Creating Inclusive Developers: Integrating Accessibility Education Through a Practical Learning Method
Abstract
Introduction: Although essential, software accessibility is still absent from many higher education computing programs, leaving a gap in the training of professionals. While past research has proposed methods for its inclusion, these often do not provide the resources needed for use. Objective: This work aims to address this gap by proposing a practical, structured, and reproducible accessibility teaching method to facilitate the inclusion of accessibility in computing courses. Methodology or Steps: To address this, we present and evaluate an accessibility teaching method that combines Project-Based Learning and Design Thinking. The key contribution is that it provides all necessary materials for its implementation: lesson plans, activity guides, and slides. Results: Results from three applications with students and professors indicate increased awareness and understanding of accessibility and positive feedback. These findings suggest the method can foster empathy and practical skills, supporting the inclusion of accessibility in computing curricula.
Keywords:
Accessibility, Teaching, Human-Computer Interaction, Teaching Method
References
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Altay, B., Ballice, G., Bengisu, E., Alkan-Korkmaz, S., e Paykoç, E. (2016). Embracing student experience in inclusive design education through learner-centred instruction. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(11):1123–1141.
Antonelli, H. L., Rodrigues, S. S., Watanabe, W. M., e de Mattos Fortes, R. P. (2018). A survey on accessibility awareness of brazilian web developers. In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Software Development and Technologies for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion, pages 71–79.
Baker, C. M., El-Glaly, Y. N., e Shinohara, K. (2020). A systematic analysis of accessibility in computing education research. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, pages 107–113.
Barak, M. e Dori, Y. J. (2005). Enhancing undergraduate students’ chemistry understanding through project-based learning in an it environment. Science education, 89(1):117–139.
Bi, T., Xia, X., Lo, D., Grundy, J., Zimmermann, T., e Ford, D. (2022). Accessibility in software practice: A practitioner’s perspective. ACM Trans. Softw. Eng. Methodol., 31(4).
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Krajcik, J. S. e Blumenfeld, P. C. (2005). Project-Based Learning, pages 317—-334. Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
Ludi, S., Huenerfauth, M., Hanson, V., Rajendra Palan, N., e Conn, P. (2018). Teaching inclusive thinking to undergraduate students in computing programs. In Proceedings of the 49th ACM technical symposium on computer science education, pages 717–722.
Mohamadi, Z. (2018). Comparative effect of project-based learning and electronic project-based learning on the development and sustained development of english idiom knowledge. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 30(2):363–385.
Palan, N. R., Hanson, V. L., Huenerfauth, M., e Ludi, S. (2017). Teaching inclusive thinking in undergraduate computing. In Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, pages 399–400.
Putnam, C., Dahman, M., Rose, E., Cheng, J., e Bradford, G. (2016). Best practices for teaching accessibility in university classrooms: Cultivating awareness, understanding, and appreciation for diverse users. ACM Trans. Access. Comput., 8(4).
Razzouk, R. e Shute, V. (2012). What is design thinking and why is it important? Review of educational research, 82(3):330–348.
Shinohara, K., Bennett, C. L., Wobbrock, J. O., e Pratt, W. (2017). Teaching accessibility in a technology design course. In Smith, B., Borge, M., Mercier, E., e Lim, K., editors, Making a Difference: Prioritizing Equity and Access in CSCL: 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) 2017, Volume 1, pages 239–246. International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS).
Silva, A. T. d. A., Teran, L. A., Rocha, T. Á. d., e Mota, M. P. (2022). A study on accessibility aspects of software development in brazil. In 19th CONTECSI 2022 - Proceedings and Abstracts.
Teran, L. A., Silva, A. T. d. A., Melo, G. L. N., e Mota, M. P. (2021). A study on discovering accessibility issues in the software development process. In 18th CONTECSI 2021 - Proceedings and Abstracts.
Waller, A., Hanson, V. L., e Sloan, D. (2009). Including accessibility within and beyond undergraduate computing courses. In Proceedings of the 11th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibility, pages 155–162.
Wang, Y. D. (2012). A holistic and pragmatic approach to teaching web accessibility in an undergraduate web design course. In Proceedings of the 13th annual conference on Information technology education, pages 55–60.
Zhao, Q., Mande, V., Conn, P., Al-khazraji, S., Shinohara, K., Ludi, S., e Huenerfauth, M. (2020). Comparison of methods for teaching accessibility in university computing courses. In The 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, pages 1–12.
Altay, B., Ballice, G., Bengisu, E., Alkan-Korkmaz, S., e Paykoç, E. (2016). Embracing student experience in inclusive design education through learner-centred instruction. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(11):1123–1141.
Antonelli, H. L., Rodrigues, S. S., Watanabe, W. M., e de Mattos Fortes, R. P. (2018). A survey on accessibility awareness of brazilian web developers. In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Software Development and Technologies for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion, pages 71–79.
Baker, C. M., El-Glaly, Y. N., e Shinohara, K. (2020). A systematic analysis of accessibility in computing education research. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, pages 107–113.
Barak, M. e Dori, Y. J. (2005). Enhancing undergraduate students’ chemistry understanding through project-based learning in an it environment. Science education, 89(1):117–139.
Bi, T., Xia, X., Lo, D., Grundy, J., Zimmermann, T., e Ford, D. (2022). Accessibility in software practice: A practitioner’s perspective. ACM Trans. Softw. Eng. Methodol., 31(4).
Bohman, P. R. (2012). Teaching Accessibility and Design-For-All in the Information and Communication Technology Curriculum: Three Case Studies of Universities in the United States, England, and Austria. Doctoral dissertation, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA. All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, 1369.
El-Glaly, Y. N. (2020). Teaching accessibility to software engineering students. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, pages 121–127.
Freire, A. P., Russo, C. M., e Fortes, R. P. M. (2008). A survey on the accessibility awareness of people involved in web development projects in brazil. In Proceedings of the 2008 International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A), W4A ’08, page 87–96, New York, NY, USA. Association for Computing Machinery.
Gabbert, P. (2020). Teaching accessibility in a cs0 class. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 35(7):11–20.
Golzar, J., Noor, S., e Tajik, O. (2022). Convenience sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies, 1(2):72–77.
Gomes, B., Rios, J., e Rodrigues, K. R. H. (2020). Challenges for the implementation of accessible web and mobile systems. In Santos, R. P. d., Maciel, C., e Viterbo, J., editors, Software Ecosystems, Sustainability and Human Values in the Social Web, pages 138–158, Cham. Springer International Publishing.
Krajcik, J. S. e Blumenfeld, P. C. (2005). Project-Based Learning, pages 317—-334. Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
Ludi, S., Huenerfauth, M., Hanson, V., Rajendra Palan, N., e Conn, P. (2018). Teaching inclusive thinking to undergraduate students in computing programs. In Proceedings of the 49th ACM technical symposium on computer science education, pages 717–722.
Mohamadi, Z. (2018). Comparative effect of project-based learning and electronic project-based learning on the development and sustained development of english idiom knowledge. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 30(2):363–385.
Palan, N. R., Hanson, V. L., Huenerfauth, M., e Ludi, S. (2017). Teaching inclusive thinking in undergraduate computing. In Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, pages 399–400.
Putnam, C., Dahman, M., Rose, E., Cheng, J., e Bradford, G. (2016). Best practices for teaching accessibility in university classrooms: Cultivating awareness, understanding, and appreciation for diverse users. ACM Trans. Access. Comput., 8(4).
Razzouk, R. e Shute, V. (2012). What is design thinking and why is it important? Review of educational research, 82(3):330–348.
Shinohara, K., Bennett, C. L., Wobbrock, J. O., e Pratt, W. (2017). Teaching accessibility in a technology design course. In Smith, B., Borge, M., Mercier, E., e Lim, K., editors, Making a Difference: Prioritizing Equity and Access in CSCL: 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) 2017, Volume 1, pages 239–246. International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS).
Silva, A. T. d. A., Teran, L. A., Rocha, T. Á. d., e Mota, M. P. (2022). A study on accessibility aspects of software development in brazil. In 19th CONTECSI 2022 - Proceedings and Abstracts.
Teran, L. A., Silva, A. T. d. A., Melo, G. L. N., e Mota, M. P. (2021). A study on discovering accessibility issues in the software development process. In 18th CONTECSI 2021 - Proceedings and Abstracts.
Waller, A., Hanson, V. L., e Sloan, D. (2009). Including accessibility within and beyond undergraduate computing courses. In Proceedings of the 11th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibility, pages 155–162.
Wang, Y. D. (2012). A holistic and pragmatic approach to teaching web accessibility in an undergraduate web design course. In Proceedings of the 13th annual conference on Information technology education, pages 55–60.
Zhao, Q., Mande, V., Conn, P., Al-khazraji, S., Shinohara, K., Ludi, S., e Huenerfauth, M. (2020). Comparison of methods for teaching accessibility in university computing courses. In The 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, pages 1–12.
Published
2025-09-08
How to Cite
SILVA, Alan T. A.; DOS SANTOS, Suzane S.; MOTA, Marcelle P..
Creating Inclusive Developers: Integrating Accessibility Education Through a Practical Learning Method. In: BRAZILIAN SYMPOSIUM ON HUMAN FACTORS IN COMPUTATIONAL SYSTEMS (IHC), 24. , 2025, Belo Horizonte/MG.
Anais [...].
Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação,
2025
.
p. 1183-1204.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/ihc.2025.10880.
