Accessibility Beyond the Ramp

Image Description: A kawaii style illustration on the topic of access needs. In the centre are the words “accessibility is more than a ramp” which is then surrounded by examples of access needs. Starting from the top left corner and working clockwise… “flexible time constraints” and a drawing of an alarm clock. “camel case” and a drawing of a hashtag. “noise levels” and a drawing of musical notes. “Braille” and a drawing of the word Braille written in Braille. “image description + alt text” there’s no drawing with this one. “font choices” and a drawing of overly decorative font. “hearing loop” and a drawing of the hearing loop logo. “colour combinations” and a drawing of two examples of combinations, one clear and one very unclear. “subtitles and closed captioning” and a drawing of the closed captions CC logo. “lighting levels” and a drawing of a ceiling light and light beam. “sign interpreter” and a drawing of an arm demonstrating the way to say hello in BSL. The background of the slide is pale blue.

I was recently reminded that often, when people think about accessibility, they think of ramps and level access features vital for wheelchair users and people with other physical differences.

But as our understanding of disability, including neurodiversity (often referred to within institutions as cognitive or intellectual disabilities), increases, we must also rethink our preconceptions about accessibility.

Recently, a GEDSI advisor I was coaching during 2023 asked me what accessibility looked like for people with neurodiversity. She was familiar with people with physical differences, people who are deaf or hard of hearing (HOH), and people who are blind or have sight limitations, but she didn’t know what accessibility looked like for people who are neurodiverse.

The sensory and communications needs of neurodivergent people are often invisible, but considerations of these needs can be the difference in whether a person can access our local and international development programs.

Inaccessible spaces lock neurodivergent people out of virtually all aspects of everyday life — from accessing basic needs, including healthcare, education, community programs and work, to seeing friends and family and enjoying hobbies and interests. History shows that making adjustments intended to benefit one group of people often also benefits many others; it is time we make our projects and programs accessible to everyone.

Research shows that often, people who are neurodivergent (for example, people with autism) are likely to experience very high rates of anxiety. This means that local and international community development practitioners must recognise the ties between anxiety and sensory differences and adapt the spaces we create accordingly.

The environments we use every day have not been designed to meet the needs of neurodivergent people and can be difficult to change in retrospect, but there are still small-scale adjustments that can be made, such as designing quiet spaces (which is why we hold many of our Melbourne based workshops at Ceres environmental gardens) or providing sensory tools.

In some cases, the biggest access barrier is stigma; too many neurodivergent people do not feel comfortable providing for their own sensory needs because doing so will mark them out as different.

Creating inclusive spaces for neurodivergent people is complex but necessary. We know more today than ever about neurodiversity, sensory differences, and the adjustments that need to be made — there is now no excuse not to consider these needs as part of wider inclusive design.

Consider these inclusivity principles when you are co-designing accessible spaces.

1. Flexibility is key. Different people have different and often conflicting needs: Some people are most comfortable in stimulating spaces, while others find them overwhelming. Aiming for one stereotyped idea of neurodiverse inclusive/disability inclusive/inclusive environments will not work. Instead, we should focus on a choice of environments to meet as wide a range of needs as possible. Where this is not possible, spaces should be adaptable: a low stimuli default to avoid causing overload, with the option to add higher-stimuli choices as needed.
2. Information is empowering. Sometimes, it will not be possible to accommodate all needs perfectly, especially in existing spaces that have not been built with accessibility in mind. However, there are still ways to make these spaces easier to use, such as providing information in advance so people can prepare and make informed decisions.
3. Access standards should be co-developed with neurodivergent people and families. Inclusive spaces are not nice-to-have; they are the difference between whether a person can access a space, a project, or a program or not. Neurodivergent people have a wide range of needs and experiences. To ensure your measures are as inclusive as possible, seek insight from a wide range of neurodivergent people.

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