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Webinar recap: Disability Pride and Improving Accessibility

This Clear Language Lab webinar took place on July 24, 2025, as part of our free quarterly plain language series. Check out the recording, notes, and resources below.



 This webinar focused on three key areas:

  1. A brief history of Disability Pride and why it matters

  2. An overview of accessibility

  3. Strategies to improve accessibility, shared by folks with various disabilities




Disability Pride

Disabiltiy Pride began in 1990 after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed. Chicago has celebrated Disability Pride with a parade since 2004.


In general, Disability Pride is about:

  • Celebrating people with disabilities and disabled communities

  • Challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities

  • Raising awareness about ongoing discrimination, abuse, and challenges people with disabilities still face


What our presenters had to say about Disability Pride

To our presenters, Disability Pride is about:

  • Celebrating the accomplishments of people with disabilities

  • Understanding that someone's disability is part of their identity and something to be proud of, not something separate or a problem to be fixed

  • Valuing the lives of people with disabilities and showing them love and acceptance

  • Being patient and understanding that poeple with disabilities can do most things, even if they might need more time or do it a different way




Improving Accessibility

Accessibility is about making sure everyone is able to fully participate in society and access the resources and services they need.


Some important aspects of accessibility include:

  • Compliance: the ADA lays out legal requirements for making sure people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else

  • Usability: if we don't make things accessible, there's a large population of people who can't use them

  • Equity: creating a more just world means meeting a wide range of needs

  • Creating welcoming spaces: being thoughtful about accessibility shows people with disabilities that you value them and what they bring to your community

What our presenters had to say about improving accessibility

Some strategies and considerations you can incorporate in your work include:

  • People with disabilities use a lot of various tools to navigate the world. Familiarize yourself with things like screenreaders and electric wheelchairs so you can design information and services that work with the tools people already use.

  • Be patient and learn how people communicate best. Try to offer choices, so that people can interact with you in the way that's most accessible to them.

  • Many disabilities are invisible. Don't question people when they ask for accommodations or modifactions. Do think about how you share information and design spaces to feel safe.

  • As much as possible, be transparent about the accommodations and modifications you already have in place. Take a Universal Design approach so that folks don't have to ask for changes.


Check out the slides and resources below to learn more about putting accessibility into practice.


Additional Resources

Disability Pride

General accessibility


Checking accessibility



Interested in learning more about professional development at Clear Language Lab? Check out other past webinars, find upcoming events on our training page, or contact Sarah Glazer, Sr. Program Manager, at sarah@litworks.org to learn more about our offerings.

© 2025 Literacy Works


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