Disabled people ourselves
Disability community organizations
Government agencies
Tech companies
Arts organizations/venues
Healthcare providers
Educators
Other: [text field]
Text field:
Q17a. If you could design how AI should be used (or not used) by arts organizations and venues to support access, what would that look like?
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Q17b. As an artist working in your medium, where could AI be helpful in your practice, and where would you draw boundaries around its use?
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Section 6: Ownership, Copyright, and Economic Reality
Goal: These questions explore the complicated territory of intellectual property, copyright, and economic survival for disabled artists. There are no right or wrong answers! I’m interested in the real tensions you navigate as a disabled artist!
Q18. How do you currently make income from your art practice? (Check all that apply)
Sales of original work
Tickets
Commissions and Projects
Grants
Teaching/workshops
Licensing/reproduction rights
I don’t currently make income from my art
I cannot make income from my art without affecting disability benefits
Other: [text field]
Text field:
Q19. Do you receive disability benefits or income support?
Yes
No
Prefer not to answer
Q20. If you receive disability benefits: How does this affect your ability to make income from your art?
I have to keep art income below a certain threshold
I have to be careful about how income is reported
It doesn’t affect my art income
It’s complicated: [text field]
Not applicable
Prefer not to answer
Text field:
Q21. When it comes to AI-generated content and copyright, what’s your perspective? (Check all that apply)
AI companies should not be allowed to train on artists’ work without permission/compensation
Artists should be able to use AI trained on others’ work for their own practice
If AI is trained on public content, anyone should be able to use it
Copyright law needs to be completely rethought for the AI age
I don’t know enough about this to have an opinion
My perspective is complicated: [text field]
Text field:
Q22. Have you ever used someone else’s copyrighted work (images, text, etc.) in your practice without permission?
Yes, and I believe it was fair use/transformative
Yes, because I couldn’t afford to licence it
Yes, because I didn’t know better at the time
Yes, for other reasons: [text field]
No, I always get permission or use my own work
I’m not sure
Prefer not to answer
Text field:
Q23. Have you ever had your work used without permission or credit?
Yes → How did that feel? [text field]
No
I don’t know/I’m not sure
Prefer not to answer
Text field:
Q24. Complete this sentence: “When it comes to AI using artists’ work for training, the most important thing is…”
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Q25. How do you navigate the tension between: – Needing to survive financially – Wanting to be ethical about others’ intellectual property – Living within disability benefit restrictions – The reality that “the system” doesn’t adequately support disabled artists
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Q26. What are your thoughts on your artwork that does not use AI in a generative capacity being judged (such as for funding, or inclusion in a show) against work that does use AI?
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Section 7: Looking Forward
Goal: Capture hopes, possibilities, and boundaries
Q27. Are there ways you wish you could use AI tools but currently can’t (because of cost, availability, knowledge, etc.)?
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Q28. What would need to be true for you to feel better about AI in relation to disability access? (Check all that apply)
Better privacy protections and regulation
More disabled people involved in AI development
AI companies being transparent about how tools work
Guarantee that AI won’t replace funding for human services
Better accuracy and quality of AI tools
More accessible AI tools themselves
More education about AI for disabled people
More education about disability for AI developers
Lower costs or free access to AI tools
Other: [text field]
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Q29. Complete this sentence: “The most important thing for arts organizations to understand about AI and disabled artists is…”
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Section 8: Trust and Information
Goal: If you were going to prioritize your time, I would leave these questions for last and see if you have energy or just skip ahead to the next section if you’re feeling tired! These questions are written to test the functionality of the survey host and to get a sense of how much you scrutinize your information.
Q30. Who or what do you trust most when you need reliable information? (Rank from 1-most trusted to 5-least trusted, or mark N/A)
(Rank 1-5) AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.)
(Rank 1-5) Search engines (Google, Bing, etc.)
(Rank 1-5) Friends
(Rank 1-5) Disabled artist with similar barriers, challenges, abilities or arts practice
(Rank 1-5) Published books from established publishers
(Rank 1-5) Academic or peer-reviewed sources
(Rank 1-5) User Forums with Self-Defined Experts (Stack Overflow, Reddit, etc)
(Rank 1-5) Government websites
(Rank 1-5) Disability serving or community organizations (DeafBC, CNIB, Possibilities, etc)
(Rank 1-5) Social media
(Rank 1-5) Wikipedia
Q31. When a friend shares information with you, do you usually trust it even if they don’t cite sources?
Yes, I trust my friends
It depends on the topic
It depends on the friend
No, I prefer to verify information myself
Other: [text field]
Text field:
Q32. Have you ever been fooled or misled by AI-generated content?
Yes, definitely
Maybe, I’m not sure
No, not that I know of
I don’t encounter AI-generated content
Other: [text field]
Text field:
Q33. Which would you trust more for learning something new? (Check one per row)
- A. A published book by an established Canadian publisher
- B. A self-published book
Option A
Option B
Neither
Both equally
- A. Training from an organization that serves disabled artists
- B. A workshop by a disabled artist (not affiliated with an org)
Option A
Option B
Neither
Both equally
- A. AI summary of a research article
- B. Reading the article yourself
Option A
Option B
Neither
Both equally
- A. A headline written by a human journalist
- B. A headline generated by AI
Option A
Option B
Neither
Both equally
- A. Information from a friend in your community
- B. Information from a disability serving organization’s website
Option A
Option B
Neither
Both equally
Q34. How confident do you feel in your ability to:
a. Identify when content is AI-generated
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
b. Verify information you find online
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
c. Spot misinformation or “fake news”
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
d. Know when to trust a source
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
e. Understand how AI tools work
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
Q35. What makes you decide to trust (or not trust) a source of information?
Text field:
Section 9: About You
Goal: Contextualize responses without requiring disclosure
Q36. Would you be willing to have your disability/barriers/access needs associated with your anonymized responses in the final report?
Yes, please include this context
No, please keep my responses fully anonymized
I’d like to discuss this further
Q37. If you answered yes above, how would you describe your disability, identity, barriers or access needs?
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Q38. Is English an additional language for you?
Yes
Yes, but it is my primary language now
Yes, at home I use another language, outside family or close friends, I mostly use English
No. English is my primary language.
Q39. Would you prefer to be anonymized in the final report, or would you like to use your real name with links to your profiles?
Please use a pseudonym (anonymous)
I’m open to using my real name
I’d like to discuss this further
Q40. What is your comfort with technology?
I am an expert
I am proficient
I have an interest and am curious
I use it because I have to
I struggle
Other:
Q41. What age group are you?
Under 25
25-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60 plus
Q42. Are you interested in a potential follow-up conversation?
Yes, definitely interested
Maybe, depending on the questions
No thank you
Q43. Is there anything else you want to share about AI, accessibility, or your experience as a disabled artist?
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Q44. Are there any questions I should have asked people in this survey?
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