Systems of Access

A conceptual framework describing the dynamic network of people, institutions, environments, and resources that disabled people navigate to meet their needs. Unlike linear models of accessibility that focus on removing individual barriers, systems of access recognizes that access involves constant trade-offs, dependencies on stakeholders who may be both helpful and harmful, and strategic decision-making about which resources to pursue and which risks to accept. The framework is particularly relevant for understanding how marginalized disabled communities construct access in contexts where stakeholders may be adversarial.