{"id":656,"date":"2026-05-06T21:09:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T01:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/?post_type=chapter&p=656"},"modified":"2026-05-06T23:19:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:19:45","slug":"3-2-ethics","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/chapter\/3-2-ethics\/","title":{"raw":"3.2 Ethics","rendered":"3.2 Ethics"},"content":{"raw":"

3.2 Ethics<\/h2>\r\n

3.2.1 Project Recruitment<\/h3>\r\nPhase 1 involved conversation and co-design sessions with current and former Langara students. These students were invited via email to participate in the research project. Potential co-designers\u2019 contact details were gathered from the Graduate Student Researcher\u2019s (Luke McKnight) work as an assistive technologist at Langara College. The assistive technologist works with students and employees using assistive technology to access Langara\u2019s digital environments. The assistive technologist also assists employees with selecting and creating more accessible digital content. The role is a support staff position and does not have any direct influence over student grades, academic standing, or any other factors that might negatively impact a student\u2019s time at, or relationship with, Langara College. However, there may be some concerns that students would hold back or omit certain things due to fear of retribution or ostracization. I repeatedly stressed to students that honesty and critical reflection were necessary for this research project to spur tangible change while reassuring them of the right to revoke consent or remain anonymous. The existing relationship between myself and the co-designers was an asset to the outcome of this project. The existing rapport between myself and the co-designers allowed them to freely express their feelings, understanding I have always been a safe and helpful person for them. Additionally, my understanding of prior issues allowed co-designers to recall details and specifics without expending time and energy explaining the context. I believe an external researcher, or even an internal researcher without prior contact with the co-designers, would not have been able to illicit the same depth and level of detail as was discussed in this project.\r\n\r\nAll potential co-designers were selected as they use or have used assistive technology; however, no details of their medical diagnoses or self-reported disabilities were collected or at any point known by the Gradute Student Researcher. The lived experience, not categorization, of these students is key to understanding what digital learning material formats pose the greatest barriers to students using assistive technology. Additionally, the positive experiences these students have had could contribute to recommendations of best practice. Students were repeatedly reminded that their participation and any comments made or actions taken would have no bearing on their future access to Langara support services and that Luke McKnight was acting as an OCADU Graduate Student Researcher, not Langara\u2019s Assistive Technologist, for the duration of their interaction regarding the research project. Of 9 potential co-designers, 7 responded, and 5 agreed to participate. No reason for not participating was given by the 2 respondents that chose not to participate. Student co-designers were offered the choice of meeting in a private office on Langara\u2019s main campus or remotely via Zoom.\r\n\r\nStudents were sent a consent form (Appendix A<\/a>). The form explained the purpose, what was to be expected, the potential benefits, the potential risks, confidentiality information, data storage procedure, incentives (of which there were none), the voluntary nature of participation, the planned publication of results, and ethics board approval. Students read and completed the form indicating their consent to participate. Student co-designers were asked to join a one-on-one co-design session with the Graduate Student Researcher. In these sessions, students were asked to discuss their experience with digital learning material through semi-structured interview questions and basic activities (discussed in the Data Collection section below). The results of these sessions were collected into a digital resource to be shown to phase 2 participants.\r\n\r\nPhase 2 participants (Langara employees) viewed the material co-designed in phase 1. Within the material was a call to provide feedback which linked to an information and consent form (Appendix B<\/a>). The form offered details about the research including what\u2019s involved and how survey results would be collected, stored, and published. As the survey was anonymous, the research explanation was more succinct. Any Langara employee that viewed the resource was invited to participate.\r\n

3.2.2 Consent and confidentiality<\/h3>\r\nAll phase 1 co-designers were offered the option to remain anonymous via a question in the consent form and a follow-up reminder during and after the co-design session. Some co-designers were (at time of research) current Langara students and all students were reminded that if they chose to be named, that information would be public to current and future instructors. While the chance of potential prejudice or retribution was presumed to be low, the risk is not zero. Only one co-designer chose to remain anonymous. All co-designers were informed of major milestones such as completion of phase 1 research, creation (of which two co-designers provided feedback) and publication of the collected resource, and other notable events.\r\n\r\nStudent co-designers were informed of their right to revoke consent at any time up until October 31, 2025, when the results of phase 1 would be collected and distributed to potential phase 2 participants. Student co-designers were repeatedly reminded that their participation and any comments made or actions taken would have no bearing on their future access to Langara support services and that Luke McKnight was acting as an OCADU Graduate Student Researcher, not Langara\u2019s Assistive Technologist, for the entirety of their interaction regarding the research project.\r\n\r\nPhase 2 participants (Langara employees) were informed of their anonymity in the consent form. The consent form did not ask for\u2014nor did it automatically record\u2014names or email addresses.\r\n

3.2.3 Ethics committee approval<\/h3>\r\nThis research project was approved by the OCAD University Research Ethics Board (REB) as this project was undertaken as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design in Inclusive Design at OCAD University. Approval was also sought from the Langara College Research Ethics Board (LREB) as the research occurred at Langara College involving Langara students and employees.\r\n\r\nOCADU REB approval was submitted on May 5, 2025, and approved on August 5, 2025, under approval number 2025-42. An amendment to change phase 2 from interviews to an anonymous survey was submitted on October 16, 2025, and approved October 21, 2025. The change from employee interviews to an anonymous employee survey was made in response to changing circumstances at Langara College, particularly significant layoffs of faculty and staff (Jones, 2025).\r\n\r\nLREB approval was sought on June 11, 2025, and approved July 17, 2025, under approval code 20250611-McKnight. An amendment to change phase 2 from interviews to anonymous survey was submitted on October 17, 2025, and approved October 21, 2025.","rendered":"

3.2 Ethics<\/h2>\n

3.2.1 Project Recruitment<\/h3>\n

Phase 1 involved conversation and co-design sessions with current and former Langara students. These students were invited via email to participate in the research project. Potential co-designers\u2019 contact details were gathered from the Graduate Student Researcher\u2019s (Luke McKnight) work as an assistive technologist at Langara College. The assistive technologist works with students and employees using assistive technology to access Langara\u2019s digital environments. The assistive technologist also assists employees with selecting and creating more accessible digital content. The role is a support staff position and does not have any direct influence over student grades, academic standing, or any other factors that might negatively impact a student\u2019s time at, or relationship with, Langara College. However, there may be some concerns that students would hold back or omit certain things due to fear of retribution or ostracization. I repeatedly stressed to students that honesty and critical reflection were necessary for this research project to spur tangible change while reassuring them of the right to revoke consent or remain anonymous. The existing relationship between myself and the co-designers was an asset to the outcome of this project. The existing rapport between myself and the co-designers allowed them to freely express their feelings, understanding I have always been a safe and helpful person for them. Additionally, my understanding of prior issues allowed co-designers to recall details and specifics without expending time and energy explaining the context. I believe an external researcher, or even an internal researcher without prior contact with the co-designers, would not have been able to illicit the same depth and level of detail as was discussed in this project.<\/p>\n

All potential co-designers were selected as they use or have used assistive technology; however, no details of their medical diagnoses or self-reported disabilities were collected or at any point known by the Gradute Student Researcher. The lived experience, not categorization, of these students is key to understanding what digital learning material formats pose the greatest barriers to students using assistive technology. Additionally, the positive experiences these students have had could contribute to recommendations of best practice. Students were repeatedly reminded that their participation and any comments made or actions taken would have no bearing on their future access to Langara support services and that Luke McKnight was acting as an OCADU Graduate Student Researcher, not Langara\u2019s Assistive Technologist, for the duration of their interaction regarding the research project. Of 9 potential co-designers, 7 responded, and 5 agreed to participate. No reason for not participating was given by the 2 respondents that chose not to participate. Student co-designers were offered the choice of meeting in a private office on Langara\u2019s main campus or remotely via Zoom.<\/p>\n

Students were sent a consent form (Appendix A<\/a>). The form explained the purpose, what was to be expected, the potential benefits, the potential risks, confidentiality information, data storage procedure, incentives (of which there were none), the voluntary nature of participation, the planned publication of results, and ethics board approval. Students read and completed the form indicating their consent to participate. Student co-designers were asked to join a one-on-one co-design session with the Graduate Student Researcher. In these sessions, students were asked to discuss their experience with digital learning material through semi-structured interview questions and basic activities (discussed in the Data Collection section below). The results of these sessions were collected into a digital resource to be shown to phase 2 participants.<\/p>\n

Phase 2 participants (Langara employees) viewed the material co-designed in phase 1. Within the material was a call to provide feedback which linked to an information and consent form (Appendix B<\/a>). The form offered details about the research including what\u2019s involved and how survey results would be collected, stored, and published. As the survey was anonymous, the research explanation was more succinct. Any Langara employee that viewed the resource was invited to participate.<\/p>\n

3.2.2 Consent and confidentiality<\/h3>\n

All phase 1 co-designers were offered the option to remain anonymous via a question in the consent form and a follow-up reminder during and after the co-design session. Some co-designers were (at time of research) current Langara students and all students were reminded that if they chose to be named, that information would be public to current and future instructors. While the chance of potential prejudice or retribution was presumed to be low, the risk is not zero. Only one co-designer chose to remain anonymous. All co-designers were informed of major milestones such as completion of phase 1 research, creation (of which two co-designers provided feedback) and publication of the collected resource, and other notable events.<\/p>\n

Student co-designers were informed of their right to revoke consent at any time up until October 31, 2025, when the results of phase 1 would be collected and distributed to potential phase 2 participants. Student co-designers were repeatedly reminded that their participation and any comments made or actions taken would have no bearing on their future access to Langara support services and that Luke McKnight was acting as an OCADU Graduate Student Researcher, not Langara\u2019s Assistive Technologist, for the entirety of their interaction regarding the research project.<\/p>\n

Phase 2 participants (Langara employees) were informed of their anonymity in the consent form. The consent form did not ask for\u2014nor did it automatically record\u2014names or email addresses.<\/p>\n

3.2.3 Ethics committee approval<\/h3>\n

This research project was approved by the OCAD University Research Ethics Board (REB) as this project was undertaken as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design in Inclusive Design at OCAD University. Approval was also sought from the Langara College Research Ethics Board (LREB) as the research occurred at Langara College involving Langara students and employees.<\/p>\n

OCADU REB approval was submitted on May 5, 2025, and approved on August 5, 2025, under approval number 2025-42. An amendment to change phase 2 from interviews to an anonymous survey was submitted on October 16, 2025, and approved October 21, 2025. The change from employee interviews to an anonymous employee survey was made in response to changing circumstances at Langara College, particularly significant layoffs of faculty and staff (Jones, 2025).<\/p>\n

LREB approval was sought on June 11, 2025, and approved July 17, 2025, under approval code 20250611-McKnight. An amendment to change phase 2 from interviews to anonymous survey was submitted on October 17, 2025, and approved October 21, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1655,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-656","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":586,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1655"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":750,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/656\/revisions\/750"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/586"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/656\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=656"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=656"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}