Empowering Access
Access for all, growth for everyone. CEHHS A&E offers a list of resources that offer perspectives about access in creating a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. This guide emphasizes skills and philosophical perspectives on implementing these concepts as part of community building. These resources are available through the UT Library and online.
Defining Access
access noun
freedom or ability to obtain or make use of something (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
How Do Others Define Access?
- 5 Minute Lessons: How to Create an Inclusive and Accessible Travel Experience | Video – Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine
- Access Definition – Webpage – Great Schools Partnership
- The Importance of Inclusion and Access in Youth Sports | Article – Teresa Morrissey & Maureen Neumann (National Recreation and Park Association)
- Understanding Accessibility | Webpage – University of Minnesota
- What Does ‘Access to Health Care’ Mean | Scholarly Journal Article – M. Guillford and colleagues
Voices on Empowering Access
The resources below feature voices speaking about civility and collegiality both through theory and through practice.
General Educational Resources
- ACCESS: Accessible Course Construction for Every Students Success – a book by Cat Mahaffey and Ashlyn C. Walden provides a practical guide to accommodating diverse learning needs and preferences in higher education
- College Aspirations and Access in Working-Class Rural Communities: The Mixed Signals, Challenges, and New Language First-Generation Students Encounter – a book by Sonja Ardoin explores how a working-class rural environment influences students’ college aspirations and access
- Improving Postsecondary Choice and Pathways: Student Access and College Match – a book edited by Katherine C. Aquino and Ryan P. Hudes explores influences and experiences in the college search process
- Perspectives on Access to Higher Education: Practice and Research – a book edited by Rosemarie Davis and colleagues highlights various perspectives on widening participation and access in higher education
Articles & Reports
- Determining Factors of Access and Equity in Higher Education: A Systematic Review – a scholarly journal article by Mega Wanti and colleagues provides an overview on factors influencing access and inequity in higher education
- Funding Student Success: Eliminating Transportation Barriers – an article by Ashley Mowreader (Inside Higher Ed) sharing a new initiative at Guilford Technical Community College in North Carolina to transport students and community members to campus in electric vans
- Policies to Ensure Equitable Access to Well-Resourced Colleges and Universities – an issue brief by Cindy Le and colleagues that outlines the impacts of inequitable access to well-resourced institutions
- Why College Access Is a Challenge for Rural Black Students – an article by J. Brian Charles (The Chronicle of Higher Education) explores the unique obstacles faced by rural Black students in their pursuit of higher education
Videos & Webinars
- 30 Years of the ADA and the Future of Accessibility – a webinar from Rochester Institute of Technology discussing the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its influence on higher education
- Higher Education Access and the American Workforce – a webinar panel discussion from Harvard Radcliffe Institute envisions ways to build accessible and equitable educational systems for students from all backgrounds
- Remote Learning for Equity and Access – a video from The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights Maine’s investments in remote learning and remote work to provide accessibility for learners and workers
- Rethinking Access and Success in Higher Education – a video of Timothy Renick (TEDx Talks) speaking about access efforts in Georgia to eliminate barriers and increase access to higher education
Multimedia Resources
- Accessible Information, Materials, and Technology – a website from UT Knoxville the outlines the institutions’ commitment to ensuring accessibility for all students and provides institutional resources
- Let’s Get Accessible: Upgrading Your Digital Communications – a digital presentation created by CEHHS A&E and CEHHS Office of Marketing and Communications on digital accessibility (January 2023)
- Pause Before Posting: Making Your Social Media Accessible for All – a digital presentation created by CEHHS A&E and CEHHS Office of Marketing and Communications on social media accessibility (February 2023)
- Modality Madness: Optimize Your Presentations for Your Audience – a digital presentation created by CEHHS A&E and CEHHS Office of Marketing and Communications on access during program planning (March 2023)
Podcasts
- ADA Compliance in Higher Education: What Institutions Need to Know – a podcast episode from Changing Higher Ed explains the new Americans with Disabilities Act digital accessibility regulations for higher education
- Aligning Our Values through Accessibility – a podcast episode from Teaching in Higher Education discusses the importance of integrating accessibility into education practices
- On-Going, New, and Emerging Impacts of Access – a podcast episode from the ASHE Presidential Podcast highlights various forces impacting access to higher education and shifts in institutional policy
- Voices of Student Success: Expanding Access to Study Abroad – a podcast episode from The Key Podcast discusses a new initiative aimed at empowering and supporting first-generation and low-income students interested in experiential learning and study abroad
Created April 2025 by Miranda N. Rutan, Doctoral Candidate, CEHHS A&E, UT Knoxville