Inclusive Teaching Practices - Research Opportunity

Seeking Faculty Partners for Collaborative Research

Accessible Learning & Teaching Excellence and Innovation is seeking faculty partners interested in collaboratively researching the impact of inclusive and accessible teaching practices in 2026-27 academic courses.

Looking to move beyond individualized accommodation for students with disabilities, we are launching a research initiative that explores how intentional, inclusive design and instructional techniques can help achieve equitable access for students without compromising academic standards and integrity.

We Are Seeking Faculty Who Are:

• Planning to teach a course in any term during the 2026-27 academic year that they also taught in 2025-26.
• Willing to integrate one or more inclusive teaching practices (e.g., class-wide notetaking practices, built-in extra time for timed assessments like exams and quizzes, and flexible assignment due dates).
• Open to collaborating on small-scale research examining variables like student experience, engagement, learning outcomes, and academic performance.
• Interested in contributing to evidence-informed inclusive and accessible teaching practices at Laurier.

 Participation Involves:

• Attending an initial planning meeting – mid-April.
• Light-touch data collection from both 2025-26 and 2026-27 courses (e.g., student feedback, observation notes, academic performance, etc.).
• Optional co-authorship on presentations, publications and other knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Benefits to Faculty Partners

• Research coordinating support provided by Accessible Learning and TEI.
• Access to pedagogical consultation, design support, and research assistance.
• Application opportunity for a TEI Project Grant (max. $2,000) to support their research on this project.
• Opportunity to enhance student access, engagement, and success through evidence-informed teaching strategies.
• Contribute to the university’s commitment to accessibility, inclusion and high-quality learning experiences.
• Potential for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning outputs.

Expression of Interest

We welcome involvement from instructors at all levels of experience with inclusive design or supporting access for students with disabilities.

If you are interested in this joining this collaborative research opportunity, please email Dr. Jeanette Parsons, Director, Accessible Learning at jparsons@wlu.ca. Include your contact information, home faculty, the course you plan to teach and the term, if known.

Email jparsons@wlu.ca if you have questions or want to learn more.

Expression of Interest Deadline: March 20, 2026