The Time Is Now: Understanding the Historical and Ongoing Nature of Accessibility Advocacy

• In Event: Access Is Justice: A Call for Intentional and Expansive Conference Access

Abstract

Objectives
The purpose of this paper is to provide context and history related to DSE SIG accessibility efforts and advocacy within AERA organization leadership over the last 15 years.
Perspectives
As institutions and organizations forefront discourse about “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” disability and the intersectional interests of disabled people often remain sidelined, absent, erased, or pushed into spaces designed to respond to the “problem” of disability (Davis, 2011; Scheef et al., 2020; Shallish, 2015; 2017). Further, despite conference themes and efforts focused on responding to and intervening on a multitude of disparities in educational policies, practices, and research, accessibility is one component that has often not been centered beyond guidelines issued on a website or in emails. Importantly, access concerns have gradually moved outside of the DSE SIG. The intersectional nature of accessibility has brought other divisions and special interest groups into the conversation. Disabled AERA members across the organization are having inaccessible experiences and sharing out about these. While this presentation focuses on the historical and ongoing nature of access work within the DSE SIG, it is vital that all of their voices are heard.
Methods
This paper utilizes critical content analysis of internally developed documents and publications, personal communications, and anecdotal evidence to demonstrate how organizational ownership and utilization of accessibility practices have shifted over time. By doing so, the presenters will demonstrate what accessibility concerns and practices have been given the most attention and which ones still need to be addressed. Access concerns include but are not limited to physical accessibility of conference location and spaces, sensory accessibility for various conference structures and spaces, and practices associated with creating accessible conference materials and presentation practices.
Results
Preliminary analysis has shown how organizational ownership and utilization of accessibility practices have increased little over the time subject to scrutiny (past 15 years). Moreover, disabled members, their allies, and outside consultants have engaged in much of the labor identifying and offering ameliorations to inaccessible conference experiences, practices, and materials.
Scholarly Significance of the Work
This paper and the broader panel proposal in which it is situated brings necessary arguments and solutions about access and accessibility within and across AERA. Understanding the history and current nature of these efforts is essential for organizational ownership of access. Moreover, the critical aims of the organization and the knowledge generated vis-a-vi conference places and spaces make a long-term, ongoing commitment to access unquestionably essential.

Author

• Emily A. Nusbaum, University of California - Berkeley