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Open access journals lack image accessibility guidelines

delete2025-02-19
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OA
AI
K
Kaitlin Stack Whitney *
J
Julia Perrone
C
Christie A. Bahlai
DOI:10.1162/qss_a_00338delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
In recent decades, there has been a move to open science and research. One component of open access is accessibility, often used to mean that data and other products are free to use by others. However, accessibility also refers to considering and meeting the needs of people with disabilities. Our objective was to evaluate how open access journals incorporate disability accessibility as part of publishing. Using a random sample of 300 English-language journals and image accessibility as a lens, we assessed author guidelines. Of 289 journals with guidelines, 38 (13%) included color choice, six (-'2%) included contrast ratios, and none included alternative text. We also assessed the open access statements for the same 300 journals to understand how they conceive of openness and accessibility. Of the 298 journals with open access statements, 228 (-'77%) included the words access or accessibility. Yet none included disability or disabled and only two journals (<1%) mentioned inclusive or inclusion. Our findings indicate that the open access journals sampled are not considering disability accessibility in their submission guidelines or open access frameworks. Incorporating disability accessibility into open scholarship considerations is critical to bridge, and not exacerbate, information inequalities for people with disabilities.
Keywords:
accessibility
open access
open science
UDL
universal design
UX

Journal

Quantitative Science Studies cover
Quantitative Science Studies
IF:
3.5
Papers:
371
Citations:
1.7K

Organization

R
Rochester Inst Technol
Scholars:
151
Papers: 105
Citations: 52