How Creighton is bringing accessibility into computer science education
Technology shapes nearly every aspect of modern life, from education and healthcare to communication and employment. Yet many of the digital tools people rely on every day are not designed with all users in mind.
Through her sabbatical research and National Science Foundation-funded work, Catherine Baker, PhD, associate professor of computer science, is helping address that challenge by bringing accessibility into computer science education and preparing students to design technology that works for a wider range of people.
Making accessibility part of the conversation
Accessibility refers to the practice of designing technology so it can be used by people with disabilities. While accessibility is increasingly recognized as an important part of technology development, it is often absent from computing curriculum.
During her sabbatical, Baker focused on increasing the inclusion of accessibility concepts in computer science education. Working with collaborators, she examined technology job postings to better understand the accessibility-related skills employers are seeking and how those expectations vary across roles. She also worked with instructors to integrate accessibility into existing courses and explored ways to expand accessibility education to more students and faculty.
“There is this huge gap between what industry needs and what they're getting from their candidates around accessibility,” Baker says.
The work laid the foundation for a National Science Foundation grant that will support efforts to help more computing instructors incorporate accessibility concepts into their courses. Through workshops and professional development opportunities, the project aims to expand accessibility education beyond Creighton and into computing programs across the country.
From research to the classroom
The impact of that work can already be seen in Creighton classrooms.
Erika Germinario, a Class of 2026 graduate who majored in psychology and computer science, says learning about accessibility has changed the way she approaches technology design.
Prior to taking Baker's courses, accessibility was not something she regularly considered when creating software or applications. Today, it is one of the first questions she asks.
“Before that, I kind of thought of it as an edit or an afterthought after you create something,” Germinario says. “But now that I've taken Dr. Baker's classes, it's become pretty clear that you have to start with thinking, how do we create this thing accessibly?”
In a mobile app development course, Germinario created an application for lab scheduling. As she developed the project, she found herself considering how users might interact with the app through screen readers and other accessibility tools.
She says the experience has helped her feel more prepared to design for a wider range of users and has introduced her to areas of computer science she had not previously considered, including human-computer interaction and user experience design.
Designing with and for others
The importance of accessible technology extends beyond the classroom.
For Brooke Petro, a sophomore psychology major who is blind, accessible technology creates greater independence.
Petro says platforms such as Canvas have helped make her academic experience more manageable because they are designed with accessibility in mind. When course materials are inaccessible, however, even routine tasks can become more difficult and time-consuming.
“It's harder for us to function in a world that's not accommodating for us,” Petro says.
Petro believes accessibility is about more than providing accommodations. Thoughtful design can create greater independence and allow more people to participate fully in school, work and everyday life.
That perspective aligns closely with Creighton's commitment to forming students who are for and with others. By integrating accessibility into computing education, Baker's work encourages students to consider the needs of a broad range of users and to think carefully about how technology can expand access and opportunity.
As Baker's research continues and the NSF-funded initiative grows, the goal is to help more educators bring accessibility into their classrooms and prepare future technology professionals to design with accessibility in mind from the very beginning.
