Second AI and Accessibility Skills report published
Our new report examines critical perspectives on the impact of artificial intelligence on digital accessibility professional practice and skills development. Critical Approaches to AI and Accessibility Capacity Building was published on 1 June 2026.
The report documents insights from the second in a series of collaborative workshops on AI and Accessibility Skills, run in partnership with Jisc, and held online on 27 February 2026. It follows and builds on our first report which summarised the first workshop at Jisc London in June 2025.
The second workshop brought together 48 participants from higher education, industry, policy, governance and research organisations. The report explores insights and strategic priorities from discussions prompted by our expert speakers, who examined how AI and digital accessibility practices are shaping disability futures, fundamental shifts in accessibility skills, and the role of d/Deaf-led community engagement in development and governance. Preliminary policy/practice recommendations address human-centred AI, structural bias, and professional competencies, education and accountability.
The workshop series forms part of the UKRI-funded Teaching Accessibility in the Digital Skill Set project, with plans to run further workshops through to 2027.
Please cite the report as:
Lewthwaite, S. and Coverdale, A. (2026) Critical Approaches to AI and Accessibility Capacity Building: Insights from the Second AI and Accessibility Skills Workshop [white paper]. University of Southampton. UK. https://doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/PP0180