The right to education is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that no one should be denied the opportunity to learn. This means learning must be accessible to all students, regardless of the physical, mental, cognitive or social barriers they face.
Statistics on higher education populations bring this requirement into sharp focus, with about a fifth of undergraduate students in the UK and US registered as having a disability and research suggesting that many more do not disclose their status.
Progress has been made under nation-specific laws, such as the UK’s Equality Act 2010, that require institutions to make reasonable adjustments to avoid disadvantaging disabled students. Staff have more tools and training to support accessibility within higher education, and campus buildings are becoming easier to navigate. And digital learning innovations have opened the doors to students who have historically been locked out of universities. But legal compliance and true inclusivity are different things. Until accessibility is placed at the core of teaching and learning, rather than treated as a bolt on, it will remain patchy at best. This collection offers guidance on how to design learning environments that give all students a fair opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Accessibility as a driver for inclusion in higher education
A lecturer’s attitude can mean the difference between students floundering and thriving academically. A deeper awareness of the learning barriers different students face paves the way for more inclusive education systems, bringing benefits to all, as these resources show.
What happens when we reframe accessibility as belonging?: When we treat accessibility as a core design principle, it strengthens learning for all students and supports staff in creating learning environments where difference is expected rather than managed, writes Angela Fitzgerald from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.
Building equitable learning pathways in higher education: Pathways that enable equitable opportunities for students to gain the required academic knowledge and skills for successful study are essential for widening participation, says Anna Bennett at The University of Newcastle.
How to guide your students through the process of asking for reasonable adjustments: Students with disabilities are often dependent on the attitude and understanding of their lecturers and support staff. Read advice on supporting requests for reasonable adjustments in the university environment.
Effective support means meeting university students where they are: Meaningful student support starts in the classroom, the lab and the everyday relationships that faculty build with learners. Carrie Fearer from Virginia Tech shares practical strategies – from accessibility to co-creation.
‘Think of inclusivity as the rule rather than the exception’: Cultivating an inclusivity mindset can help university teachers demystify and embrace reasonable adjustments as part of everyday practice, says Jamie Wilde of the University of Southampton.
How to leverage technology to improve accessibility in the classroom
Technological advancements increase flexibility by opening up multiple options for engagement. Educators can now record lessons, offering both synchronous, asynchronous and hybrid learning opportunities. Read about other ways digital tools can increase accessibility and how to adapt online teaching to meet diverse needs.
Grow your own accessibility allies: The steps to making learning content accessible include identifying areas that need attention, overcoming barriers and recruiting allies to get the job done, writes Luke Searle from the University of Southampton.
Ways to make your learning materials accessible and inclusive: Advice on laying the groundwork for inclusive teaching and using tools that help students with specific needs thrive, from educators at Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Build the ‘why’ into your online learning instructions: You could be losing your online students earlier than you think. Norman B. Mendoza from The Education University of Hong Kong offers insight into how to engage them from the moment they encounter a task.
Five steps to making your digital course content more accessible for all: Straightforward techniques to make your digital course content more accessible and improve the overall user experience for students, from Drew McConnell at the University of Glasgow.
Nine tips for a successful, accessible blended learning field trip: A guide to planning and implementing field trips that successfully integrate on-site and online students, by Alette Willis and Alex Penland from The University of Edinburgh.
Rethink university learning spaces and activities to ensure accessibility
Universities have taken steps to improve access across their campuses and ensure they are safe and conducive to learning. But full access means adapting specialist spaces such as laboratories, considering off-campus fieldwork and thinking about how key events might need adapting to enable all students to participate.
Rethinking laboratory design for accessibility: Are lab assessments truly evaluating students’ scientific abilities – or simply their physical agility in an inflexible environment? Mohamed Hussein and Yusra Idrees from Dubai Medical University explain how to design more accessible biomedical laboratory practices.
Ten steps to equity: making fieldwork accessible: Fieldwork can be isolating for disabled students and academics when it is not designed with inclusivity in mind. Becky Alexis-Martin from the University of Bradford shares 10 strategies to ensure disabled students and academics are included by field-based disciplines.
Practical ways to support university students with long Covid: Educators can make it easier for students dealing with the symptoms of long Covid to continue their studies. In this video, Anne McConway from Coventry University explains the condition and offers strategies for safer, more welcoming classrooms for all learners.
Make universities disability-inclusive, part one: feedback, access and language: Advice on using the right language, making events accessible and avoiding assumptions to promote inclusivity for disabled students and staff.
The role of universal design for learning in higher education
Universal design for learning (UDL) offers students options in how they engage with and demonstrate their learning, enabling them to play to their individual strengths. Its proponents argue that by moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to education, UDL enables all learners to thrive, reducing the need for accommodations and adaptations for specific students. Read about how it works in practice.
A university educators’ guide to UDL: What is UDL, what benefits does it offer students and how can you implement it in your classroom? Find out all you need to know from a team at the University of Westminster.
A benefit, a challenge and a solution: Discover how to embed choice into learning in a clear, manageable and meaningful way from Pablo Dalby at The University of East Anglia.
Using UDL to alleviate disclosure reluctance: Designing courses accessibly from the ground up reduces the pressure on neurodivergent students to disclose in order to succeed, writes Luis Paterson from the University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha.
Accessing the what, why and how of UDL using popular culture: Guidance on leveraging popular culture sources using various media, particularly YouTube, to hit the fundamental building blocks of UDL, from Stone Meredith at Colorado State University Global.
Neurodiversity-friendly teaching design and delivery
Students with cognitive conditions such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD and Tourette’s often struggle in traditional academic environments. An estimated 15 to 20 per cent of the world’s population are neurodivergent, so an understanding of what neurodiversity means for learning, along with practical ways to improve the higher education experience for neurodiverse students, is vital.
Stop placing the onus on neurodivergent students to ‘fit in’: How universal design for learning can address common challenges in making classrooms more inclusive for neurodivergent students, by Ioanna Kapantai at The University of Exeter.
Make team-based learning work for neurodivergent students: Students with autism, ADHD and dyslexia often struggle in team-based learning contexts. Read advice for tailoring this activity to specific learning needs and reducing overstimulation.
How can we support Black neurodivergent students?: Black neurodivergent students face distinct barriers at the intersection of racism and ableism. Patrice Seuwou offers ways universities can go beyond generic policies to offer truly inclusive, intersectional support.
Why clear GenAI guidance matters to neurodivergent students. And how to get it right: Neurodivergent students often experience heightened anxiety when GenAI expectations vary across courses. Jayne Quoiani from The University of Edinburgh explains how to design more consistent guidance.
A practical toolkit for supporting neurodivergent learners: Strategies for making learning environments accessible by design, to the benefit of all students.
AI as an access tool for neurodiverse and international staff: Used transparently and ethically, GenAI can level the playing field and lower the cognitive load of repetitive tasks for admin staff, student support and teachers, says Vanessa Mar-Molinero from the University of Southampton.
How to support students with ADHD
Students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display characteristics that affect decision-making, focus, memory and time management, which can result in academic underachievement. Screen time can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, which presents further challenges in digital learning environments. These resources offer strategies for improving in-person and online learning experiences for students with ADHD.
Is digital learning making ADHD worse?: Hopping between multiple apps and platforms can easily overwhelm students with ADHD – we must be alert to the effects of too much digital multitasking, says Adrian J. Wallbank from Oxford Brookes University.
Adult ADHD and higher education: improving the student experience: Discover why adult ADHD is linked to underachievement in higher education and what institutions can do to support better outcomes for those with the condition, from Alex Conner and James Brown.
Changing instructor behaviour to improve learning for university students with ADHD: From making the class agenda clear and visible to building trust with learners, Sarah Sehlinger from Indiana University Southeast shares five simple tips that will improve the experience of your college course for students with ADHD.
What university educators need to know about autism
Autistic students are more likely than any other group to drop out of university. Struggles relating to communication and sensory processing can make the social and academic life of university difficult. By raising awareness of the condition, providing sensory-friendly environments and facilitating social interaction – while making it clear that quiet learning is also valid – educators can bring out the best in these students.
Prevent overstimulation and support autistic students in the laboratory: Lab sessions can prompt overstimulation in autistic students. Here, one student outlines the challenges they’ve faced and what support has helped.
Three easy tweaks to make your teaching autism-friendly: Autistic students have the highest university dropout rate of any disability group. What can teaching staff do about it? Learn from Cora Beth Fraser at The Open University.
Five steps to support autistic students in HE: As we strive to create inclusive environments, it’s essential to implement strategies that assist and cater to the unique challenges faced by autistic students, says Jane Dashwood from The University of Warwick.
Reduce barriers to learning for dyslexic students
Primarily characterised by difficulty with reading and spelling, and occurring in tandem with other neurological conditions, dyslexia presents challenges and opportunities for learners. Discover what these are and how to reframe dyslexia as a cognitive asset by creating an environment that values diverse ways of thinking.
How to support students with dyslexia in your teaching: Students dealing with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties may struggle in the classroom more than their peers. With their number increasing, María Catalina Bolaños Dubos from Universidad Austral offers advice on how to give them the space they need to learn.
Embrace the potential of dyslexic thinkers for the future of research: Academia has made progress in recognising neurodiversity, but dyslexic academics still face significant barriers. Edward Ademolu from King’s College London explains how universities can embrace cultural competency to support and unlock the potential of dyslexic thinkers.
Making adjustments for students with hearing impairments
The cognitive burden that comes with the need to exert more energy to listen can disadvantage students with hearing loss. This, along with other factors, makes group projects, discussions and other learning scenarios a challenge, but should not prevent them participating, as these resources show.
Create effective listening environments for deaf, neurodivergent and international students: It’s important to consider the influence of your learning environment on listening effort, cognitive load and cognitive fatigue. Lindsey Jones from The University of Manchester shares tips.
Beyond captions: how to build truly inclusive environments for deaf students: Practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce visual overload, improve conceptual clarity and enable deaf and hard-of-hearing students to participate fully, from Mogeeb A. A. Mosleh at Taiz University.
Teaching deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students: practical steps: When educators design communication to work across multiple modes from the outset, classrooms become more accessible – and more effective – for everyone, says Annelies Kusters from Heriot-Watt University.
How working with deaf students changed my teaching: Adjusting your teaching when you have a deaf student in your class can help everyone learn better – and help you find new ways to communicate effectively. Find out how from Anny Maria Rodriguez at the Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE).
British sign language users deserve a place in higher education: BSL users are under-represented in academia. What can we do to foster an inclusive environment for them? Astrid Smallenbroek from the University of the West of Scotland explains.
How to support individuals with hearing loss at your institution: Many people with hearing impairments do not think they need support. Simon Hayhoe from The University of Exeter outlines ways to provide it.
Help students with visual impairments thrive in learning environments
Read about well-established and lesser-known tools and approaches that can make learning materials and activities accessible to sight-impaired students.
Teaching visually impaired students – and making class materials more accessible for everyone: From stating names before speaking to using an accessibility checker and sharing class materials in advance, Hannah Thompson at Royal Holloway, University of London, offers six tips for ensuring an inclusive learning environment.
How to create an inclusive learning environment for visually impaired students: Educators can make all the difference to their visually impaired students’ university experience. Kate Armond explains how.
How do we write alternative text for images in education?: Descriptions of images in online documents help all readers – not just those with vision impairment – to fully understand the photograph, chart or graph and make the information accessible, says Matthew Deeprose from the University of Southampton.
Embedding accessibility in assessment
Assessment must give all learners equal opportunities to demonstrate their understanding. Read about how to offer innovative alternatives to essays, such as storytelling, and how to make authentic assessment work for disabled students.
How interactive orals transform assessment – and how to implement them: Interactive orals shift testing from memorisation to meaningful dialogue, reducing anxiety and building confidence in diverse learners. Read how they increase inclusivity and how to implement them across disciplines.
Assessing your assessment: creating inclusive and meaningful assignments: Online teaching has forced a major rethink of exams, so how can academics ensure they make the new-style assessments accessible and relevant to all students? Kimberly Wilder-Davis from the University of Glasgow explains.
Is authentic assessment leaving some students behind?: Does more authentic assessment for some students mean an inauthentic experience for others? Here’s how to address this by adopting a student-focused lens.
Widening students’ participation through storytelling: Storytelling can bridge the gap between complex STEM content and student engagement – it gives learners a discovery-based approach and educators an inclusive teaching tool and means of assessment, says Karen Ho from Mount Royal University.
Make digital learning tools accessible to all
Legislation in many countries requires public bodies such as universities to move towards full digital accessibility. This means ensuring that online tools are easy to navigate, consistent and accessible across courses and devices, and that they work with assistive technology. It also means ensuring students are competent users, as these resources explain.
Is collaboration the key to digital accessibility?: Digital accessibility is ethically important, and a legal requirement, but it’s also a lot of work. Sal Jarvis and George Rhodes from the University of Westminster explain how universities can collaborate and pool their expertise to make higher education accessible for all.
It’s time to embrace digital equity: Ensuring digital equity at your institution requires prioritising accessibility and championing digital literacy, among other initiatives. Read five strategies from staff at Dalhousie University.
Why digital accessibility is now a leadership issue for universities: The question for university decision-makers is whether to settle for the minimum accessibility required by international regulation or to embed it as a marker of institutional excellence across teaching, research and civic mission, say independent academic Ayala Gordon and Sarah Lewthwaite from the University of Southampton.
From policy to practice: how to embed accessibility standards at scale: Advice on how to build staff confidence, bridge communication gaps and align systems so that accessibility becomes business as usual, from Rachel Griffiths and Vrinda Nayak at The University of Exeter.
Taking digital accessibility from mandate for change to business as usual: To support the student community, digital accessibility needs to be embedded across teaching and learning. Julian Tenney offers insights and steps based on the University of Nottingham’s experience.
Open educational resources to make lifelong learning accessible to all: Open educational resources can be created and managed to ensure courses and materials that support lifelong learning are accessible to all aspiring students at little or no cost. Fiona Buckland from The University of Edinburgh explains how.
Thank you to all Campus contributors who shared their expertise in this guide.
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