Every course in higher education should begin with an accessibility statement that includes an instructor’s explicit commitment to accessibility, contact information for the institution’s accessibility office, information about classroom accommodations, and an open invitation for students to approach them with any questions or concerns. This immediately demonstrates to students that accessibility is a priority in their classroom, fostering a sense of trust and maintaining open lines of communication. To determine the specific accessibility requirements of students in terms of both learning needs and practicalities, instructors could consider administering an anonymous accessibility survey. The survey responses can be used to guide instructors in creating a fully inclusive classroom.
Setting clear expectations for all aspects of the core curriculum is an imperative part of any accessible classroom, as it helps unveil the often-hidden expectations instructors have for students that are not explicitly stated. In order to succeed, students need to understand what instructors expect of them and what options are available to them to demonstrate their learning.
Break Barriers with Classroom Engagement
When it comes to the content delivery of a course, institutions can implement some simple, helpful technologies that benefit all students without the need for a student to disclose their disability directly to instructors. For example, every instructor should be outfitted with a microphone, regardless of the size of the class. It can also be incredibly helpful to allow students to record lectures or lessons to be rewatched later. Instructors should inform students ahead of time that recordings are allowed in class, followed by any pertinent rules or information. Content should also be available in multiple formats, and selecting books with print, electronic, and audio versions is an important step in granting more access to all students, not just those that identify as disabled.
A critical way to engage a classroom is with a content recap. Repeating the key takeaways from the content in the lesson or lecture helps students retain course content and accommodates a diverse spectrum of learning needs without the student having to ask for it. These recaps can be done in a few ways – in an announcement via email or your institution’s Learning Management System (LMS), as a static resource such as a PDF or Word document, and/or as an in-class activity.
Listen to Disabled Students
International Day of Persons with Disabilities serves as a crucial reminder that to effectively embody the spirit of the movement as an ongoing quest for fair access, inclusion, rights, and dignity, the needs of the disabled must be included in discussions, decisions, and projects surrounding accessibility. Listening to disabled students should be the number one priority of institutions, as faculty and administration work together to gradually dismantle accessibility issues and barriers prevalent in higher education while continuously elevating the voices of the disabled community.
[1] There are currently two opposing models surrounding the identity of the disabled: person-first language and identity-first language. Person-first language (person with a disability) places the personhood of the individual over their disability, whereas identity-first language (disabled person) emphasizes the role disability plays in one’s identity as but one component. As a member of the disabled community, I identify as a disabled woman, intentionally using identity-first language. But this is my choice and not a formal recommendation of which language model to use. It is always best practice to use the language preferences of the person(s) you are addressing.
Dr. Grennell serves as Accessibility Strategist at Anthology. She has worked as an adjunct instructor in the disciplines of history, American Studies, American popular music, and disability studies for over 14 years at multiple institutions throughout Western New York. Her first book, Disability and Accessibility in the Music Classroom: An Instructor’s Guide (Routledge) was published on September 1, 2022.
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