Our work
The ACCESS Lab explores the lived experience of disability across biomedical research, health care, education and STEM workplaces. Working alongside people with lived experience, we investigate questions of belonging, participation, accessibility and inclusion to build more equitable systems of research, education and care.
Research areas
- Disability and belonging in STEM
- Experiences of disability in biomedical research
- Accessibility in graduate and professional education
- Patient, trainee and community engagement
- Healthcare experiences and accessibility
- Disability identity and scientific citizenship
- Participatory and co-created research methods
Our approach
Lived experience
We partner with people with lived experience of disability and chronic health conditions to better understand how research, education and health care systems are experienced in everyday life.
Storytelling
We are creating opportunities to share lived experiences through research, education and public engagement. These stories help shape more accessible and inclusive systems.
Accessibility education
We are helping train the next generation of accessibility leaders through innovative graduate education focused on inclusion, accessibility and systems change.
Co-creation
The ACCESS Lab brings together community members, learners, researchers, clinicians and organizations to co-create knowledge and drive meaningful change.
Training accessibility leaders
Our education work connects to the Graduate Diploma and the Master of Applied Science in Accessibility in Biomedicine at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine. The programs prepare professionals, researchers, clinicians and future leaders to create more inclusive, equitable and community-centred biomedical systems.
- Fully online
- Full-time or part-time
- In English or French
Part of a wider commitment
The ACCESS Lab is part of a broader program on research and society, which looks at how scientists are trained, how research serves communities, and how diverse perspectives strengthen discovery. That work includes social accountability in biomedical research, graduate education and research training, and community engagement.