Accessibility beyond accommodation
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When Margarita Jarrín began researching the experiences of international students with disabilities in higher education, she expected to find challenges. What surprised her was how deeply layered those experiences could become.
“As an international student, a student and someone with a disability, the intersectionality was a huge deal,” says Jarrín, a Royal Roads University alum of the MA in Global Leadership program.
Her capstone research explored the experiences of international students with disabilities navigating higher education systems that are often not designed with their needs in mind. Those findings, combined with her personal experience and recommendations for improving service delivery, contributed to the co-authored article “(In)visible journeys: experiences of students with disabilities navigating higher education,” published in the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. The article was led by Assist. Prof. Alfiya Battalova and developed alongside other Royal Roads University contributors.
Jarrín says disability and neurodiversity can still feel heavily stigmatized in many communities and institutions, particularly depending on cultural context and upbringing.
“Disability is kind of like saying a bad word,” she says, explaining that disability or neurodiversity may still carry negative, derogatory or pitiful connotations in some cultures.
Accessibility looks different for everyone; it’s not static
While Jarrín says she benefited from early support in her own life, her research challenged her to think more deeply about how accessibility needs can shift over time and differ across cultures and lived experiences. It also pushed her to consider how institutions can transform organizational culture by moving beyond policy into action through stronger outreach strategies, long-term program continuity and meaningful resource allocation.
“What happens if it’s something you acquire?” she says. “You have a brain injury, or you finally discover you have ADHD. You have to meet people where they are at.”
For Jarrín, accessibility is not static. It requires flexibility, curiosity, critical thinking and a willingness to challenge the status quo in systems that may unintentionally create barriers.
“Accessibility for me is changing, it is evolving, it has to be proactive,” she says. “Today’s needs won’t be the same as tomorrow.”
If we don’t include people with lived experiences in the processes, we are not doing meaningful accessibility.
Alejandro Campos-Garcia, head of Human Rights and Accessibility at Royal Roads University, says institutions across the post-secondary sector are still working to move from reactive accommodations toward accessibility that is embedded into everyday decision-making.
“Organizations that lack awareness and a basic understanding of accessibility will always be reactive,” he says, adding that one of Royal Roads' current priorities is to create a competency plan for capacity building.
That work involves assisting faculty and staff in incorporating what he describes as an “accessibility-informed lens” into teaching, communication and student support systems.
Campos-Garcia says students with disabilities are still find themselves repeatedly explaining their needs to multiple offices or individuals.
“It is incredibly burdensome for them,” he says.
To reduce that strain, Royal Roads has focused on improving coordination between offices, building clearer processes and increasing awareness around accessibility and ableism across its campuses.
Centering lived experience
Campos-Garcia emphasizes the importance of involving people with lived experience directly in shaping accessibility practices.
“If we don’t include people with lived experiences in the processes, we are not doing meaningful accessibility.”
For students who may feel hesitant to seek support, especially those from cultures where disability carries stigma, he says visibility and community matter.
“When individuals with similar lived experiences publicly share their stories, it helps others feel validated and fosters a belief that they can rely on the organization for support,” he says.
Jarrín hopes conversations around accessibility continue long after research projects end.
“The research is just the start,” she says. “I think it’s important to believe that change is possible.”
Learn more about accessibility supports for students at RRU.
Canada marks National AccessAbility Week each May. This story is part of a series of pieces on the important contributions of persons with disabilities and the ongoing movement toward a more accessible and inclusive Canada. Visit our National AccessAbility Week webpage for more stories, to learn about upcoming events and discussions, and to find resources.