Events and programming represent an important opportunity in which to consider accessibility and inclusion. Not only is information shared in these moments, but it is also where community and belonging are built. Participants engage in the opportunities afforded in the programming, but also engage with fellow participants to form personal and professional connections, explore interests, find common ground, build resumes, and discover new directions. When people are left out due to inaccessible environments or unintentional barriers, these individuals are denied important opportunities. As a community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, this is not an acceptable outcome.

There is not only a moral and ethical mandate to ensure accessibility and inclusion, but also a legal mandate. Events and programming are part of the university’s programs and activities and as such, there are legal requirements to ensure a baseline level of accessibility. The most relevant legislation includes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (often referred to as the revised title Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). These laws, along with others, establishes the mandate that all individuals no matter what their abilities have the opportunity to equitably participate in all aspects of the university. That includes in the classroom, but most relevant for this guide, outside of the classroom as well.

Addressing accessibility and inclusion is necessarily complicated and nuanced in practice and there is not one strategy or solution that will work every time. It requires:

A commitment to understanding the needs and potential needs of participants
Proactive planning, in particular using Universal Design frameworks
Flexible planning
Individualization without marginalization
A caring and compassionate staff
Coordination with campus resources

Though that may seem like a lot to consider, inclusion and accessibility are not completely new initiatives. Much of the time, inclusion and accessibility require tweaks or modifications to practices as opposed to learning new ones. For instance, making sure videos have captions, food is within reaching distance for someone in a wheelchair, spaces are navigable and free of obstructions, agendas are posted for participants in advance, and accommodations are easily requested, are all minor changes that can make a big difference.

That is not to say that all changes are simple and easy. For instance, creating accessible documents can be complicated depending on the types of documents and the formats. The work can quickly become quite technical, and sometimes additional expertise is needed to ensure full accessibility. In these instances, there may be a need for additional staff development or the creation of pathways to remediation. These can take time and effort, but in the end these improvements not only make a difference for those who require them, but they also make a difference for all participants.

Inclusion and accessibility are not about creating environments that work for “some learners”. Rather it is about creating environments that are effective for ALL learners. This includes learners who will benefit directly and specifically as well as those who may indirectly benefit. For instance, posting an agenda may help individuals with Autism understand the structure and expectations, but it also helps people who may be new to events and may not know what to expect. Accessible and inclusive environments are simply more effective for everyone and creating more effective learning environments for all is the ultimate goal of this guide.

Purpose of this Guide

The intent of this guide is to provide information related to how we at UNH can create events and programming that is both accessible and inclusive. While there are many practices and considerations included here, it is important to note that what is contained within this guide is by no means complete. Planning should include careful consideration of:

The purpose and goals of the event or programming
The context
The participants

These different factors can change what supports need to be in place and how individualization is handled. Because of this, this guide is meant to provide signposts on the path as opposed to destinations.

It is also meant to be a living document where best practices can be collected and shared. As practices are put in place and found to be effective, they can be organized here as exemplars that can be used by others to further influence practices. This will only further help to contextualize the guide to the UNH community.