Disrupting Ableism and Audism in Academic Accommodation Systems: A Resource List

Abstract

Ableism and audism are systemic in Canadian postsecondary education (PSE), perpetuating inequitable educational outcomes for disabled and deaf students. These forms of oppression are prevalent in our teaching and learning environments, as well as the academic accommodation systems expected to promote access. Despite growing scholarly attention to these challenges, it remains difficult to imagine alternative ways of conceptualizing access that move beyond the status quo. This paper addresses this challenge by exploring how access might be reimagined through practices that resist ableism and audism in higher education. Drawing on findings from a web search conducted as part of a larger environmental scan, we identify and analyze digital resources that offer new ways of understanding and practicing access within postsecondary institutions. A total of 33 digital sources were included, sorted into the following categories based on producer/user: (a) resources for institutions (n = 10); (b) resources by/for access advisors (n = 2); (c) resources by/for teachers (n = 9); and (d) resources by/for students (n = 12). Our findings highlight trends in, or alternatives to, processes of academic access. What makes these findings significant is not just that they demonstrate alternatives exist, but that they can also serve as resources for educators, administrators, and other institutional actors committed to anti-ableism/anti-audism.