Fostering an Inclusive Environment: Increasing Course Accessibility (Building Better Curriculum) - February 15, 2023

All webinar sessions include closed captions.

One in four persons in the US self-identify as having a disability.¹ However, disability prevalence was reported as 4.6% of medical students in 2019,² and 3.1% of physicians in 2021.³  Although many health leadership organizations have expressed a commitment to include learners with disabilities (LWD), many programs have not implemented best practices for curricular design and inclusive and accessible instruction to meet the heterogeneous needs of LWD.^4,5  

Accessibility best practices that need to be fully implemented include: captioning and providing transcripts of videos and lectures; providing alt text for images and diagrams; using proper color contrast in presentation materials; leaving blank space at the bottom of slides for captions; proactively posting materials in advance and recording didactic sessions for learners to access subsequently; and more.⁵ Common accessibility barriers in clinical settings include: incompatibility of dictation or speech-to-text software with EMR systems, reluctance to request excused absences for necessary medical appointments, needs for alterations in schedule or location, and more. As value is placed on accessibility, a welcoming message is sent to LWD that: their needs are important, they are expected to be part of the cohort, and they belong. This strong commitment to accessibility enhances an inclusive learning environment.      

References:
1. Okoro, C. A., Hollis, N. D., Cyrus, A. C., & Griffin-Blake, S. (2018). Prevalence of disabilities and health care access by disability status and type among adults—United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(32), 882.|
2. Meeks, L. M., Case, B., Herzer, K., Plegue, M., & Swenor, B. K. (2019). Change in prevalence of disabilities and accommodation practices among US medical schools, 2016 vs 2019. JAMA, 322(20), 2022-2024.
3. Nouri Z, Dill MJ, Conrad SS, Moreland CJ, Meeks LM. Estimated prevalence of US physicians with disabilities. JAMA network open. 2021 Mar 1;4(3):e211254-.
4. Petersen KH, Sheets, Z, Singh, S., Jawadi, Z, Michael, D, Meeks, LM. Inclusive medicine and medical education: increasing the number of clinicians with disabilities. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health. Feb 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190632366.013.290
5. Petersen KH. Increasing Accessibility Through Inclusive Instruction and Design. In Disability as Diversity 2020 (pp. 143-173). Springer, Cham. 

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