Digital accessibility and inclusion are not tech issues for disabled learners.

It’s time we look at digital inaccessibility and digital marginalization in education as chronic symptoms of systemic ableism and unexamined oppression in the Academy.

We can work transformatively toward improved learning experiences and inclusive digital knowledge sharing communities.

Eyeglasses, notebook and laptop on an unmade bed
Red game pieces grouped with one isolated black piece symbolizing one piece has a different experience from the rest.
The black game piece off to the side is finding the experience shared by the red game pieces inaccessible. Something blocks its access and agency to participate equitably, or at all.

What is digital accessibility?

Looked at through a Disability Justice lens, digital accessibility is a dynamic sociocultural phenomenon that occurs when people with disabilities, and those using assistive technologies, can equitably and agentively: find, understand, navigate, engage in, and contribute to information sharing, information production, and sociocultural experience sharing in digital environments with others.

Digital learning materials, learning environments, activities, assessments, learning technologies, even our digital practices and policies can be thoughtfully designed toward digital accessibility. Or, they can create digital accessibility barriers, marginalize learners with disabilities, even cause physical pain.

Processing new connections.

CanDARE research aims to try out and utilize multiple lenses to play with and provoke new understandings.

Here, contemporary, global research, sits with quiet, contemplative, sensorial experiences in hopes of uncovering liberatory digital practices in post-secondary education.

equipment for examining vision

Main Pages

vibrant colours appear to move and swirl together

Praxis

The CanDARE Praxis Project takes a less didactic and more evocative approach to understanding digital accessibility in post-secondary praxis.
Two students of colour. One reads on computer one reads a print textbook.

Post-Secondary Library

What began as an annotated bibliography crip-hack is now an OPEN reference library for digital accessibility in education literature.
someone using American Sign Language with someone on a video call

Learning from Learners

A first step toward designing digitally accessible learning experiences is listening to, and deeply reflecting on, learners experiences and insights.
hands of a woman of colour typing on a laptop

Latest

Posts are regularly added to the Praxis, Learning from Learners and Library sections of the CanDARE site. See the latest here.