There is a growing emphasis on integrating digital accessibility (DA) into higher education curricula. However, research on the learning outcomes of integrating DA into computer science education curricula remains limited. This study investigates the effectiveness of incorporating a DA-focused lecture and project requirements into a software engineering course. By analysing 62 student project reports, we evaluate students’ understanding and application of DA principles across seven key questions, including general DA concepts, user-centric considerations such as disabilities and diversity, and developer-centric practices like adherence to standards and accessibility testing. Our findings reveal that while students generally grasped the importance of DA, their engagement with specific concepts and practical skills, such as accessibility testing and diversity considerations, was limited. These results highlight the need for targeted educational strategies and hands-on training to bridge gaps in knowledge and application.

Universal Design (UD) and accessibility-related ideas have increasingly gained momentum in Higher Education (HE) debates, constituting an indispensable dimension of inclusion rhetoric. The article reports the findings from Cyprus, within a larger cross-national funded project on Accessibility and Universal Design in HE Curricula, examining experts’ experiences and recommendations on broadly incorporating Accessibility and UD into the content of HE curricula. This is the first study in the field conducted in Cyprus's HE context. The study's findings from two focus groups (10 participants in total) highlight the imperative of Universalizing UD-informed curricula by extending the number of courses focusing on UD and accessibility and informing research and practice more rigorously in HE. Lack of awareness of UD and its applications, alongside the lack of requirements and accountability regimes to promote UD, are identified as significant barriers. Respondents’ responses mirror a more ‘technicist’ rather than a critical approach to discussing UD, Assistive Technologies (AT) and accessibility and the necessity of developing democratic competencies in HE. These considerations relate to broader issues regarding political indifference, resistance, and inertia at university and governmental levels in promoting inclusion and its associated concepts of accessibility and UD in HE and beyond.

Since February 11, 2005, a French law guarantees the right for every child with a disability to attend mainstream classes. As a result, teaching materials must be adapted to ensure they are accessible and usable by these pupils. Through shadowing observations and interviews with experts in the transcription of materials for visually impaired pupils, we have modeled the transcription process. This model aims to provide a comprehensive description of the different practices used by these experts. It enabled us to: 1) understand the challenges, 2) identify the main obstacles, 3) explore opportunities for automating certain stages.

Research shows that traditional disability simulations can reinforce negative stereotypes by focusing solely on challenges. To address this issue, we developed three strategy-based games about students with visual, hearing, and mental health impairments, which follow previously designed guidelines. They were evaluated regarding Attractiveness, Knowledge Gain, and Empathy Gain. Nine participants played two games each. Attractiveness was assessed using the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). Knowledge Gain was assessed by having participants identify information that could be taken from the games. Empathy Gain was assessed using a self-report questionnaire with a Likert Scale rating the capabilities of people with disabilities. Results show that participants found the games enjoyable and effectively acquired knowledge through playable mechanics. While participants’ perceptions of students with disabilities did not show the anticipated quantitative improvements, qualitative feedback indicated an increased willingness to support these students. This suggests that disability simulations should prioritize showcasing strategies and successes.