Many accessibility barriers in higher education do not come from malicious intent or lack of care. They come from assumptions faculty make about their students and how learning is supposed to work.
This session examines several common beliefs that quietly shape course design and classroom practice: “I don’t have disabled students.” “Students will tell me if they need help.” “Accessibility lowers academic standards.” “Accessibility is handled by the disability office.” These assumptions persist across higher education, even as student populations become more diverse and institutional commitments to inclusion grow louder.
The reality is that many students who struggle in courses never request accommodations. Some are disabled but do not disclose. Others are dealing with cognitive load, language barriers, mental health challenges, or structural obstacles that traditional course design unintentionally amplifies.
This session invites faculty to examine where their own courses rely on hidden assumptions about the “ideal student.” Participants will engage in a structured discussion and barrier-audit activity that helps them identify friction points in their own teaching materials, assignments, and course structures.
Rather than focusing on compliance checklists or technical accessibility standards, the session focuses on practical teaching decisions: how materials are structured, how assignments are designed, how information is communicated, and how students navigate course expectations.
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how accessibility intersects with pedagogy and with several concrete strategies they can apply immediately in their courses to reduce barriers while maintaining academic rigor.
Electronic IT Accessibility Coordinator, Georgetown University
Kevin Andrews is the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Coordinator at Georgetown University and a Certified Web Accessibility Specialist (IAAP). For nearly a decade he has worked at the intersection of digital accessibility, higher education, and institutional accountability... Read More →
