Connecting Accessibility and Engineering/Computing in the Technical Communication Classroom

In the required Writing in the Disciplines course for undergraduate engineering and computer science students, the authors have developed a project about accessibility that requires students to identify a virtual or physical space (primarily on campus or in the local Buffalo community) and write reports that analyze the accessibility of the site and provide recommendations for improvement. By bridging concepts from Disability Studies and engineering design, the authors aim to help students understand how structural inequities are built into spaces, products, and the digital world. This project also offers students an opportunity to publish their work via the university’s institutional repository. A student survey given after the project’s conclusion demonstrated that students felt they knew more about accessibility and its role in engineering work; however, there was a lack of interest in publishing. This paper describes the project, discusses successes and challenges, outlines plans for moving forward, and offers recommendations for others interested in implementing a similar project.