Accessibility
Research organisations and funders recognise that the research environment needs to be accessible to all users and stakeholders, including staff, students and patients etc. Accordingly, many funders now require accessibility to be considered in grant applications.
Accessibility is about removing barriers. Such barriers usually result from a failure to consider the needs of all individuals and can include:
- Physical and environmental barriers
- Information and communication barriers
- Technological barriers from a lack of assistive technologies and equipment.
- Organisational and/or systemic barriers (including policies, procedures and practices)
- Attitudinal barriers also exist which can be a result of assumptions and/or prejudice.
Often barriers are “inadvertently” imposed without thought for current or potential needs. This is why it is important to consider accessibility in all areas of our research.
Accessibility checklists
- General Accessibility Checklist
- Lab Accessibility Checklist
- Office Accessibility Checklist
- Hospital Accessibility Checklist
- Veterinary Hospital Accessibility Checklist
- Fieldwork Accessibility Checklist.