Conference Presentation - Enhancing Science Learning through Accessibility and Inclusion: The Eclipse Soundscapes Approach

The Eclipse Soundscapes (ES) project shares how it focuses on making science learning accessible and engaging for everyone by integrating inclusion and accessibility from the outset. Supported by NASA Science Activation under a cooperative agreement, ES leverages the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses to foster public engagement in science. This presentation explores the strategies employed by ES to create an accessible and inclusive learning environment. Key considerations include the careful selection of imagery that reflects diverse identities and abilities, the use of clear and simple language to enhance readability, accessibility for both offline and online materials and equipment, and the provision of resources that mitigate geographical and financial barriers.

A cornerstone of ES's approach is its strong emphasis on messaging that highlights the multi-sensory nature of solar eclipses. Recognizing that eclipses are often perceived as primarily visual events, ES places special focus on ensuring the inclusion of members of the blind and low vision community. By showcasing how these celestial events can be experienced through various senses and ensuring that the materials and resources are also multi-modal, ES makes them more inclusive and accessible. This perspective invites participants to use the senses available to them, whether visual, auditory, or tactile, to fully engage with the eclipse experience.

By reframing the eclipse experience and offering an accessible participatory science opportunity, ES invited volunteers to observe and collect eclipse data on how wildlife responds to solar eclipses. These efforts not only promote equity in science education but also ensure that the “doing” of science is accessible to all. This presentation will detail the methods of the ES project, highlighting its efforts to advance inclusive science learning.

This presentation was developed and delivered by MaryKay Severino as part of the co-led Eclipse Soundscapes Project. The Eclipse Soundscapes Project is led by ARISA Lab and supported by NASA award No. 80NSSC21M0008

Conference Presentation Session Link: https://agu.confex.com/agu/agu24/meetingapp.cgi/Session/236728 

General Eclipse Soundscapes Project Information

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project (ES) was a NASA Volunteer Science project funded by NASA Science Activation that studied how solar eclipses affect life on Earth during the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse and the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. ES revisited a historic study from the early 1900s showing that animals respond to eclipses and used modern technology and public participation to expand that research.

Eclipse Soundscapes was an enterprise of ARISA Lab, LLC and was supported by NASA award No. 80NSSC21M0008. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in materials from the project were those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.