Accessibility in higher education

Advice on tackling accessibility challenges in higher education to ensure all students and staff can fully participate in their studies and work. These resources explore topics such as digital accessibility, remote and in-person working, course design, technology use and assessment practices through an accessibility lens, alongside insight on widening access to higher education for more diverse populations.

Graphic image of a bouquet of flowers in a graduation cap on top of barbed wire

Make learning accessible to all in higher education

True accessibility comes when it is placed at the core of teaching and learning design. Read advice for creating universally accessible learning

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

Good looking male student in a university class

Using universal design for learning 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

Luis Paterson

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Let’s build a higher education system that works for first-generation students

Higher education expects first-gen students to conform to a rigid structure that doesn’t suit their lives. Here’s how to offer flexibility instead

Jerid Counterman

Colorado State University Global

A mother on her laptop while her son plays next to her

Why flexibility is essential for accessible teaching

Rigid course structures can shut students out. Designing for flexibility helps ensure that those juggling work, care and study have a fair chance to succeed

Rocío Elizabeth Cortez Márquez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

A deaf student on a video call with other participants using sign language

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

Mogeeb A. A. Mosleh

Taiz University

Students in a lab listen to the instructor

Rethinking laboratory design for accessibility

Are lab assessments truly evaluating students’ scientific abilities – or simply their physical agility in an inflexible environment? Find out how to design more accessible biomedical laboratory practices

Mohamed Hussein, Yusra Idrees

Dubai Medical University

Five university students working on a group project in class

Universal design for learning: a benefit, a challenge and a solution

Discover how to embed choice into learning in a clear, manageable and meaningful way

Pablo Dalby

The University of East Anglia

A student looking at his phone in a university library

A practical toolkit for supporting neurodivergent learners

Strategies for making learning environments accessible by design, to the benefit of all students

Multiple authors

University of Oxford, Swansea 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

Anny Maria Rodriguez

Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE)

A teacher at the front of class interacting with a room full of students

From policy to practice: how to embed accessibility standards at scale

How to build staff confidence, bridge communication gaps and align systems so that accessibility becomes business as usual

Rachel Griffiths , Vrinda Nayak

The University of Exeter

A student stands up to talk in the classroom

Multilingual learners don’t need extended time – they need intentional design

Language barriers in the classroom can present complex challenges. Instead of placing the burden on multilingual learners, let’s commit to an institution-wide approach to support them

Walaa Awad

Colorado State University Global

A deaf student doing sign language on a Zoom call

Teaching deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students: practical steps that benefit everyone

When educators design communication to work across multiple modes from the outset, classrooms become more accessible – and more effective – for everyone, says Annelies Kusters

Annelies Kusters

Heriot-Watt University

Hands type at a laptop, as seen from above

Build the ‘why’ into your online learning instructions

You could be losing your online students earlier than you think. Here’s how to engage them from the moment they encounter a task

Norman B. Mendoza

The Education University of Hong Kong

An illustration of a teacher talking through a screen to students

‘Accessibility is what makes good teaching possible’

What does accessibility mean in principle, and how does it actually look in practice? Find guidance here on engaging students in learning, dealing with sensory issues and how to be flexible with assessment

Dewi Masyithah Darlan

Universitas Sumatera Utara

Students huddling between aisles in a library

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

Angela Fitzgerald

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool 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

Ayala Gordon, Sarah Lewthwaite

Independent academic, University of Southampton

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 shares practical strategies – from accessibility to co-creation

Carrie Fearer

Virginia Tech

Virtual fellowships as ‘material solidarity’ against scholasticide, part 2

UK academics are exploring how virtual fellowships can offer practical, sustainable support to Palestinian scholars. Drawing on their pilot scheme, the authors share key lessons on turning statements of solidarity into action

Basma Hajir , Magdy S. Aqel, William W. McInerney

The University of Bristol, Islamic University of Gaza

Students working together in a classroom

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?

Cora Beth Fraser

The Open University

A screen with multiple participants on a video call

Virtual fellowships as ‘material solidarity’ against scholasticide, part 1

Gaza virtual research fellows and UK-based scholars share reflections, alongside a practical overview of the design, development and early implementation of a virtual fellowship

Ahmed Kamal Junina, Basma Hajir , Munawwar Najim, William W. McInerney

The University of Bristol, Al-Aqsa University, Islamic University of Gaza

Female scientific researcher in wheelchair in lab

‘Think of inclusivity as the rule rather than the exception’

Cultivating an inclusivity mindset can help university researchers demystify and embrace reasonable adjustments as part of everyday practice

Jamie Wilde

University of Southampton

GenAI’s personalised learning could be a game-changer for disabled and neurodivergent students

Using GenAI to provide a truly learner-centric approach to both online and in-person learning could make a real difference to disabled and neurodivergent students. Here’s how

Lynne Beveridge, Melody Terras, Graham Scott, Naeem Ramzan

University of the West of Scotland

A student speaking to a teacher in a bright office decorated wiht plants

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

Popi Sotiriadou , Dani Logan-Fleming

Griffith University, Torrens University

Six ways to welcome students to university life

Find out how to design meaningful welcome experiences for first-year students as they arrive at university, and equip them with the tools to start their academic journey

Aikerim Daurenbayeva , Aina Nurtanova, Aruzhan Yergali

Nazarbayev University

A neurodivergent student participatin gin a class discussion

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

Ioanna Kapantai

The University of Exeter

How translanguaging can improve the learning experience and boost students’ confidence

Research into nursing education in Indonesia found using two or more languages in the learning environment allowed students to grasp technical concepts quickly and easily. Here’s how it worked

Erikson Saragjh

Universitas Sumatera Utara

A teacher having a discussion with students

How to protect inclusive educational practices in increasingly hostile environments

Grassroots strategies for sustaining inclusive teaching and learning practices amid shrinking resources and growing hostility, focusing on course design, pedagogy and proactive advocacy

Liz Owens Boltz, Brittany Dillman

Michigan State University

Should university admissions decisions rely on academic performance?

If higher education wants to evolve its role beyond gatekeepers of knowledge to true engines of development, institutions need to rethink student readiness and recruitment processes

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Four jigsaw puzzle pieces display a mortarbord

Five tips when embedding gamification in the classroom

Gamification and game-based learning can centre students in the learning experience and improve university enrolment rates. Here’s how to get started

Gustavo Espinoza Ramos , Gunter Saunders

University of Westminster

An illustration of a robot operating a clapperboard

Use AI to refine educational video content

In the digital era, educational videos have become a key element of online and blended classes. Amy Chong outlines how generative AI can be a game changer for creating engaging, adaptable video content

Amy Chong

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Redefining the university library for 2025 and beyond

Redefining the university library for 2025 and beyond

University libraries must keep pace with the many changes sweeping across global higher education in order to serve students, researchers and the wider public. In this guide, library teams and academics offer advice on how to do so

Kiera O’Brien, Campus contributors

Campus

What trauma-informed practice can learn from EDI in higher education

Equity, diversity and inclusion work reminds us that trauma doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Here are insights from EDI that can enrich trauma-informed practice

Maree Martinussen, Sarah O’Shea

Charles Sturt University

How to bring university science into primary schools

Engaging primary-school-age children with STEM will help them to think critically and develop informed opinions for the rest of their lives. Here’s how to do it

Farah Jaber-Hijazi

University of the West of Scotland

What does the future hold for university library spaces?

University libraries are evolving fast. From inclusive design to sustainability, here’s how institutions can rethink spaces to support future learners and diverse needs

Kate Marshall

Nottingham Trent University

Students wearing a mask in class to protect against viral infection

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 explains the condition and offers strategies for safer, more welcoming classrooms for all learners

Anne McConway

Coventry University

Creating a visual story to demystify the university experience

Visual stories can help make universities’ complex array of services and experiences more accessible and less mysterious to staff, students and community members

Brooke Szücs, Ben Roden-Cohen

The University of Queensland

An academic disclosing their disability to their manager

Stop treating disability support as an afterthought

Find out what prevents university staff from disclosing invisible disabilities – and steps their institutions can take to change that

Christina Dzineku, James Murray

Independent academic, University of Buckingham

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

Eunice Costilla Cruz , Nelly Ramírez Vázquez

Tecnológico de Monterrey

A laptop screen with many different storage drawers opening

Is collaboration the key to digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility is ethically important, and a legal requirement, but it’s also a lot of work. Here’s how universities can collaborate and pool their expertise to make higher education accessible for all

Sal Jarvis, George Rhodes

University of Westminster

An illustration of a bot taking a human through a reasoning process

Beyond the black box: how DeepSeek could transform higher education

DeepSeek’s transparent reasoning process, accessibility, affordability and open-source model could have significant implications for higher education. Simon Wang explains how

Simon Wang

Hong Kong Baptist University

Tips for creating and delivering effective educational webinars

Strategies that incorporate interactive elements and rules setting to help teachers design engaging webinars

Lauren Flannery

The University of East Anglia

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

University of the West of Scotland

A group of students sat in a circle having a discussion

How to start a support group for students with disabilities

In regions where universities place less emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, supporting students with disabilities requires a proactive approach

Asri Saraswati

The University of Indonesia

It’s time to embrace digital equity

Ensuring digital equity at your institution requires prioritising accessibility and championing digital literacy, among other initiatives

Kim Brooks, Jody Couch, Ben Tait

Dalhousie University

A group of students sitting in a circle while a teacher addresses them

How living with blepharospasm helped me become a better teacher

Read about a strategy that helped an educator living with an eye condition build emotional resilience and create a more inclusive classroom environment

Bhawana Shrestha

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A adult works at a laptop, while a small child plays with dinosaur toys on the keyboard

The small steps that can make a big difference to student parents

Juggling academic and parental commitments is no easy feat. Here’s how universities can make small, programme-level adjustments to relieve the pressure on student parents

Rebecca Gordon

University of the West of Scotland

How can Jenga build course co-creation?

Questions about accessibility led to events management students and educators using block towers to foster discussion of lived experiences and a sense of belonging. Here, Katy Proctor and Nick Davies offer their insights into co-creating module content

Katy Proctor, Nick Davies

Glasgow Caledonian University

Male and female figures scale a very different set of stairs to the top

We need to dismantle the promotion patriarchy in academia from the inside

Women in academia are promoted at far lower rates than their male peers and are under-represented in senior positions. To fix this, universities will need to embrace systemic change

Rachael Jefferson

Charles Sturt University

Female artist in her studio smiling to camera

Neurodiversity-affirming education is key to supporting students into the creative industries

More needs to be done to support neurodivergent people seeking careers in the creative industries. Here are some strategies

Hannah Breslin

University of the Arts London

Hands holding jigsaw pieces in front of a laptop, digital accessibility

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. Here, Julian Tenney offers insights and steps based on his institution’s experience

Julian Tenney

University of Nottingham

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