CometX

Checklist

Accessible research practice

Recruitment, consent, session design, and dissemination steps to make a study genuinely accessible to disabled participants and audiences.

Accessibility is part of research rigor, not an add-on for later — treat every item below as a design decision, not an accommodation request to react to.

Recruitment

• ☐ Outreach materials exist in more than one format: plain language, easy read, audio or video with captions.
• ☐ Sign-up doesn't require one specific channel — phone, in-person, and a plain online form are all options.
• ☐ Timeline allows real lead time for interpretation or accommodation requests.
• ☐ Access needs are asked about as a normal intake question, not raised only if someone struggles.
• ☐ Location and virtual options are both offered where feasible.
• ☐ Incentives are structured so participation doesn't put benefits at risk.
• ☐ Recruitment materials have been reviewed by disabled people before launch.
• ☐ There's a named, easy-to-reach contact for access questions.

Consent

• ☐ Consent documents are written in plain language and offered to be read aloud.
• ☐ Accessible formats are available: large print, easy read, audio, translated versions.
• ☐ Participants get real time to review and ask questions before agreeing — nothing is rushed.
• ☐ Capacity and legal representation are considered where relevant, without defaulting to exclusion.
• ☐ A verbal or recorded consent option exists for anyone for whom writing is a barrier.
• ☐ What happens to the data is explained in concrete, specific terms — not just "kept confidential."
• ☐ Consent is reconfirmed at natural breakpoints in longer or multi-session studies.

Session design

• ☐ The venue has a step-free route, accessible parking or transit, and an accessible restroom.
• ☐ Lighting, noise, and a quiet space option have been considered, not just room size.
• ☐ Pacing is flexible, with breaks built in rather than added only if someone asks.
• ☐ More than one way to respond is offered — verbal, written, pointing, assistive technology.
• ☐ Materials are shared in advance when processing time helps.
• ☐ Support people and interpreters are explicitly welcomed, not just tolerated.
• ☐ Virtual sessions have been tested with a screen reader and for caption quality.
• ☐ Facilitators are briefed on plain-language delivery before the first session.

Dissemination

• ☐ A plain-language summary is published alongside the full report, not instead of it.
• ☐ An easy-read version exists for people with intellectual or learning disabilities.
• ☐ Key findings are available as a captioned video or audio summary.
• ☐ Charts and figures carry image descriptions or alt text.
• ☐ A sign-language version of key findings exists where feasible.
• ☐ Files are shared in accessible formats — tagged PDF or structured Word, not scanned images.
• ☐ Findings are shared back with participants directly, not only with funders.

This is a floor, not a ceiling. The most reliable check is consulting disabled people with lived experience in your specific context before you finalize a design.