Promoting Inclusive Excellence in Geoscience Education through Accessible Laboratory and Field-Based Learning Environments

Students with disabilities, particularly those with visual and orthopedic impairments, remain underrepresented in the geosciences, in part due to structural barriers embedded within traditional geology education. A heavy reliance on visual materials and physically demanding fieldwork limits full participation and reinforce exclusion, despite broader equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts across the discipline.

This contribution presents inclusive teaching practices supported by the National Science Foundation’s GEOPATHS: IN program (Grant Award Number:
2119990) and the University of Georgia’s Presidential Award Program, developed through direct collaboration with students with sensory and orthopedic disabilities. These efforts demonstrate how lived experience can inform effective, evidence-based strategies for reducing accessibility barriers in geoscience education. Two complementary approaches were implemented. First, laboratory activities and assessments were redesigned for students with visual impairments using tactile topographic maps, stratigraphic columns, and various charts and diagrams with Braille descriptions, as well as 3D tactile models of fossils and geologic features. A complete set of assessment questions was developed, and surveys were designed and administered. These materials support hands-on, concept-driven learning that extends beyond visual-only instruction.

Second, accessible field-learning environments were developed for students with orthopedic disabilities using ArcGIS applications, including StoryMaps, Field Maps, and Survey123, supported by structured digital workbooks. These virtual field experiences document geologically significant yet soem times physically inaccessible sites in Georgia and are enhanced with GigaPan panoramic imagery, geologic sketches, thin-section images, site-specific videos, and drone footage. The StoryMaps function as interactive field guides, incorporating narrated audio explanations that contextualize photographs and site descriptions, thereby supporting multimodal learning, accessibility, and spatial understanding.

Together, these initiatives provide scalable and transferable examples of best practices for overcoming accessibility barriers in geoscience education. By expanding participation in laboratory and field-based learning, this work contributes to inclusive excellence and long-term pedagogical change, benefiting not only students with disabilities but also a broader range of learners across the geosciences.