Access as a move toward inclusion, equity, and diversity in science communication

Amanda Klingler (University of California, Los Angeles)
Linda Corcoran (University College Cork)
Syreeta Nolan (Health AdvocateX, JADE(Justice, Advocacy and Disability Education), and Disabled in Higher Ed)
Alyssa Paparella (Baylor College of Medicine)
This session was offered as part of the 2021 Inclusive SciComm Symposium. For more information, visit inclusivescicomm.org/2021symp...
Abstract: While there has been a significant effort to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in science, access is rarely part of these conversations. The lack of focus on accessibility has meant that disabled people have been excluded from many science communication efforts. As disabled people make up approximately 20% of the population in the United States, this exclusion is not only a matter of equity but also one of public safety and autonomy. When vital information about natural disasters, public health, and scientific advancements are communicated in inaccessible formats, it leaves disabled people at increased risk for harm. This is especially topical currently as COVID-19 itself has been a mass-disabling event resulting in a variety of new physical and mental health conditions, giving the disabled population an unexpected increase.
Current science communication accessibility efforts include using plain language and “telling a story,” but ensuring everyone can access and interact with the content virtually and in-person requires more. Ensuring disabled people can receive the information we are communicating, requires facilitating change to incorporate more inclusive practices, techniques, technologies. However, society and our current education system have not armed us with the knowledge needed to do this. In this workshop, we will explore basic accessibility practices that can be used to ensure that their content and programming are accessible to all. We will also teach science communicators basic techniques to allow them to implement these practices into their work.