Summary of: What Makes a Person Accessible? Exploring the Characteristics of ‘Accessible People’ From the Perspective of Adults With Learning Disabilities by Kirby et al. (2026)
Expanding the Idea of Accessibility
People think about accessibility as things like ramps, curb cuts, or easy-to-read information. Things that allow people with disabilities to access the environment. Those things are important.
But people and their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors also make the world accessible or inaccessible. So what does accessibility look like when it is applied to people, not just environments? That gets a little harder to define. But accessible people are just as important to an accessible world.
Kirby et al. asked their co-researchers (seven disabled adults with learning disabilities) about what people can do to help them feel welcome, included, respected, and able to participate.
Accessible People
Disabled co-researchers talked about types of people who made them feel comfortable and included. They also talked about people who made things harder. There were common characteristics across both types of people.
Accessible people had ten things in common. Accessible people are:
- Helpful and supportive. But, NOT by assuming what the person needs. Instead, they help the person access their OWN goals and needs.
- Accommodating. That means they are flexible and respond to the needs of the disabled person with care and respect.
- Person-centered. That means they are curious about WHO the disabled person is, not just their disability. They want to get to know them and treat them as equals. They talk directly to disabled people, not their caregivers.
- Open-minded. They are willing to change, learn, and do things differently.
- Trustworthy and genuine. Their words of support are matched by their actions. They are consistent and follow through with what they say they will do. They give good, real information.
- Friendly and welcoming. They create a space that is personal and approachable. They demonstrate care by including everyone.
- Respectful. They respect physical, emotional, and social boundaries of disabled people. They balance supporting people with respecting their right to make their own decisions. They include the disabled person in decision making around needs and preferences.
- Knowledgeable about disabilities. Even if they are not disabled themselves, accessible people try to understand the challenges that disabled people face. They listen to disabled people and learn from them. They show empathy and do not demonstrate negative beliefs and stereotypes around disability. They also do not try to pretend everything is perfect! They understand reality.
- Easy to communicate with. They listen carefully, giving people enough time to think and answer questions. They model and accept many ways to communicate (including AAC!). They seek the opinions of disabled people and follow their lead.
- Reassuring. They work with disabled people during times of stress rather than blaming them. They try to help address fears and barriers.
Being accessible is not about being perfect. It is about being open, respectful, flexible, and willing to connect. It is about treating people as being in charge of themselves.
So, accessibility is about more than buildings or paperwork. In fact, the researchers noted that inaccessible people can outweigh accessible environments.
For example, one of the disabled co-researchers talked about a bus driver who was an inaccessible person. This bus driver demonstrated many characteristics of an inaccessible person such as rushing conversations and assuming that disabled people could not understand things. The co-researcher said “sometimes the bus driver will say the ramp wasn’t working. I don’t know if it was working or whether they decided to just not bother putting you on the bus.”
Accessible Communication Partners
These findings are very relevant to AAC communication partners! Communication partners can become more accessible by:
- Presuming competence.
- Waiting long enough for AAC users to compose messages.
- Accepting all forms of communication.
- Asking instead of assuming.
- Respecting autonomy and consent.
- Being willing to learn from AAC users about what supports them best.
For AAC users, one of the most important accessibility tools isn’t technology! It is having communication partners who are patient and flexible.
Accessible communication partners demonstrate interdependence. That means that communication partners need to learn from their own mistakes as well as the lived experience of actual AAC users. They value respectful, meaningful relationships with AAC users. It is a balanced exchange of give and take!
We All Play a Role
The good news is that everyone can help create accessibility through the way they communicate with and treat others. Professionals, family members, teachers, health care workers, employers, and community members all play a role.
Small changes in attitude and communication can make a big difference. Accessibility is something people can do, not just something places or things have.
Citation:
Kirby, M. L., K. Burland, F. Bailes, et al. 2026. “What Makes a Person Accessible? Exploring the Characteristics of ‘Accessible People’ From the Perspective of Adults With Learning Disabilities.” British Journal of Learning Disabilities 54: 254–262.
Access the full article: https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.70032
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