View the Accessibility Around the World PDF.
To honor the spirit of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), held on May 17, 2025, Anthology invited organizations to answer the unifying question, “What’s one thing you have done to support accessibility at your organization?” The thoughtful responses we received were then shared through our social media campaign to spark global dialogue, celebrate real-world progress, and inspire others to take meaningful action toward digital inclusion. Those responses have been compiled here for further inspiration and celebration of GAAD.
University of York: Lillian Joy
“Ensure everyone has an action plan to make their practice more accessible and ensure they can easily talk to others about digital accessibility.”
University of Westminster: George Rhodes
“We have recently created and trialed a series of sensory maps for our campus libraries spaces. We want our learning environment to be as supportive as possible, including for those with disabilities, neurodiverse conditions, and other sensory issues. The maps cover light, sound, smells, temperature, level access, wheelchair accessible seating and other mobility information. We have trialed and refined these maps with engagement from both neurodiverse and disabled staff and students to help shape the look and use of these tools. We are launching the maps to everyone on GAAD 2025 and will be sharing our examples and process on MakingThingsAccessible.com so other universities may learn from our experience.”
Sinclair Community College: Chris Prokes
“We continue to provide the best training and learning opportunities available for all of our employees and students to see the impact of accessibility in action. ”
University of Leeds: Lucy Thacker
“One significant initiative I have undertaken to support accessibility at my organisation (University of Leeds) is hosting STEM Accessibility Essentials workshops. These 90-minute, in-person sessions are designed to upskill staff on making math equations and complex graphs more accessible for all students. Each session features demonstrations of techniques and software that academic colleagues can utilise to simplify and accelerate the process of ensuring digital accessibility. The in-person format provides staff with the opportunity to ask questions and engage more deeply with the content, which is crucial given the unique challenges of ensuring accessibility in STEM subjects. By providing this hands-on training, we empower our staff to create more inclusive educational materials, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for all students.”
Texas Woman’s University: Dr. David Gardner
“I teach integrating accessibility alongside security from the start, making it fundamental to every student's design process."
Vincennes University: Jamie Singleton
“In Spring 2025, we launched an email campaign to online and campus faculty, sharing why accessibility matters and tutorials for Ally.”
University of South Carolina: Dr. Alexandria Carrico
“I have expanded my “Disability and Accessibility” policy in my syllabus. While I still encourage students to seek out accommodations through our University Student Disability Center, I also acknowledge that there are many factors that impede students from seeking accommodations through ocial oces. Thus, I tell my students that I am happy to provide “unocial accommodations” that will maximize their success. I ask they inform me of these accommodations and tell them that they do not need to disclose anything they do not wish to. Additionally, since many disabilities can flare up during times of stress, I let my students know that they can ask for accommodations anytime during the semester. This helps students feel empowered to take agency of their own educational journey and to build the confidence and skill set to know how to advocate for themselves in the future long after they have left my class.”
