Educator Resource

Equal Access: Universal Design of Engineering Labs

A checklist for making engineering labs welcoming, accessible, and usable

As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities in engineering, accessibility of engineering teaching and research labs is critical. The ultimate goal is simply equal access. Hands-on learning in lab courses is an important component of an engineering degree. Everyone who needs to use your department's labs should be able to do so comfortably.

AccessSTEM Minigrant Projects

In the past, AccessSTEM received funds from the National Science Foundation (Research in Disabilities Education award # HRD-0227995) for educators to undertake projects that resulted in increased participation and success of students with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields. The titles below link to some of the successful projects funded through this effort.

Making Science Facilities Accessible

As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities that require computer use, the accessibility of science facilities becomes even more critical. To put it simply, science labs need to be accessible to all users. Students with disabilities need equal access to: (1) building/facilities, (2) lab staff, (3) physical space and printed materials, (4) computers and software, and (5) electronic resources.

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