Maria ReyesJan 30
Maria Reyes
I just published a new post on my Substack. If you’re a blind and disabled student, this one may hit close to home. I wrote about the quiet panic that comes with syllabi and textbooks and the very real difference between “accessible eventually” and “accessible now." This isn’t a jab at professors or disability services. It’s about how systems are set up, why timing matters, and why tools like OpenStax can completely change a semester by removing the wait. If you teach, design curricula, or care about access in higher ed, I hope this offers some perspective. Boosts would be appreciated so this can reach educators and more students. #Accessibility #DisabilityInSTEM #HigherEd #OpenStax
https://open.substack.com/pub/accessinterrupted/p/i-dont-fear-the-syllabus-i-fear-the?r=5oidmq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
I Don’t Fear the Syllabus. I Fear the Textbook.

Why OpenStax Changed My Entire Semester

Access Interrupted
Jan 30 at 3:35pmWeb
Show threadKittyJan 30
@roaratron @munchkinbear oh don't I know that fuckery and remember it well! Certain universities, could learn, from that post!
Show threadSy HoekstraJan 30
@Meepercat @roaratron @munchkinbear Absolutely hated the beginning of every semester for exactly this reason
Show threadKittyJan 30
@SyHoekstra @roaratron @munchkinbear At the good university I went to, it was never an issue. If something wasn't accessible, I converted it. And I didn't bitch. Ya know why? Because I remembered when @munchkinbear had to convert 900 page image pdf's for me. So I sucked it up buttercup and converted the odd 1 or 2 page thing that wasn't accessible myself. And they were few and far between.
Show threadMaria ReyesJan 31
@Meepercat @SyHoekstra @munchkinbear That’s fair, and I get what you’re saying. I think the problem is when self-converting becomes the expectation, especially when students are already drowning in coursework. Occasional fixes in a mostly accessible system are one thing, but disability support services should be working with students so access isn’t another unpaid job on top of everything else.