Beyond Openness: Designing Accessibility and Inclusion in Free and Open Source Software

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure, promoting collaboration, transparency, and innovation. However, despite its ideals of openness, FOSS often mirrors the social inequities of traditional software development, particularly excluding individuals with disabilities and those from diverse linguistic, cultural, or socioeconomic backgrounds. This thesis portfolio explores how FOSS can evolve to become more accessible and inclusive, especially for marginalized groups. The technical report proposes the design of a screen reader–accessible web platform to address the inaccessibility of mainstream code-hosting tools, drawing on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and incorporating accessibility-first design principles. The STS research paper complements this effort by analyzing how structural and cultural factors within FOSS communities restrict participation by underrepresented contributors. Using frameworks such as actor-network theory and the Garbage Can Model, the research identifies key barriers—including linguistic dominance, meritocratic bias, and reliance on unpaid labor—and critiques existing inclusion efforts as insufficient and inconsistent. Together, these projects demonstrate that meaningful inclusivity in FOSS requires both technical solutions and structural reform, emphasizing the need to embed accessibility and equity as foundational values in open-source development and governance.