Enhancing Lab Accessibility in Science

This project aims to enhance accessibility in undergraduate laboratory courses by partnering with students, instructors, and support staff to identify barriers and develop practical resources, training, and community support for more inclusive hands-on learning experiences. 

Overview

Undergraduate laboratory courses provide experiential learning opportunities for thousands of UBC students each year. The skills developed in these courses are essential for students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees. However, labs can also present physical, cognitive, and sensory barriers for students, particularly those with disabilities. At UBC Vancouver, approximately 16% of Science students identify as having or living with a disability, and 10% of UBC students are registered with the Centre for Accessibility, according to the UBC Student Diversity Census (2024/25).

In 2025, Skylight launched the Lab Accessibility in Science project in response to growing needs identified by students and instructors. The project aims to better understand how accessibility is currently addressed in undergraduate science labs and identify ways to support lab instructors in creating more accessible and inclusive lab experiences for students. Led by Kirsty McIntyre, Science Education Specialist in Microbiology and Immunology, the project team brings together instructors, support staff, and students from various STEM disciplines, along with staff from Skylight, the Centre for Accessibility, and the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology. We envision this as a multi-year project with the potential to influence a wide range of laboratory-based courses across the Faculty of Science and beyond.

Definitions

How are we defining accessibility?

How are we defining a lab?

'Lab' refers to any structured experiment or activity that involves specific equipment, instrumentation, materials, or data collection, regardless of whether the course is formally designated as a "lab" course, including: ​

• Computational/theoretical labs (e.g., simulations, data analysis, theoretical work with no physical materials)  ​
• Experimental/instrumentation labs (e.g., measurements using physical equipment, data acquisition, electronics)  
• ​Chemical/biological/materials labs (e.g., experiments involving chemicals, biological samples, or material fabrication)  ​
• Field/observational labs (e.g., data collection in natural environments or observatories; characterizing or identifying samples) 
•  ​Design/engineering labs (e.g., designing and building systems or devices)  ​

Lab components embedded within lecture-based courses are included. For example, a course that is primarily lecture-based but includes field trips, computer simulations, or laboratory sessions at any point during the term.​ Standalone lectures or tutorials with no lab components are not included within our definition of lab. 

Goals

Our overall goal is to enhance accessibility in undergraduate laboratory courses by:

• Engaging and partnering with students to center their lived experiences in lab courses when designing resources and training
• Strengthening collaboration among instructors, the Centre for Accessibility, the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, the Learning Technology Innovation Centre, and Skylight
• Developing, piloting, and distributing practical tools, resources, and exemplars to help instructors create inclusive labs and support all students
• Designing and delivering professional learning opportunities for instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) to build confidence and competence in addressing diverse student needs in laboratory settings

Our approach is grounded in UBC’s commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion, particularly the principles outlined in the Inclusion Action Plan and UBC’s Strategic Directions, 2025-2030. We strive to support meaningful, sustainable change in lab courses, with positive short- and long-term impacts for students, TAs, and instructors.

Project Timeline

Summer 2025

• Reviewed existing literature and current policies/practices.
• Consulted with faculty partners, the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, and York University’s Inclusive Laboratory Experiences team.
• Connected with students and student advocacy groups.
• Applied for a Skylight Development Grant (approved in July 2025).
• Hired an Educational Developer to support project activities.

Fall/Winter 2025

• Hosted a kick-off event to raise awareness about the project, establish a community of practice, and identify key priorities. A summary of current practices and support needs was shared with kick-off attendees after the event.
• Consulted with the Science Undergraduate Society's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity working group and the Disabilities United Collective to learn more about student-led advocacy efforts on campus and student perceptions of lab accessibility.
• Conducted student focus groups and an initial TA survey to hear about their perspectives on accessibility in undergraduate lab courses.
• Applied to the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund for additional funding (approved in February 2026 with funding available starting May 2026).
• Collected information from instructors about lab exam accommodations.

Winter/Spring 2026

• Adapted a lab accessibility toolkit from an existing resource developed by the Inclusive Laboratory Experiences project team at York University and connected with instructors to test and refine the toolkit in select courses later in the term.
• Developed a survey to understand the accessibility needs and experiences of students in laboratory courses and distributed the survey to all undergraduate Science students.
• Launched the Lab Accessibility Speaker Series to strengthen community engagement, raise awareness about accessibility barriers in labs, and highlight the lived experiences of people with disabilities in STEM.
• Recruited two Graduate Academic Assistants to help refine and pilot the lab accessibility toolkit, develop a TA survey, and facilitate focus groups with TAs.  

Next Steps

• Complete the student survey analysis and prepare a summary report.
• Pilot the lab toolkit by conducting lab walkthroughs with a small number of instructors.
• Develop and pilot instructor and TA training workshops.
• In collaboration with instructors, develop a collection of best practices, tools, and course materials, and support instructors with implementing them in their courses.  
• Create evaluation plans and tools to capture feedback and measure the impact of resources and events.
• Refine resources and workshops based on feedback and conduct a second round of pilots to broaden or replicate activities across additional courses and departments.
• Share project outputs and resources across UBC and externally.

Outputs & Resources

• Disability-Inclusive Undergraduate Chemistry Labs Infographic – Created by Alexis Gonzalez-Donoso, Science Education Specialist in Chemistry, this resource summarizes recommendations from Egambaram et al. (2022), and the Royal Society of Chemistry’s report on Disability-Inclusive Laboratories in the Chemical Sciences.
• Lab Accessibility in Science Project Poster - This poster was shared at the 2026 Science Education Open House on April 28, 2026. It outlines the project model, goals and activities, includes definitions of key terms, and lists upcoming presentations and events.
• Lab Accessibility Speaker Series- A series of workshops, seminars, and panel discussions designed to strengthen community engagement, raise awareness of accessibility barriers in labs, and highlight the lived experiences of people with disabilities in STEM.
• Pre-Lab Survey - A generic template that instructors can use to connect with students before the term to learn about their accessibility needs.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this project provided by UBC Vancouver students via the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund and Mark MacLachlan, Dean of Science, via the Skylight Development Grants program.  

We would also like to thank Jackie Stewart, Associate Dean Academic, and James Charbonneau, Associate Dean, Students for their support, and the following department heads for generously contributing matching funds to our Skylight Development Grant: Shawn Mansfield (Botany), Margo Seltzer (Computer Science), Michael Murphy (Microbiology & Immunology), Jeremy Heyl (Physics & Astronomy), and Jeffrey Richards (Zoology).

Contacts

If you have any questions or would like to join our community, please reach out to one of the following Skylight team members working on the project:

• Project Lead: Kirsty McIntyre (kirsty.mcintyre@ubc.ca)
• Project Coordinator: Alexis Bahl (abahl@eoas.ubc.ca)
• Communications Lead: Amber Schroeder (amber.schroeder@ubc.ca)  
• Science Education Specialists: Adele Ruosi (aruosi@phas.ubc.ca), Alexis Gonzalez-Donoso (alexis.gonzalez@chem.ubc.ca), Bean Sherman (ssherman@eoas.ubc.ca), Erica Jeffery (jefferye@mail.ubc.ca), Silvia Mazabel (silvia.mazabel@ubc.ca) & Stephan Koenig (stephan.koenig@ubc.ca).