Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Sep 2023

Professionals’ Understanding of Accessibility Regarding Business Communication Materials

Sherrie L. Drye North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ; Stephanie Kelly North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ; Thelma Woodard North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gauge the understanding of accessibility related to business communication material among individuals working in corporate America. Participants were asked to define accessibility, then given a definition of accessibility, and then asked to identify how to make a report and a visual accessible. A substantial number of participants were not able to define accessibility, nor identify how to make accessible changes to a report or visual. Those who could define accessibility considered accessibility goals in terms of general access to resources, usability, audience analysis, or disability-related accessibility. Business majors were less likely than other majors to be able to identify disability-related methods of making a report or visual accessible. Implications for business communication education are discussed.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2023-09-01
DOI
10.1177/23294906221133068
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
technical communication professional writing disability studies
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

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    A Decade of Business and Professional Communication Quarterly : A PRISMA Guided…
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  2. Willers (2024)
    Bridging the Accessibility Divide: Testing the Efficacy of an Accessible User E…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

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