Accessibility barriers in teaching and research: A survey in Switzerland

Persons with disabilities are underrepresented in higher education. Although some research has investigated the situation of students with disabilities, relatively little attention has been paid to the experiences of teachers and researchers. To gain a broader understanding of the barriers faced by this target group, interviews were conducted with teachers and researchers at higher education institutions across Switzerland. The responses were transcribed, and the identified barriers were clustered into 6 wider categories. Respondents reported a range of barriers including social, financial, and physical aspects. The implications of these findings for higher education institutions are discussed.