A model of an accessibility curriculum in higher education
Open accessAbstract
Individuals may face daily unnecessary challenges and barriers in digital and physical spaces and in the use of products, which can result in exclusion. As a society, we need to do better regarding accessibility. One step toward removing challenges and barriers to a more accessible and inclusive society is to increase awareness and knowledge around accessibility. Toward that end, a 4-year private technical university in the northeast United States has offered a four-course curriculum dedicated to accessibility. This curriculum, instruction, and pedagogy paper will describe the design and delivery of the four-course accessibility curriculum consisting of Design for Accessibility, Access and Assistive Technology, Accessibility Through the Lifespan, and Research in Accessibility. This model curriculum aims to educate students to mindfully consider, advocate, and increase accessibility as they prepare to enter the workforce to create digital and physical spaces and products.
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How accessibility can be included in HE curricula largely depends on the pedagogical frameworks, principles and practices.
“As Weeden (2023) highlights, how accessibility can be included in HE curricula largely depends on the pedagogical frameworks, principles and practices.”
From Accessibility and universal design in higher education curricula: implications for inclusion/exclusion (2025) · cites this paper as Weeden (2023)
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- Authors
- Weeden, E.
- Affiliations
- Rochester Institute of Technology (US)
- Corresponding author
- Weeden, Elissa
- ORCID
- Weeden, Elissa
- Venue
- Frontiers in Computer Science
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2023-05-15
- Volume
- 5
- ISSN
- 2624-9898 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4376609825
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 9.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Frontiers in Computer Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Digital Accessibility for Disabilities
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Information Systems Education and Curriculum Development
- Keywords
- accessibility education, higher education, assistive technology, accessible design, inclusive design, accessibility awareness, accessibility research, inclusive society
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