Slide 1: Barriers and Biases:
The Importance of Accessibility and Disability Representation in Scholarly Publishing
Carleen Crespo, MLIS (Student)
University of Maryland College Park
Slide 2: Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation, learners should be able to:
Define “disability” and “ableism” in the context of accessibility and scholarly publishing
Identify common barriers to accessibility that impact scholars with disabilities
Reference relevant laws and regulations for ensuring accessibility in scholarly materials
Apply best practices to improve the accessibility of scholarly publications, making research more inclusive
Advocate for increased representation of people with disabilities in scholarly research by recognizing systemic challenges and promoting equitable solutions
Identify and describe alternatives to traditional scholarly publishing
Slide 3: Introduction
In 2019–20, some 21 percent of undergraduates and 11 percent of postbaccalaureate students reported having a disability (National Center for Education Statistics)
“…defined as those who reported having deafness or serious difficulty hearing; blindness or serious difficulty seeing; serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition; or serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs”
Lack of access and overall representation can have consequences outside of academia, such as poor health outcomes and patient care (CDC)
As academic librarians are on the front line, they have the potential to make the most impact!
Slide 4: Definition of Disability
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Definition
A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Definition
A person with a disability is someone who:
has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,
has a history or record of such an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or
is perceived by others as having such an impairment (such as a person who has scars from a severe burn)
Application to an academic context
Slide 5: Definition of Ableism
“Bias, prejudice, and discrimination against people with disabilities. It hinges on the idea that people with disabilities are less valuable than nondisabled people” (Villines, 2021)
Medical vs. Social models of disability
Application to an academic context
“…the neoliberalisation of higher education has created productivity expectations, which contribute to the silencing of the disabled academics’ perspectives and experiences due to constructions of normality and stigmatization” (Brown & Ramlackhan, 2021)
Slide 6: Access Barriers
Poor knowledge of Copyright Laws
Limited Accessible Formats: Less than 10% of published works globally include accessibility features, such as alt-text for images or customizable text formats
PDF Accessibility: Many scholarly articles are distributed in PDF format, but studies show that only about 3.2% of tested PDFs meet accessibility standards, while nearly 75% fail all criteria. This issue has actually worsened since 2019, particularly among open-access papers (Kumar & Wang, 2024)
Lack of Captioning and Transcripts for audio and video content
Accessibility of Research Tools and Environments
Inaccessible software/platforms: Many data analysis tools, journal submission systems, and collaborative platforms are not designed with accessibility in mind (e.g., lack of screen reader support or keyboard navigation)
Physical access issues: Students with mobility impairments may have difficulty accessing labs, libraries, or field sites essential to their research
Slide 7: Research Barriers
Attitudinal Barriers and Ableism
Implicit bias: Faculty or peers may underestimate the capabilities of students with disabilities, offering fewer research opportunities
Lack of mentorship: There may be a shortage of mentors who understand both the challenges of academia and the nuances of disability accommodations
Discomfort in asking for accommodations or disclosing a disability
Limited accommodations: Universities may not adequately support research-specific accommodations (e.g., extended time for data collection, access to research assistants)
Communication Barriers
Students with learning disabilities or neurodivergence may struggle with expectations around structure, tone, and language
Difficulties with traditional academic writing norms
Slide 8: Publishing barriers
Paywalls, author fees
Limited Disability Disclosure: Many scholars with disabilities hesitate to disclose their conditions due to stigma or concerns about career impact (Brown & Leigh, 2018)
Inaccessible Publishing Processes
Journal websites and submission portal are often poorly designed for assistive technologies
Editorial and Peer Review Disparities: Disabled scholars are often underrepresented in editorial positions, affecting the diversity of perspectives in academic publishing
Peer review bias: Disclosure of disability (intentional or unintentional) may lead to biased evaluations
Funding disparities: Grants and fellowships often do not factor in the additional costs students with disabilities may incur (e.g., accessible travel, assistive tech).
Limited publishing format options - Publications not accepting alternative formats:
Negative bias toward disability
Slide 9: Benefits and losses
“It is the acknowledgement of the wholeness of our human experience and its potential. Persons with disabilities contribute to both our individuality and collectivity….recruiting disabled people as research partners diversifies qualitative, quantitative, and participatory research by contributing to scholarship and improving disability-based evidence research.” (Ndagire, 2024)
Slide 10: Legal Obligations: ADA
In the U.S., academic libraries are legally required to provide equitable access to all users, including those with disabilities. This obligation is reinforced by laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which mandates accessibility in public accommodations (part of state and local government), including university libraries
NOTE: The burden falls on the libraries, and not the publishers (Axelrod, 2018)
Slide 11: Legal Obligations: Copyright Laws
Marrakesh Treaty and Section 121A of U.S. copyright law allow institutions to create and share accessible versions of scholarly texts for individuals with disabilities
Chafee Amendment to the U.S. Copyright Act110 provides exemptions of copyright law, allowing for copyright works to be reproduced in formats that are accessible for individuals with print-related disabilities (Wentz, et al, 2023)
The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled is a WIPO-based treaty adopted in June 2013
provides for obligations for member states to have minimum limitations and exceptions to copyright to allow the creation and distribution of accessible format works and also to permit cross-border sharing of these formats (ACRL)
Slide 12: Moving Forward: Best Practices
Slide 13: As Librarians and Educators, 1
Collaboration and integration!!!
Normalize Disability Disclosure
Improve disability awareness in academic communities
Provide disability-aware training for supervisors, mentors, and research staff
Encourage Disability-informed mentoring programs and networks
Promote stories and visibility of successful disabled researchers who have lived experience
Foster Communities
Support peer-led disability affinity groups or writing circles
Connect students with professional organizations for disabled scholars
National Center for College Students with Disabilities, Chronically Academic, etc.
Slide 14: As Librarians and Educators, 2
Equitable Accommodation Policies
Extend disability accommodations to cover research work, not just coursework or exams
Allow for flexible timelines, remote participation, and alternative research methodologies
Targeted Funding and Support
Create grants specifically for disabled researchers to cover additional research costs (e.g., travel support, assistants, accessible tech)
Include accessibility support as a budget line in research funding applications
Accessible and Inclusive Research Infrastructure
Ensure all research software, library systems, lab equipment, and data platforms are compatible with assistive technologies
Design lab spaces and fieldwork options with universal access in mind
Slide 15: As Scholarly Publishers
Improved collaboration between libraries, publishers, and researchers
Use Accessible Publishing Platforms
Ensure submission portals and peer review systems comply with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1)
Adoption of universal design in research and publishing platforms
Accept alternative formats (e.g., visual, video, audio summaries, etc.) following the Digital Humanities model
Bias-Free Peer Review
Train reviewers on inclusive and respectful feedback, and how to avoid ableist assumptions
Encourage double-blind review to minimize bias related to disability disclosure.
Support content on disability studies and inclusive research practices
Slide 16: Alternatives to Traditional Publishing
1. Open Access Repositories and Preprint Servers
Examples: arXiv, SSRN, bioRxiv, OSF Preprints, Humanities Commons
Benefits: Freely accessible to all, removes paywall barriers, less rigid formatting requirements
2. Multimodal and Creative Scholarship
Formats: Podcasts, videos, graphic novels, visual essays, zines, digital storytelling
Platforms: YouTube (educational channels), SoundCloud (for podcasts), Scalar (for multimedia scholarship), Vimeo
Benefits: Accessible to individuals with different learning styles or communication preferences
3. Digital Humanities and Interactive Publishing
Platforms: Manifold, Scalar, Omeka (for digital exhibits)
Benefits: Allows users to annotate, interact, and contribute
Alternatives to Traditional Publishing, 2
4. Personal and Academic Blogs
Platforms: WordPress, Medium, Substack, university-hosted blogs
Benefits: Informal, self-published, and highly flexible, no editorial gatekeeping
Examples: Twitter threads, Instagram infographics, TikTok explainers
Benefits: Rapid dissemination and public engagement
6. Alternative Academic Journals
Examples: Disability Studies Quarterly (open access)
7: Open Peer Review and Transparent Publishing
Platforms: F1000Research, PubPub, Peer Community In (PCI)
Benefits: Inclusive feedback and transparent editorial processes
Slide 17: Learn More: Resources
Resources for Researchers with Disabilities | Grants & Funding
Disability Advocacy and Research Network - DARN Disability
Accessible Books Consortium (ABC): accessiblebooksconsortium.org
AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability)
Center for Universal Design in Education Overview | DO-IT
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
National Center for College Students with Disabilities (Home | National Center for College Students with Disabilities