Putting Inclusion into Practice: Five Commitments Toward Equity in Teaching

Instructors make day-to-day decisions grounded in their own experiences, and this practice may be appropriate for the students who share similar experiences and backgrounds. But for students who come from a different socioeconomic status, nationality, racial or ethnic identity, gender or sexual identity, or ability status, the instructor's experiences may be insufficient to provide guidance for how to create an inclusive space for all learners. This manuscript describes interviews collected with students with disabilities regarding their experiences having their disability accommodations implemented in their courses. From these interviews and personal reflections on teaching, the author piloted and refined several teaching practices to improve the accessibility and inclusion in her own classroom. The author summarizes the principles underlying these pedagogical decisions as five commitments toward equity in teaching.