Practical grassroots initiatives, equipment modifications for accessibility and online experiments
A Facility Manager in a university described a range of practical grassroots initiatives, many of which are designed by and for disabled scientists.
These can transform people's experiences of working in laboratories and include:
- 3D printed holders for Eppendorf tubes, to overcome the difficulty of manipulating and handling these, particularly for people who have challenges with dexterity;
- Pipettes with raised markings to assist visually impaired people in reading measurements;
- Providing a large range of lab coats, including extra large coats which can be worn over medical devices.
Additionally, online modules designed to simulate lab instruments, or interact with lab instruments remotely, provide an opportunity for students to distance learn. This includes titration experiments where an instrument is set up in a virtual, computer generated lab and people can remotely choose the types and amounts of chemicals to add, consolidating learning through interaction. This is something which helps people who are studying remotely, as well as being positive for disability-inclusion and accessibility. It also offers a different way of learning, which doesn鈥檛 just rely on reading text on paper or attending an in-person lecture.
I have seen some really incredible grassroots disability-inclusion work, things that are all designed by disabled scientists for disabled scientists, such as 3D printed Eppendorf tube holders, to pipettes with raised markings. Even things as simple as inclusion of a large range of lab coats, if a standard lab coat doesn鈥檛 fit for whatever reason, can help to prevent someone from feeling excluded...