5.3 Experience Theme
The student experience, particularly with academic accommodations, has been extensively studied. Slaughter et al. (2022) and Lyman et al. (2016), provide qualitative analysis of the student experience with specific accommodations. Alyass (2024) and Marom & Hardwick (2025) collect qualitative feedback from disabled students on the effectiveness of, and potential improvements to, academic accommodations. Few, if any, studies consider the accessibility of digital learning material at the individual level. Some academic accommodations may impact the provision or remediation of accessible digital learning material, however that is not reflected in existing research. This study provides greater specificity at the individual level through direct engagement with the population most impacted (disabled students) and tangible actions to improve the situation.
The student co-designers of this study demonstrated an exceptional ability to self-advocate for their needs and co-design learning experiences. Continuing to respect students as knowledge holders and subject matter experts in their own experience would allow for post-secondary to best serve all students with more meaningful and valuable educational experiences. While this work focused on preferred digital file formats, similar methods could be employed to understand student preferences on all manner of educational factors such as delivery mode, curricula, and teaching practices.
Surveys, such as those conducted by the Canadian University Survey Consortium, provide valuable data about self-reporting disabled students and their use of accommodations; however, surveys lack the depth and specifics that qualitative study provides. Other, more focused studies such as McGregor et al. (2016) and Mamboleo et al. (2020) offer useful data on the student experience with accommodations. However, these lack both the depth of a qualitative study and the specificity of addressing digital learning material. Studies such as those assist with understanding what is and provide useful context, scope, and framing. This study seeks to record how inaccessibility impacts students and how those impacts can be mitigated.
Additionally, research exists on the lack of understanding about how assistive technology works, gaps in knowledge about what makes content accessible, and missing skills to make accessible content (Sanderson et al., 2022; Walz, 2024). However, these studies do not provide analysis as to how those factors impact disabled students, only that they exist and create barriers. This work, while not documenting specific assistive technology used to protect student privacy, provides impactful and actionable knowledge to help make content more compatible with assistive technology.
Student co-designers also mentioned negative experiences, particularly with faculty. As discussed by Titchkosky (2011), Freeman (2015), Dolmage (2017), and Sheets (2019) academic ableism is a consistent issue. Particularly for those with invisible disabilities, the inability of some faculty to understand why they should accommodate “someone who appeared young and healthy” was echoed by co-designers (Sheets, 2019, p. 80). To further emphasize the point, one survey respondent “found the tone of this resource condescending” having “the impression that the authors think all instructors at Langara are lazy and do not care about students”. As discussed in section 4.2, it was unclear if the respondent understood the resource was 90% direct quotes from current and former Langara students. The intention of this study is to ground post-secondary employees in an informed sense of empathy for the experience of disabled students. This emotional response could indicate their desire to change. The factors influencing faculty resistance to change may include not understanding the value of change, extrinsic motivation, and feeling unvalued (Turner & Boice, 1986; McCrickerd, 2012; Dana et al., 2021) as well as perceived threats to professional identity (Clegg, 2008; Brownell & Tanner, 2012). Understanding apprehension and resistance to change provides useful information but requires additional focus on accessibility and inclusive education. In addition to creating more accessible digital experience for students, this research may also reduce, or at least prompt people to address, feelings of academic ableism. Understanding what powers, and how to undo, academic ableism is a necessity for meaningful change.
While a substantial body of literature examines the experiences of disabled post-secondary students, this study investigates specific file formats that are most beneficial for disabled students and, through the principles of inclusive design, for all students. The two-phase process, which included students co-designing a resource intended for employees, is unique to this work and provides a strong framework for rich, action-oriented research going forward. Where disabled people may “see research as a violation of their experience, as irrelevant to their needs and as failing to improve their material circumstances and quality of life”, this work employs inclusive design principles to actively engage disabled students in work that will tangibly improve their experience as a student (Oliver, 1992, p. 105). This work builds on important work from disability studies, inclusive education, and accessibility to return the focus to the lives most impacted by exclusion.
