Embedding Accessibility into Higher Education Courses and Programmes

School: Informatics with Information Services Group, Learning, Teaching & Web Services, Health in Social Science, Disability and Learning Support Service, and Disability Information 

Team: Aurora Constantin, Dr Tracey Madden, Dr Joanna Alexjuk, Jan Gardiner, Viki Galt and Dr Cristina Adriana Alexandru 

Abstract

Teaching accessibility in higher education (HE) is essential for equity promotion, legal compliance, professional readiness, diversity, inclusion, ethical fulfilment, innovation encouragement, and leadership in fostering an inclusive society. Recent studies highlight a significant gap in formal education on accessibility (Jia et al., 2021). For instance, skills and knowledge crucial for designing accessible technology are often overlooked in Computer Science courses, despite the rising demand for accessibility skills in job postings (Worsley & Bar-El, 2022; Ladner & May, 2017). 

This project aims to bridge this gap by investigating methods to embed accessibility into courses in the School of Informatics (SoI), School of Education (SoE), and School of Health in Social Science (HISS) at Edinburgh. Accessibility is particularly crucial in these schools because it ensures that technology, educational materials, and health-related information are accessible to all. By integrating accessibility principles into the curriculum of these Schools, we not only promote accessibility within these disciplines but also equip future professionals with the skills to create accessible products, educational resources, and healthcare services. 

Our goal is to understand the perspectives of educators, teaching support providers, and learning technologists and identify the support needed to integrate accessibility effectively into teaching. Additionally, we aim to engage students, alumni, relevant university support groups, professional bodies and companies, to determine the accessibility knowledge and skills that our students are expected to possess. Finally, we will develop practical recommendations for embedding accessibility into HE courses.