Exploring Transformative Usability in the Business and Professional Writing Classroom

Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Mar 2018

Exploring Transformative Usability in the Business and Professional Writing Classroom

Danielle Nielsen

Abstract

This article addresses the importance of teaching transformative usability and accessibility concepts through the lens of disability studies in general business and professional communication courses. It argues that when students learn to analyze audiences, include diverse users, and foresee accessibility before the final draft because they practice user-centered design, their documents become more accessible for all users and situations. It presents a four-unit course plan that integrates disability studies and usability, including legal requirements. The unit plan advocates considering disability and diverse users and uses at the beginning of the design process.

Journal: Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published: 2018-03-01
DOI: 10.1177/2329490617748690
CompPile: Search in CompPile ↗
Topics: multimodality technical communication professional writing disability studies

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

Ptacek et al. (2026)

Integrating Mediated Reflexivity in the Classroom to Build Positive Communicati…

Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Butler (2024)

A Profession of Accessible Conversations: Convo Communications

Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Moshiri et al. (2020)

An Updated and Expanded Nationwide Study of Business Communication Courses

Business and Professional Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (5)

Moshiri et al. (2014)

The State of Business Communication Classes

Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Oswal (2014)

Participatory design

Communication Design Quarterly
Walters (2010)

Toward an Accessible Pedagogy: Dis/ability, Multimodality, and Universal Design…

Technical Communication Quarterly
Palmeri (2006)

Disability Studies, Cultural Analysis, and the Critical Practice of Technical C…

Technical Communication Quarterly
Breuch et al. (2001)

Usability Instruction in Technical Communication Programs

Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Also cites 17 works outside this index ↓

10.28945/691

↗
10.1007/978-3-319-06163-4

↗
10.1002/ss.394

↗
10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.06.017

↗
10.18061/dsq.v35i2.4632

↗
10.2190/RAAC1

↗
10.2190/RAAC4

↗
10.1177/1080569913493460

↗
10.2190/RAAC2

↗
10.1509/jppm.28.1.16

↗
10.17265/2159-5313/2016.09.003

↗
10.7330/9781607324850.c006

↗
10.2190/RAAC7

↗
10.2190/RAAC6

↗
10.1109/TPC.2010.2052861

↗
10.1109/TPC.2010.2052860

↗
10.1145/947226.947227

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 6 View in citation network →