At Accelerant Research, we believe that truly human-centered research must be inclusive of all humans. That means ensuring people with disabilities—whether visual, auditory, cognitive, motor, or otherwise—are not only represented in research but are able to participate with dignity, clarity, and ease. Accessibility isn’t an afterthought; it’s a core consideration baked into every step of our research process.

Our Accessibility-First Approach

Whether we’re running a moderated UX study, a large-scale quantitative survey, or an in-home ethnography, our methodologies are designed to reduce barriers and increase inclusion. Here’s how:

🧩 Thoughtful Recruitment

We recruit participants with a wide range of abilities, including those who use assistive technologies or have mobility, cognitive, or sensory challenges. Our in-house panel includes people with disabilities, and when necessary, we use targeted outreach to ensure we’re connecting with participants who reflect the full diversity of users.

We also:

Ensure screeners include inclusive demographic questions around disability status, accessibility tool usage, and comfort level with different research formats.
Offer accommodations in all scheduling communications, including alternative formats for instructions or reminders.
Partner with advocacy groups, disability-focused organizations, and academic institutions to help us connect with people who may not be as visible on mainstream research panels. These partnerships expand our reach and help build trust with communities that are often underrepresented in traditional research recruitment.
Collaborate with community-based networks to ensure outreach efforts are culturally sensitive, respectful, and effective in surfacing a more representative participant base.

🎯 Accessible Study Design

We design our studies to follow CPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies) best practices and WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This includes:

Using clear, high-contrast visuals
Avoiding color-only distinctions
Providing alternative text and screen reader-compatible materials
Allowing participants to choose between written, verbal, or visual response formats
Giving extra time where needed for cognitive processing or translation tools

When conducting remote research, we vet all platforms for:

Keyboard navigation
Compatibility with screen readers
Captioning for live sessions and video playback
Interpreter support or transcripts, as needed

🤝 Empathetic Moderation

Our moderators are trained in inclusive research techniques, including:

Slowing down pacing for participants who process information differently
Using clear, plain language and avoiding jargon
Asking open-ended questions to allow for multiple ways of responding
Being flexible and respectful if participants need breaks, repetition, or clarification

We also recognize that disability is not always visible. Our moderators create a psychologically safe environment so participants feel empowered to share their experiences authentically—without fear of being misunderstood or overlooked.

📊 Accessible Reporting

In addition to inclusive data collection, we ensure that our findings are communicated in ways that are accessible to a wide range of stakeholders:

Reports can be provided in screen reader-friendly formats (including tagged PDFs and Word docs)
All video clips include captions
We highlight accessibility insights as a standalone lens, not just as a footnote

We believe accessibility insights should not be siloed but woven into the core design strategy—benefiting all users by uncovering friction points that may go unnoticed in a more homogeneous sample.

✅ Certified Commitment

Accelerant is proud to have CPACC-certified researchers on staff, ensuring that accessibility best practices are applied rigorously and consistently. We also actively stay up to date with evolving accessibility guidelines, platform capabilities, and user needs by partnering with disability advocates and participating in accessibility conferences and training.

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Want to make sure your next study reflects the real experiences of all your customers?

Reach out to us at www.accelerantresearch.com/contact to learn how we can design an inclusive, accessible research study that surfaces deeper insights—and builds better products.