From Council to Catalyst: HMH’s Accessibility Advisory Board

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At HMH, accessibility is not a checkbox but a deep, passionate company-wide commitment. HMH is proud to join the DAISY Consortium’s Inclusive Publishing Partner initiative, and proud to share the story of how our Accessibility Advisory Board serves as a guiding force as HMH teams create inclusive, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM)

Founded on a legacy that dates back to 1832, HMH has evolved from a storied publishing house into a leading K–12 educational technology company. With these deep roots, HMH has long been committed to delivering high-quality content to learners, educators and readers alike. Today, HMH focuses squarely on K-12 education and serves over 50 million students and 4 million teachers in more than 150 countries. We offer a comprehensive suite of digital-first solutions that blend research-backed, high-quality instructional materials with cutting-edge technology.

A group of middle school students. They are sitting on concrete steps and reading from books and mobile devices.

At HMH, we focus on purposeful innovation. We believe the best education technology supports educators and gives them time back to focus on student relationships. Our integrated curriculum, assessment and professional learning solutions use data to paint a full picture of every learner and recommend how to best support their needs. By partnering with educators, we create lasting momentum so that all students can reach their full potential.

Building upon a longstanding commitment to delivering inclusive solutions, HMH’s Accessibility Advisory Board (AAB) was developed in 2022. Through careful retrospectives, listening sessions, and inclusive planning, the AAB was designed as a cross-functional, enterprise-wide body to integrate accessibility best practices into every layer of HMH’s operations. Beyond just bringing teams together, this formalized structure elevated those teams by aligning them under a federated model designed to scale accessibility solutions across the enterprise.

Structure and Scope: AAB’s Expansive Goal

More than a governance body, the AAB is a living, learning community. It is comprised of members from nearly 30 teams across our organization to provide strategic direction, foster innovation, provide operational support and consultation to ensure accessibility is embedded in product development, marketing, services, and internal tools.

The AAB is a living, learning community

Classroom childre engaging with the HMH product "Get Curious" on a laptop.

The AAB’s mission is clear: to approach accessibility not as a siloed expertise but rather as an enterprise capability woven throughout our processes, from development to support, and to champion inclusive practices that reflect the diverse needs of our learners and educators.

Organizing accessibility efforts across a global organization of HMH’s scale requires thoughtful structure and intentional collaboration. The AAB is anchored by a Community of Practice that brings together subject matter experts from nearly 30 teams to share knowledge, build capacity, and drive consistency in accessibility practices. This is complemented by an executive Steering Committee that provides strategic guidance and risk resolution. We operate through themed working groups, or “pods,” which focus on user-centered design in accessibility—ensuring we can dive deep while staying aligned on our broader accessibility goals.

Looking Ahead: A Dedicated Voice for Inclusive Publishing

At HMH, our approach to accessibility is grounded in pragmatism and partnership. We believe that meaningful progress requires listening first—thinking outside-in by engaging with industry experts, advocacy groups, and global accessibility leaders.

HMH is excited about our acceptance into DAISY Consortium’s Inclusive Publishing Partner Program where accessibility standards are shaped and inclusive publishing innovation is driven. We look forward to contributing to the evolution of accessibility guidelines, and to collaborating with a global network of thought leaders to co-create solutions that serve all learners equitably.

By embedding external expertise into our internal practices, we hope to apply accessibility efforts that are not only technically sound but also aligned with the lived experiences of diverse users. This is how we move from intent to impact, and how we use HMH’s voice to help lead the conversation on what inclusive education can look like in the digital age.

A group of children looking at a laptop.

As a DAISY Inclusive Publishing Partner (IPP), we’re proud to stand alongside organizations that prioritize accessibility from the ground up. Joining the IPP initiative is a validation of our accessibility journey to this point, and it’s a catalyst to keep driving deeper into our commitment to this work. With the AAB as our compass, HMH is committed to advancing accessibility not just within our walls, but across the K-12 education landscape.