Business and Professional Communication Quarterly Mar 2018

Foregrounding Accessibility Through (Inclusive) Universal Design in Professional Communication Curricula

Allison Hitt University of Central Arkansas

Abstract

Incorporating universal design (UD) both as a topic of discussion and as a pedagogical approach allows business and professional communication instructors to foreground accessibility in ways that acknowledge the rhetorical situatedness of accessibility. This article offers UD strategies that reimagine accessibility not just as a requirement that accommodates users but as an opportunity to create a rich rhetorical user experience for diverse populations. To illustrate how accessibility can be foregrounded in professional communication curricula, this article details the development of an information design course focused on usability and accessibility.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2018-03-01
DOI
10.1177/2329490617739884
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Topics
rhetorical criticism writing pedagogy technical communication professional writing
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (17)

  1. Butler (2026)
    Top Stories and Deaf News: Accessible Information and Communication in The Daily Moth
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Johnson et al. (2025)
    Designing Accessible Tables: When Technical Communication Competencies Come int…
    Communication Design Quarterly
  3. Butler (2024)
    A Profession of Accessible Conversations: Convo Communications
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  4. Strantz (2024)
    Interactive UX: Building and Testing for Accessibility with Design Systems
    Communication Design Quarterly
  5. Acharya (2024)
    Designing Equitable and Inclusive mHealth Technology: Insights from Global Sout…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Show all 17 →
  1. Willers (2024)
    Bridging the Accessibility Divide: Testing the Efficacy of an Accessible User E…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Griffith et al. (2024)
    A Field Wide Snapshot of Student Learning Outcomes in the Technical and Profess…
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Drye et al. (2023)
    Professionals’ Understanding of Accessibility Regarding Business Communication …
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  4. Walden (2022)
    Necessity is the mother of invention: Accessibility pre, inter, & post pandemic
    Computers and Composition
  5. Bennett et al. (2022)
    Transforming the Rights-Based Encounter: Disability Rights, Disability Justice,…
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
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    Prioritizing Access as a Social Justice Concern: Advocating for Ableism Studies…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  7. Phelps (2021)
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    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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    Generative Fusions: Integrating Technical and Professional Communication, Disab…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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    Finding a Teaching A11y: Designing an Accessibility-Centered Pedagogy
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