Nicholas Parnell
Research Mentor(s): Shauna Paulson
Mentor Department: ISR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office
Authors: Anika Hong, Nicholas Parnell, Shauna Paulson, Tara Engholm
Session: Session 4 (1:00pm – 1:50pm)
Presentation Type: Poster 6
Abstract
Many people face challenges accessing online academic materials because of disabilities, making using certain websites and documents challenging. These barriers, like poor screen reader compatibility or hard-to-navigate documents, limit equal access to critical knowledge. Solving this problem is essential to ensure everyone can benefit from academic research. This project focused on making digital materials from the Institute for Social Research (ISR) more accessible. The goal was to find and fix problems with these materials using clear accessibility guidelines so that people with disabilities could use them more easily. We reviewed ISR’s online materials, such as PDFs and web pages, to check how well they followed accessibility standards. Using tools and manual testing, we identified issues like missing image descriptions and unclear document layouts. After fixing these problems, we tested the updated materials with users who rely on assistive technologies. The project found several accessibility problems, such as missing image descriptions and hard-to-navigate documents. After making changes, the materials became much easier for people with disabilities to use. Tests with screen reader users, such as using WAVE, showed a noticeable improvement in their ability to access the content as the documents are tab and voice-screen reader-friendly. This work shows how important it is to create accessible academic materials. By following clear accessibility guidelines, institutions can make their research available to more people. This project provides a guide for improving accessibility and suggests the need for more efforts to make academic content inclusive for everyone.
