“Inclusion is not an on-and-off switch:” A study on commitment to accessibility on museum websites

Museum professionals agree on considering language as a first step for the creation of a welcoming environment, especially when it comes to visitors with special needs. A common suggestion is to avoid labels and emphasize abilities, rather than pointing out what a person cannot do; yet, little attention has been paid to the real application of these instructions. This study examines the representation of disability and the commitment to accessibility in British and American museum websites from a language perspective. Particular focus is placed on the use of person-first or identity-first language to refer to visitors with special needs and on the linguistic strategies adopted to establish relation with sensitive categories of audience. The methodological toolkit relies on discourse analysis and draws on frameworks that are especially developed for the analysis of museum discourse. The study highlights that almost 80 percent of the museum websites under scrutiny encompass a section devoted to accessibility, but in only 60 percent of the sample, person-first language is adopted. In this regard, a divide apparently exists between American and British museums, as the former consistently apply person-first language, while the latter show mixed intentions. The analysis also suggests that the use of proximal deixis and playful language can lead to better interaction and encourage participation, especially when communication addresses children and young people.