Interdisciplinary accessibility research impacts broader inclusivity
When it comes to accessibility, research is essential to help identify barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully accessing and using products, services, and information. The next step, addressing these barriers, leads to a more inclusive experience for everyone. Whether leading or collaborating on projects, research is at the core of much of the work done at the Accessibility Institute at Carleton University.
Dr. Boris Vukovic, the Institute’s Director, has worked at Carleton University for over 20 years, where he also serves as Director of the National Office for the Canadian Accessibility Network. Acting as the Institute’s principal researcher, Dr. Vukovic pursues transformative projects that are collaborative, relevant and impactful. As he explains, “Accessibility, envisioned as an emerging transdisciplinary, solution-focused field of research and practice, benefits our entire society through the removal of barriers, better design, more inclusive practices, and social innovation.”
Dr. Vukovic notes that as we look to the future, accessibility research is particularly important for several reasons.
“Some reasons are more internal to our accessibility space, like gaining a better understanding about what accessibility means to diverse disability populations and their needs or developing and evaluating solutions to complex accessibility problems,” he says. He adds that other reasons have to do with finding ways to integrate accessibility with competing and ever-changing social priorities through collaborative work that drives innovation and human prosperity.
One of the emerging trends with which the Accessibility Institute is involved is the surging Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. “The Institute had the foresight to propose and receive a Tri-Agency grant to use large language models for disability services before ChatGPT was released and all AI broke loose,” explains Dr. Vukovic. “We are now at the forefront of developing ethical AI solutions for assessment of disability-related needs and support services, informed and trained by lived experience and expertise.”
Collaboration is key to lasting success, says Dr. Vukovic. “Accessibility challenges are wicked problems, the kind that do not have straightforward solutions or can be tackled by one discipline, sector, or specialty. Collaborating across disciplines and sectors is the only viable approach to accessibility research.” He notes that the Accessibility Institute was developed to do just that, by mobilizing and connecting people with disabilities, researchers and community partners. In this context, the Institute recognizes the key role of organizations such as Accessibility Standards Canada in supporting research and innovation in this space.
Dino Zuppa is Chief Executive Officer of Accessibility Standards Canada, a federal organization with a legislative mandate dedicated to developing accessibility standards and advancing research to create a more accessible Canada. He notes that accessibility and inclusion make good economic sense for us as a society, with the potential for up to $300 billion in economic growth. “A barrier-free society benefits everyone. Research is the foundation for real progress in accessibility, and it must reflect the diversity of experiences within the disability communities,” he says. “Truly inclusive and collaborative co-design and intersectionality-based research takes into account the unique issues and perspectives of persons with disabilities.”
Zuppa acknowledges that the work to create a barrier-free Canada is multidimensional, constantly changing and includes many different components. “At Accessibility Standards Canada, we ensure that intersectionality is central to our work – our funded research and our standards development process are led by people with disabilities and actively engage equity-seeking groups to capture a broad range of opinions, perspectives, skillsets and identities. Since 2019, we have funded over 90 inclusive research projects, supporting the development of accessibility standards that address real-world barriers. This approach leads to stronger, more inclusive solutions that drive systemic change and make accessibility a fundamental part of society.”
“Accessibility is a lot more complex than a single discipline or a single sector and that’s why the intersectional approach is so important,” confirms Dr. Vukovic. “We know that collaborating with community partners and conducting community-engaged research and co-design will make projects more relevant, impactful, and applied.”
Given its rich history in many avenues of research, the Accessibility Institute is always eager to support a diversity of solution-based projects across disciplines and sectors. The Institute is looking to partner with community organizations, university researchers, governments, businesses, and most crucially, people with disabilities and lived experience experts.
Contact the Accessibility Institute to explore collaboration opportunities.