On prioritising accessibility

Prioritising accessibility does more than help individuals access learning; it creates a space in which the idea that everyone has a right to education is a given. That is, by designing for inclusion, we communicate the assumption that our programs are for anyone who wants or needs them, not just for a select few people who can learn in specific ways.

Education is an empowering right in itself and one of the most powerful tools by which economically and socially marginalized children and adults can lift themselves out of poverty and participate fully in society. (​UNESCO​)

Create an inclusive educational context allows us to build a microcosm of what it would look like if the world were inclusive. It may be (it is) the case that – out there – people suffer and struggle as a result of societal barriers, but in our classrooms or virtual learning environments, we can remove a lot of those barriers and make it clear that all sorts of differences are welcomed. And that means that our learners can experience life in a welcoming, safe, and socially just space. They can learn that it's far from scary to be in a such a space; it is in fact conducive to deep learning and positive transformation.

In my experience, when we’re successful in creating these kinds of learning environments, people become intoxicated by the beauty of a context in which they feel safe and seen and they often go on to try to create similar environments in their work and lives. So, if we craft inclusive spaces in our learning programs, we’re doing much more than making it possible for people with disabilities to learn (which is, obviously, an extremely important goal in itself).

This is how education becomes transformative. And it doesn’t only happen in university courses or school curriculum or formal education for the masses. We can do these same things in workplace training. In community classes. When we play with toddlers and help them learn about the world. And – my focus for 2025 – in the plethora of online courses and programs that small business owners and creatives and organisations create.