Accessibility In Higher Education

Last semester, I had to talk about ways I wish that higher education were more accessible for disabled students. This week, I want to share three solutions I proposed for a class project that universities and K-12 schools could introduce to center the experiences of disabled students and staff in different aspects of campus life.

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Idea one: Disability can be mentioned in classroom curricula in classes outside of disability studies, including history, literature, and other places where it makes sense to do so.

My first want is that disability is mentioned in the curriculum outside of disability studies classes. This could involve reading books and articles by disabled authors at age-appropriate levels, learning about disabled historical figures, and finding ways to normalize disability in the curriculum. By including disability not as a special unit but instead among other content, disability can be both included and normalized.

One very important aspect of integrating curricula is to make sure that there is disability representation not only across subject matter but also across cultures. The goal of furthering disability-representative curricula is to both normalize disability in a variety of settings and to provide adequate representation. By having disability representation through authors, historical figures, famous scientists, and more, disability can be learned about in a way that will feature multiple views.

Adding this new curriculum can be done through district meetings about content and consulting disabled people about content that would add much-needed representation. I currently serve on an advisory board where one of my roles, and the reason I was asked to join, is to examine accessibility and inclusion for students to learn conflict management skills. I advocate for disabled people to be part of these discussions so that a variety of voices from multiple different cultures can be heard.

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Idea two: Teacher credential programs could have one unit dedicated to learning about students with disability.

My second wish is that teacher training had specific focus on ways to support disabled students in the classroom with accomodations and other support. This can be done by either having one extra one-unit class for teacher certification focused on disability, or an already required class can be restructured to incorporate disability. The content covered by this class would include IEPs and 504s, positive ways to support disabled students, negative types of interactions that could be barriers for disabled students, and types of accommodations that could appear in the classroom. By including diverse aspects of disability for students, teachers will be prepared to meet the needs of disabled students.

After teachers are already in the classroom, staff development days would also include disability training at least twice a year. One of these trainings would be led by a teaching professional specializing in special education, and the other professional development day would be led by a disabled student or former student who is willing to come and share their experience. This blended format combines practical and professional experience with first-hand knowledge from disabled people to create content that is mindful of the community it aims to serve.

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Ideal three: All Universities have a panel for disabled students, staff, and faculty to share everyday experiences and make recommendations to university leaders.

My last wish is centered around universities. When I was on the student senate, I was the only openly disabled person talking about disability accessibility, representation, and a desire for change. To create community, I propose that all universities have a panel of disabled students and staff who meet with university leaders to offer modern recommendations for accessibility. This committee would meet monthly and comprise students and staff who identify as having a disability. It would be application-based and aim to have a diverse selection of members. About 12-15 people would serve on this committee, with new appointments every new school year.

Committee members would discuss different matters related to the school that could affect disabled students, staff, and faculty. For example, committee members might discuss disabled student isolation and suggest inclusive events. Another example is that the committee might discuss how certain classroom features, like wheelchair door openers or inaccessible seating, are inaccessible and alert the proper staff member. Students would also have a place to share discrimination and accessibility concerns with community who can relate to aspects of disability that come from experience.

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Thank you for reading about my three wishes for more accessible schooling for K-12 students and university students. If you have any questions or comments, please comment on the blog, reach out at @Anniekrollblog on Instagram or Facebook, or email me at Anniekrollblog@gmail.com. I hope to see you next week!