Delivered at SURF Research Day 2024 in Amersfoort (NL) on May 30th, 2024. 

Abstract

The term "accessibility" ('toegankelijkheid' in Dutch) is a largely context-dependent. For instance, when used within research, it often refers to the FAIR Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Meanwhile, in the fields of web design, education, and law, "accessibility" primarily refers to design for people with disabilities. Several international, European, and Dutch regulations address and refer to accessibility in this second definition directly in a variety of societal aspects, which may be surprising if you've not come across it until now. When it comes to improving accessibility of research, we can ask some "why's" and "how's".

Why make things more accessible? By ensuring the excellence and societal relevance of our research requires a continuous commitment to understanding and enhancing accessibility at every stage of the research life cycle. Furthermore, improving accessibility in research environments, within all levels, will empower disabled researchers, students, and support staff to excel while also guaranteeing that our findings reach the broadest audience, a key element of open science.

How do we figure out how accessible our work is? How do we improve it? In this interactive session, we will discuss together the importance of accessibility throughout the research life cycle and share essential resources that you can use to assess and improve the accessibility of your scholarly work. Some topics that will be covered include research software, publications, education, and citizen science initiatives.

Note:

The slide deck is distributed the same across three file formats: .pptx, .odp, and .pdf. The .pptx format is the most (web) accessible while the .odp format is the most open without retaining several accessibility features - both formats are subject to formatting issues. The .pdf serves as a stable visual version with accessible features. In case of format issues, the .pdf file would be considered the reference file - this reference file is denoted by "1-" at the beginning of the file name.