1. Introduction

Contents: The importance of accessibility; legal framework.

With growing awareness of the diversity of the student body, the issues of accessibility and inclusion are becoming increasingly important in higher education (Voß-Nakkour et al., 2023 & Rustemeier et al., 2019). In the context of teaching, accessibility means designing learning environments in such a way that all students – regardless of their individual circumstances – can participate on an equal footing. It not only creates equal opportunities for students with disabilities, chronic or mental health conditions, but also benefits all students, for example those with temporary limitations, language barriers, family commitments, working students and those with different learning styles. Accessibility therefore promotes the quality and diversity of teaching and learning processes as a whole.

The legal framework underlines this responsibility. The Basic Law (Art. 3 para. 3), the Disability Equality Act (BGG) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) (PDF) (Art. 24 para. 5) oblige educational institutions neither to disadvantage nor to exclude students and to enable equal participation through reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, provisions under higher education law, such as the resolution of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) ‘Eine Hochschule für alle' ['A University for All’] (2009), stipulate that this mandate extends not only to courses but to all services and the entire infrastructure of the university. In addition, the BITV 2.0 sets out the requirements for digital services in more detail and ensures that online materials, learning platforms and digital services are also accessible without barriers.