The Accessibility Institute at Carleton University, Canada, is an interdisciplinary research and innovation centre advancing accessibility, disability inclusion, and equitable participation across society. Established in 2012, the Institute brings together researchers, practitioners, people with lived experience, and community partners to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based approaches to accessibility and disability-related challenges.
Our research spans neurodiversity and neuroinclusion, cognitive and functional assessment, mental health and disability, postsecondary accessibility, employment and education-to-work transitions, independent living, accessible built environments, and health and human services. Current research priorities include AI-assisted functional assessment, person-centred service delivery, and trustworthy, human-centred AI systems that support individual autonomy and agency. Our work emphasizes participatory research, co-design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world implementation and evaluation.
The Institute serves as the National Office of the Canadian Accessibility Network (CAN), a national partnership connecting organizations and individuals across academia, government, industry, and the disability community. Through this network and our extensive partnerships, we support collaborative research and innovation with local, national, and international impact.
The Institute has led or co-led externally funded research and innovation projects totalling over CAD $15 million. We welcome international research partnerships that advance accessibility, disability inclusion, and responsible innovation in health and human services.