Accessibility of University Campuses - Helping Undergraduates Better Understand, and Advocate for, Accessibility

Oct 15, 2026

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A research project within a newly developed upper-level Applied Psychology course investigates how to strengthen undergraduate understanding of disability and accessibility. Students used an authentic learning approach through a physical accessibility audit of entrances and key pathways and a campus survey to capture perceptions and change priorities. Audit and survey data supported identifying improvements. The paper aims to document successes and limitations for adaptation by other instructors and to evaluate the impact on student learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Research project design

Accessibility audit and campus survey

Module structure and learning aims

Barriers, language, and stereotypes

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 16 | Issue 1 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | Summer 08-31-2025
Accessibility of University Campuses: Helping Undergraduates Better Understand, and Advocate for, Accessibility
Erin Austen
St. Francis Xavier University, [eausten@stfx.ca](eausten@stfx.ca)[ ](eausten@stfx.ca)Alexandra Boyd
St. Francis Xavier University Alyssa Hillard
St. Francis Xavier University
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793) | | Recommended Citation Austen, E., Boyd, A., & Hillard, A. (2025). Accessibility of university campuses: Helping undergraduates better understand, and advocate for, accessibility. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 16(1) . [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793) Accessibility of University Campuses: Helping Undergraduates Better Understand, and Advocate for, Accessibility Abstract In this paper, a research project within a newly developed upper-level Applied Psychology course is described. The intent of the course project was to improve undergraduate students’ understanding of disability and accessibility. An authentic learning approach was used to engage students in two key activities: a) conducting a physical accessibility audit of the entrances to high-traffic buildings on campus and the pathways leading to them; and b) surveying the campus to better understand perceptions of campus accessibility and priorities for change. Student researchers used the audit and survey data to identify changes that could improve campus accessibility. The aims of this paper are twofold. One, to describe a course research project on accessibility, and reflect on the project’s successes and limitations, so it could be adapted for use by other instructors. Two, to evaluate how the course research project impacted student learning. Cet article décrit un projet de recherche mené au sein d’un nouveau cours de psychologie appliquée deniveau supérieur. L’objectif du projet était d’améliorer la compréhension des étudiants et des étudiantes de premier cycle concernant les situations de handicap et l’accessibilité . Une approche d’apprentissage authentique a été utilisée pour engager les étudiants et les étudiantes à participer à deux activités principales : a) la réalisation d’un audit d’accessibilité physique des entrées des bâtiments très fréquentés du campus et des chemins qui y mènent; et b) une enquête sur le campus afinde mieux comprendre les perceptions de l’accessibilité du campus et les priorités en matière de changement. Les étudiants et les étudiantes qui ont mené la recherche ont utilisé les données de l’audit et de l’enquête pour identifier les changements qui seraient susceptibles d’améliorer l’accessibilité du campus. Les objectifs de cet article sont doubles. Le premier est de décrire un projet de recherche dans le cadre d’un cours sur l’accessibilité et de réfléchir aux réussites et aux limites du projet afin que celuici puisse être adapté et utilisé par d’autres instructeurs et instructrices. Le second est d’évaluer lamanière dont le projet de recherche dans le cadre d’un cours a eu un impact sur l’apprentissage des étudiants et des étudiantes. Keywords accessibility, audit, student co-researchers, course-based research; accessibilité, audit, étudiants cochercheurs, recherche dans le cadre d’un cours This research paper/Rapport de recherche is available in The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2025.1.13793) 1 Ontario’s Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee recently released a report containing recommendations to guide the development o

FAQs

What learning activities did students complete to study campus accessibility?

Students conducted a physical accessibility audit of entrances to high-traffic campus buildings and the pathways leading to them, and they surveyed the campus to understand perceptions of accessibility and priorities for change.

How does the paper describe the purpose of the Applied Psychology course project?

It aims to improve undergraduate students’ understanding of disability and accessibility, document the course research project’s successes and limitations for adaptation, and evaluate how the project affected student learning.

What kinds of barriers and language issues did the research context emphasize?

The text highlights barriers faced by people with disabilities, including negative attitudes and stigma, issues related to the built environment, and problematic language used to describe disability in textbooks, along with stereotypes reinforced by textbook images.

Oct 15, 2026

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