Learning About Classroom Accessibility From a Student–Instructor Partnership

Abstract

In this commentary, we, a recent Master of Public Health (MPH) graduate with hearing loss and a course instructor, share what we learned about classroom accessibility while participating in a semester-long qualitative research methods course offered during the COVID-19 pandemic. We complement our reflections on working together with findings from a student field project focused on the lived classroom experiences of graduate students with hearing loss. The field project revealed that students adapted to increased communication challenges in their learning environments without requesting official accommodations due to stigma and a desire to limit their burden on others. We then conclude with implications for partnerships and collective action to address abelism and inequitable learning environments, specifically the value of student–instructor partnerships, the incorporation of universal design for learning principles, the importance of collaboration across different campus departments, and the need for higher education institutions to adopt a cultural model of disability that will create meaningful access in learning environments.