Disability History Month 2025
Posted on Wednesday 12 November 2025
Disability History month 2025 runs from Thursday 20 November until Saturday 20 December with the theme Disability, Life & Death. For more information about Disability History Month, see the national DHM webpage.
Our actions
The Disability Inclusion Framework outlines our approach to disability equality, which includes the physical estate, e-accessibility and culture and good practice. There is also a list of progress made since the framework was created.
Events
University of York events
Deafness in Early Modern England
Wednesday 3 December 5.30pm to 7pm
Location: V/N/123
Dr Rosamund Oates from Manchester Metropolitan University explores the claim that historians have stated that in pre-modern Europe, deaf sign language users were treated as ‘infants’ by an oral legal system. This paper questions this, examining the marriages of deaf men and women, and addressing ideas of rationality, speech and what it meant to be human in early modern England.
Rosamund's lapel mic and the handheld mic (for questions) will be feeding into hearing loops, and Rosamund will be using live captioning.
EDI Research Centre Senior Leaders series
- Episode 3 - Alice Maynard
The latest episode of our podcast series includes an interview with Alice Maynard - Chair of University Council. In the interview, Alice (who is a wheelchair user and has a life-limiting illness) tells us how her background and her faith have influenced her life decisions - outlining a compelling story.
What has digital technology ever done for us? Successes and challenges for disabled and older people
Thursday 4 December 6.30pm to 7.30pm
This lecture discusses successes and challenges of the digital revolution for disabled and older people, focusing on accessibility and future improvements.
Department of Sociology, Poster display
20 November - 20 December
The Department of Sociology is marking Disability History Month with a poster display celebrating disabled scholars and activists whose work has made an important contribution to Disability Studies and the wider social sciences.
Come and visit the poster display on the second floor of the Law and Sociology building to find out more about these scholars, choose your favourite and suggest future profiles!
City-wide events
Saturday 29 November to Saturday 6 December
There is a programme of events planned during this week, including art exhibitions, workshops and forums.
Resources
- New Roles and Responsibilities guidance created in relation to making reasonable adjustments for staff
- Procuring accessible systems guidance
- AccessAble Guides
- Neurodiversity toolkit for staff
- Staff journey for a new member of staff with a disability
- Student journey for a new undergraduate with a disability
- More disability related guidance available on the EDI webpage
Watch again
- Disability History Month playlist - videos from University events on the York Ideas channel
- Accessible active travel for all - Isabelle Clement
- "They hear, but don't listen": Experience of disability in higher education - Dr Nicole Brown
- Disability and Technology: past, present and possibilities - by members of the University’s Teaching and Learning Team
- Access for Whom - Dr Ossie Stuart
- Dyslexia superpower: Moving from disability through learning difference to advantage - Nigel Lockett
Respect at York
We are committed to ensuring all members of our community feel respected and supported, and to creating an inclusive and safe environment. This means thinking about how our behaviour affects those around us, and showing care and understanding for each other.
Find out what Respect at York means for each of us
Support for students
University services
- Disability Services
- Student Hub
- Student Equity Collective
- Disabled Students Activities, Services and Support
- Access it All money advice drop ins, including PIP and DSA
- Quiet Spaces on Campus
Free tools and apps for studying
In addition to our support services, there are a range of options and free tools to help make studying more accessible for everyone. Find out more with our Accessibility Skills Guide and the Learning Technology Practical Guide or come to the next Introduction to digital accessibility tools and features (staff and students only) session for a guided tour through the tools available to you.