Introduction
Last week, we saw sweeping changes in the US that directly affect the work of any learning experience design professional who cares about accessibility, inclusion, and belonging.
The question is, what do we in learning and development (L&D) do now? The short answer is this:
We must keep working to ensure that every learner feels included, represented, valued, and supported.
What Has Changed?
Among the changes that came with the new administration was the elimination of federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Those cuts include contractor-provided training programs and funding provided to nonprofits and other organizations that support DEI. Basically, if there’s a program focused on helping a group of people—Black business owners, women, people with disabilities, Veterans—it could be eliminated or defunded (or may have been already).
Following suit, many companies have ended or scaled back their own DEI initiatives, including Target, Walmart, Amazon, Meta, Lowe’s, and McDonald’s. Others, like Costco and Delta, have doubled down on their commitment to DEI.
Why Does DEI Really Mean?
Unfortunately, some people have bought into falsehoods and misconceptions being spread about what DEI is and what its goals are. So, let’s look at what it really means. Here is a definition from Merriam-Webster:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: a set of values and related policies and practices focused on establishing a group culture of equitable and inclusive treatment and on attracting and retaining a diverse group of participants, including people who have historically been excluded or discriminated against.
Contrary to what some people seem to believe, DEI isn’t about quotas. It’s not about hiring unqualified people to check a box.
It is about trying to give everyone a fair chance—providing equal access to information and opportunities. It’s about recognizing and respecting everyone’s contributions. And it’s about removing barriers. These are important and worthy goals.
DEI programs aim to create work environments where everyone is treated “with equal dignity and respect,” yet this is the exact language that the January 20 Executive Order uses to justify their termination.
(Make it make sense.)
How Does This Affect L&D?
The changes to DEI programs were the tip of the proverbial iceberg last week. Many of our colleagues, such as those in the immigrant and trans communities, are worried about other actions and proposed actions by the federal government. Now more than ever, our colleagues and learners need reassurance that their organizations, leaders, and coworkers have their backs. Rolling back DEI initiatives isn’t the right move to provide that reassurance.
As disheartening as the rollbacks are, some organizations may feel like their hands are tied. After all, they could stand to lose funding or government contracts if they keep their DEI programs in place. (I don’t think that excuses the rollbacks. It just explains them.) Likewise, many in L&D—particularly freelancers—are worried about the effects of these changes on our jobs.
Why Does It Matter?
Safety is fundamental for learning. If we’re in the business of helping people learn, we have to also be in the business of making them feel psychologically safe. In other words, they need to feel valued and supported.
Coincidentally, two of my current courses teach about the survival brain and the learning brain. (You may also know these as the reactive brain and the thinking brain.) The concepts are important for this discussion.
Our brains go into survival mode when we feel threatened. This activates our stress response and we have a much harder time learning new things. Before we can learn and grow as professionals, we need to feel psychologically safe as people. Then we can live in our learning brain—the part of the brain responsible for planning, thinking, learning, and memory.
Here’s a great video from Dr. Jacob Ham that explains these concepts in the context of helping people learn. (This was made for K-12 teachers, but it’s applicable for everyone in L&D.) Understanding these concepts makes it easy to see why it’s so important to make all our learners feel included, represented, valued, and supported.
What Do We Do?
Regardless of whether DEI programs have been formally eliminated in our organizations, we in L&D can continue to work toward creating a workplace that accepts and celebrates differences, where all people are treated fairly and justly and everyone belongs.
The title of this article borrows from a recent LinkedIn post by Susi Miller about something she calls “quiet accessibilising.” (Don’t correct my spelling. Susi’s British.) It’s when we refuse to create learning experiences that exclude people with disabilities. Instead, we figure out how to include accessibility features with or without organizational support.
I’ve taken this approach with some of my clients who tell me they don’t have any disabled employees (because um… yes you do). Maybe our time and budget constraints won’t allow us to incorporate all the accessibility features we might otherwise, but when we commit to doing what we can, it’s better than nothing. Whatever small steps we can take to improve access is a win.
Everyday Ideas for Quiet Inclusion
We can apply this same mindset to our commitment to inclusion. Whether or not we have organizational support for DEI, here are a few ideas for incorporating “quiet inclusion” into our everyday work:
- Design content based on diverse user personas representing learners with various ethnicities, abilities, neurotypes, religious backgrounds, etc.
- Include diverse representation in images and scenarios, ensuring that the characters in our courses look and sound like the people who are taking our courses.
- Make sure you’re not reinforcing harmful stereotypes in your scenarios and case studies.
- Develop learning experiences with input from a variety of users with diverse intersectional backgrounds.
- Ensure that learning experiences are accessible to people with disabilities.
- Incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines into your designs.
- Take care not to misgender people or refer to them by their “dead name.” Allow them to update their information in the learning management system and other online spaces.
- Continue to offer hybrid and remote options for learning events to be more inclusive of those with disabilities.
- Plan events to ensure that they’re inclusive for all neurotypes. (Here’s a handy checklist from Nathan Chung.)
- Check in on your coworkers who may be struggling. Knowing they have your support can make a world of difference.
- Refresh your memory of—and spirit for—inclusive learning practices by watching recordings from past inclusion-focused events from The Training, Learning, and Development Community.
Call to Action
Don’t get me wrong. “Quiet inclusion” doesn’t mean that we should be silent in the face of injustice. Our friends and colleagues need us to use our voices to speak out and our platforms to amplify voices that otherwise may be silenced.
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Please share this post and add your ideas for enacting “quiet inclusion” to the comments. Together, with commitment and perseverance, we can overcome the harmful politicization of DEI and continue to do the important work we know matters.
If the thoughts in this post align with your own values, I encourage you to join the Inclusive Learning Experience Design Group on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Also consider showing your commitment to inclusion by signing The Inclusive Learning Pledge if you haven’t already. I encourage you to download the printable version and post it in your workplace as a reminder.
You may also enjoy this article by David Kelly, who expressed much of what’s been on my mind lately with much more eloquence.
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.
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Comments
thanks for sharing,help me a lot
I’m glad to hear it!