Date of Award
Spring 6-13-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.S. in Computer Science
Organizational Unit
Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science
First Advisor
Alannah Oleson
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Accessibility, Disability, Accommodations, Computer science syllabi, Computing education, Inclusive pedagogy, CS1, Data structures and algorithms, Human-computer interaction (HCI)
Abstract
Although accessible and inclusive teaching practices have gained recent attention in computing education literature, relatively little is known about how accessibility policies are represented in course materials shared with students. This paper explores how computer science syllabi from varied post-secondary U.S.-based institutions frame accessibility information in the course materials provided to students. We collected and analyze 34 syllabi from 11 institutions representing CS1, data structures & algorithms (DSA), and human-computer interaction (HCI) courses to understand how each frames accessibility and accommodation information across different types of computing courses. We found that while most syllabi acknowledge accessibility and disability, fewer provide the actionable details that would most help disabled students succeed in CS courses. Based on these insights, we discuss implications for inclusive CS teaching across different areas, providing preliminary recommendations for how to effectively communicate accessibility information in CS syllabi.
Copyright Date
6-13-2026
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. This work may only be accessed by members of the University of Denver community. The work is provided by permission of the author for individual research purposes only and may not be further copied or distributed. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Muskan Fatima and Alannah Oleson
Provenance
Received from Authors
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
7 pgs
File Size
434 KB
Recommended Citation
Fatima, Muskan and Oleson, Alannah, "First Impressions Matter: How CS Syllabi Communicate and Reflect Accessibility Norms" (2026). Restricted Access ETDs. 127.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/restrictedetd/127