|
Digital Curb Cuts in Higher EducationHow Do CBU Students Experience Accessibility While Using Digital Learning Resources?
|
Decisions about the design of spaces, whether they be physical or digital, impact who can access them and how people experience them. The concept of Universal Design emerged in the 1980s with a focus on designing spaces, environments, and systems that maximized the ability of all people to access them and engage within them, without creating unintended barriers or the need for additional supports for some users (Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, 2026b). A key concept within Universal Design is the Curb Cut Effect (Oxford Review, 2026). This stems from the realization that adding curb cuts to walkways to facilitate wheelchair access can benefit people with diverse needs and circumstances beyond wheelchair users (e.g., cyclists, parents with strollers, people with luggage, delivery workers, etc.). The Curb Cut Effect demonstrates that deliberate design decisions to accommodate specific accessibility needs actually benefit everyone, not just those with identified disabilities. The concept of digital curb cuts carries the Curb Cut Effect into digital environments, telling us that taking intentional steps to facilitate access and meet digital accessibility standards likewise benefits all users (Bureau of Internet Accessibility, 2022).
Overview
What Do We Hope to Learn?
|
NotebookLM (Google, 2026) was given a copy of the supporting documents for the Digital Curb Cuts research study proposal, and was given the following prompt:
Create a short overview video that describes what we hope to learn through the Digital Curb Cuts research study. |
|
Key Concepts
|
Access. Merriam-Webster (2026) defines access as "permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to and from a place or to approach or communicate with a person or thing," "freedom or ability to obtain or make use of something," and "a way or means of entering or approaching." In the context of digital learning environments, the term "access" will be used to mean the ability of learners to enter into, engage with, and make use of learning resources and opportunities.
Accessibility. Accessibility Services Canada (2026) defines accessibility as "the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people who experience disabilities." The term "accessibility" will be used to mean technical design elements that either enhance the ability of all users to "access" digital learning environments and resources, regardless of diagnosed disability status.
Curb Cut Effect. Oxford Review (2026) defines the Curb Cut Effect as “a phenomenon where accessibility features designed to aid a specific, marginalized group end up benefiting a much broader population.”
Digital Curb Cuts. The application of the Curb Cut Effect within digital environments, whereby the availability of accessibility features and adherence to digital accessibility standards benefits users beyond those with diagnosed disabilities. As noted by Bureau for Internet Accessibility (2022), “many digital accessibility features have broad appeal beyond the populations they are built to support.”
Universal Design. The Centre of Excellence in Universal Design defines Universal Design as "the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability."
Universal Design for Learning. “A framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning based on what we know about the human brain” (CAST, 2026a).
|
Research Problem
The underlying question to be explored by the first phase of this research is one of how students experience access and accessibility to learning opportunities through digital learning environments at Cape Breton University. This research aims to examine whether CBU’s digital learning environments promote access and accessibility to learning opportunities, or present barriers to learning. This will include looking at students’ experiences within environments such as the Moodle (n.d.) learning management system, the Microsoft Teams (2026c) virtual meeting and virtual collaborative workspace platform, and the CBU Library website and databases (CBU, n.d.). It will examine the impacts of general platform layout and aesthetic design elements, the organization of resources, compliance with web accessibility standards (W3C, 2025a), and instructional design elements such as the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (CAST, 2026a, b). Students will also be asked whether they relied on accessibility services through the Jennifer Keeping Centre (CBU, 2026) to support their learning success within CBU’s digital learning environments.
As previously stated, Phase 2 of this research will explore faculty perspectives and experiences with access and accessibility in CBU’s digital learning environments, including awareness of and challenges to meeting accessibility standards and integrating UDL principles. The findings of Phases 1 and 2 will inform Phase 3, which will focus on design and developing interventions, including appropriate faculty professional development, and technical and instructional design supports. Phase 4 of the research will involve graduated implementations of interventions and examine their impacts on students’ experiences with CBU’s digital learning environments.
Conceptual Framework
The foundations of this research are highlighted in the following Conceptual Framework.
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
Research Questions
Overarching Research Question: How can digital curb cuts be effectively implemented in higher education digital learning environments to enhance accessibility for a wider range students without requiring disability disclosure?
Research Questions (Phase 1):
- What are students’ perceptions and experiences of access and accessibility within CBU’s digital learning environments?
- To what extent do CBU’s digital learning environments promote access to learning opportunities?
- What accessibility enablers and/or barriers do students perceive within CBU’s digital learning environments, and how do they experience them?
- What accessibility enablers and/or barriers do students perceive and experience as a result of instructional design elements within their courses in CBU’s digital learning environments?
- What technical or instructional design elements within CBU’s digital learning environments do students identify as requiring attention to promote access and accessibility?
Significance of the Research
|
This research aims to examine the students’ experiences with access and accessibility within CBU’s digital learning environments. It aims to answer questions that could inform decisions about technical infrastructure, digital learning environment implementation, and faculty support and professional development that could maximize students’ experience with access and accessibility in their learning. Such decisions could support CBU’s compliance with relevant accessibility standards (e.g, WCAG), and position the university as a leader in meeting the principles of the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act (2017).
|
Research Phases
Figure 2: Proposed timelines for the phases of the Digital Curb Cuts research project
Full Research Proposal
Phase 1
Research Team
|
Dr. Rob Power
Associate Professor, Education, Cape Breton University Dr. Rob Power is currently an Associate Professor of Education at Cape Breton University. He has an extensive background in educational technology integration and instructional design for online and blended learning in K12, post-secondary, and workplace training contexts. Dr. Power has worked as an instructional design consultant and as the Leader of the Online Learning team with the Fraser Health Authority in British Columbia, Canada. He has also served in leadership roles with the International Association for Mobile Learning (IAmLearn) and the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE). Dr. Power is also a founding member of the Pedagogy, Education and Technology Lab (PETL) and the International Research Network for Innovative Sustainable and Seamless Learning (IRN-ISSE), and president of Power Learning Solutions. |
|
Dr. Rima Al-Tawil
Assistant Professor, Education, Cape Breton University Dr. Rima Al-Tawil is a distinguished educator and researcher specializing in distance and digital education, with a particular focus on electronic nonverbal cues (eNVC) in online learning environments. She holds a doctorate in education from Athabasca University and a master’s degree in adult education from Yorkville University. Her work primarily explores the underexplored world of nonverbal communication in asynchronous online discussions. Dr. Al-Tawil currently serves as an assistant professor in Digital Pedagogies at Cape Breton University and works as a training and communication specialist for a major utility company. This dual role allows her to blend her expertise in art, education, communication, and research to craft innovative educational experiences. Her diverse career includes roles as an instructor, senior learning consultant, and instructional designer across both academic and corporate settings. Additionally, she is a certified member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT), a researcher-weaver, and a deeper-learner. This unique combination of artistic talent and academic rigor enhances the research-driven educational initiatives she designs and implements, bringing a distinctive blend of creativity and scholarly rigor to her roles. |
References
Accessibility Act, R.S.N.S. 2017, c.2. https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/accessibility.pdf
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, S.O. 2005, c. 11. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11
Accessibility Services Canada (2026). Definitions. https://accessibilitycanada.ca/get-help/definitions/
Aquino, K., Cook, K., & Bittinger, J., (2025). A National Look at Shifts in Disability Self-Identification for Students Enrolled in Higher Education. AERA Open, 11(2025). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858425132251
Bureau of Internet Accessibility (2022, November 21). The Digital Curb Cut Effect: The Universal Benefits of Web Accessibility. Digital Accessibility. https://www.boia.org/blog/the-digital-curb-cut-effect-the-universal-benefits-of-web-accessibility
Cape Breton University (n.d.). CBU Library. https://libguides.cbu.ca/homepage
Cape Breton University (2026). Jennifer Keeping Centre for Accessible Learning. https://www.cbu.ca/current-students/student-services/accessibility-support-services/
CAST (2026a). About universal design for learning. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl
CAST (2026b). UDL Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
CBC Radio (2016, January 13). After student’s complaint, mental health gets a rethink at York University. As it Happens. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.3402077/after-student-s-complaint-mental-health-gets-a-rethink-at-york-university-1.3402250
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (2026a). About Universal Design. https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (2026b). History of Universal Design. https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design/history-of-universal-design
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Fifth edition). SAGE.
Digital Education Strategies, The Chang School (2019). Accessibility Law: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). In Introduction to Web Accessibility: Essential Accessibility for Everyone. Toronto Metropolitan University. https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/iwacc/chapter/accessibility-law-accessibility-for-ontarians-with-disabilities-act-aoda/
Google (2026, January 29). Digital Curb Cuts [AI-generated video]. NotebookLM [Video generator]. https://notebooklm.google.com/
Google (2026). NotebookLM [Small Langauge Model AI application]. https://notebooklm.google.com/
Granjon, M., Pillaud, N., Papa-Roch, M., Benoite Aubé,B., & Rohmer, O. (2025). Attitudes towards invisible disabilities: Evidence from behavioral tendencies. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 8(2025), 100164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100164
IBM (n.d.). IBM SPSS Statistics. https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics
International Standards Organization (2025). ISO/IEC 40500:2025: Information technology — W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. https://www.iso.org/standard/91029.html
Lumivero (2026). NVivo 15 - The Most Trusted Qualitative Analysis Software (QDA) is Even Better. https://lumivero.com/products/nvivo/
Merriam-Webster (2026). Definition of "access." https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/access
Microsoft (2026a). Microsoft Excel. https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-365/excel
Microsoft (2026b). Microsoft Forms. https://forms.microsoft.com/
Microsoft (2026c). Microsoft Teams: Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place. https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software?rtc=1
Moodle (n.d.). https://moodle.org
Nova Scotia (2026). About disability in Nova Scotia. https://accessible.novascotia.ca/about-disability-nova-scotia
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2016, January 6). New documentation guidelines for accommodating students with mental health disabilities. [Web page]. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news_centre/new-documentation-guidelines-accommodating-students-mental-health-disabilities
Oxford Review (2026). Curb cut effect – Definition and Explanation. https://oxford-review.com/the-oxford-review-dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dictionary/curb-cut-effect-definition-and-explanation/
Salesforce (2026). Tableau. https://www.tableau.com/
W3C (2025a). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). [Web page]. https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
W3C (2025b, October 21). W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 approved as ISO/IEC international standard. https://www.w3.org/press-releases/2025/wcag22-iso-pas/
Zlomislic, D. (2016, January 12). York University student wins mental-health fight. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/york-university-student-wins-mental-health-fight/article_66afd88c-5287-5208-a607-7987777194ea.htm
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, S.O. 2005, c. 11. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11
Accessibility Services Canada (2026). Definitions. https://accessibilitycanada.ca/get-help/definitions/
Aquino, K., Cook, K., & Bittinger, J., (2025). A National Look at Shifts in Disability Self-Identification for Students Enrolled in Higher Education. AERA Open, 11(2025). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858425132251
Bureau of Internet Accessibility (2022, November 21). The Digital Curb Cut Effect: The Universal Benefits of Web Accessibility. Digital Accessibility. https://www.boia.org/blog/the-digital-curb-cut-effect-the-universal-benefits-of-web-accessibility
Cape Breton University (n.d.). CBU Library. https://libguides.cbu.ca/homepage
Cape Breton University (2026). Jennifer Keeping Centre for Accessible Learning. https://www.cbu.ca/current-students/student-services/accessibility-support-services/
CAST (2026a). About universal design for learning. https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl
CAST (2026b). UDL Guidelines. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/
CBC Radio (2016, January 13). After student’s complaint, mental health gets a rethink at York University. As it Happens. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.3402077/after-student-s-complaint-mental-health-gets-a-rethink-at-york-university-1.3402250
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (2026a). About Universal Design. https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design
Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (2026b). History of Universal Design. https://universaldesign.ie/about-universal-design/history-of-universal-design
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Fifth edition). SAGE.
Digital Education Strategies, The Chang School (2019). Accessibility Law: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). In Introduction to Web Accessibility: Essential Accessibility for Everyone. Toronto Metropolitan University. https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/iwacc/chapter/accessibility-law-accessibility-for-ontarians-with-disabilities-act-aoda/
Google (2026, January 29). Digital Curb Cuts [AI-generated video]. NotebookLM [Video generator]. https://notebooklm.google.com/
Google (2026). NotebookLM [Small Langauge Model AI application]. https://notebooklm.google.com/
Granjon, M., Pillaud, N., Papa-Roch, M., Benoite Aubé,B., & Rohmer, O. (2025). Attitudes towards invisible disabilities: Evidence from behavioral tendencies. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 8(2025), 100164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2024.100164
IBM (n.d.). IBM SPSS Statistics. https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics
International Standards Organization (2025). ISO/IEC 40500:2025: Information technology — W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. https://www.iso.org/standard/91029.html
Lumivero (2026). NVivo 15 - The Most Trusted Qualitative Analysis Software (QDA) is Even Better. https://lumivero.com/products/nvivo/
Merriam-Webster (2026). Definition of "access." https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/access
Microsoft (2026a). Microsoft Excel. https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-365/excel
Microsoft (2026b). Microsoft Forms. https://forms.microsoft.com/
Microsoft (2026c). Microsoft Teams: Meet, chat, call, and collaborate in just one place. https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software?rtc=1
Moodle (n.d.). https://moodle.org
Nova Scotia (2026). About disability in Nova Scotia. https://accessible.novascotia.ca/about-disability-nova-scotia
Ontario Human Rights Commission (2016, January 6). New documentation guidelines for accommodating students with mental health disabilities. [Web page]. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news_centre/new-documentation-guidelines-accommodating-students-mental-health-disabilities
Oxford Review (2026). Curb cut effect – Definition and Explanation. https://oxford-review.com/the-oxford-review-dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dictionary/curb-cut-effect-definition-and-explanation/
Salesforce (2026). Tableau. https://www.tableau.com/
W3C (2025a). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). [Web page]. https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
W3C (2025b, October 21). W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 approved as ISO/IEC international standard. https://www.w3.org/press-releases/2025/wcag22-iso-pas/
Zlomislic, D. (2016, January 12). York University student wins mental-health fight. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/york-university-student-wins-mental-health-fight/article_66afd88c-5287-5208-a607-7987777194ea.htm