Diversity, equity, equality, accessibility… there are many terms related to the goal of ensuring education recognises and welcomes all learners. Some terms may seem interchangeable, but there are differences. Understanding the nuances will help you address these areas when creating or evaluating OER.

Brief definitions are below as well as a list of resources you can refer to for a deeper dive.

Term	Definition
Diversity	Diversity has wide-ranging understandings and can refer to the unique mix of characteristics that make up an individual person, such as their physical traits, age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, background, and abilities. The term can also reflect the presence of a broad range of individuals with differing characteristics within a community.
Equality vs Equity	The terms “equality” and “equity” are often assumed to be interchangeable, but they are distinct from one another. While equality refers to equal treatment for everyone, equity refers to treatment that creates an equal playing field for everyone. Equity means some people are treated differently to ensure their individual needs are considered. Whereas, equality means everyone is treated the same way and given the same level of opportunity and support, regardless of whether their circumstances are equal to those of others.
Inclusion	Inclusion means welcoming everyone, acknowledging and valuing differences by design. For example, an inclusive resource will actively identify and remove barriers to entry that may affect some learners and not others. An inclusive resource will ensure learners of all identities feel acknowledged and valued.
Accessibility	Accessibility refers to ensuring resources are usable and meaningful for all learners. This term is broad and varied depending on the context and can include concepts of web design standards of practice, legal compliance, and cultural practice.
OER vs OEP (Definitions adapted from David Wiley and from Green et al.)	Definitions of Open Educational Resources and Open Educational Practice are somewhat fluid (check out the list of extra readings below). However, while the concepts are linked, they are always distinct from one another. OER Open Educational Resources (OER) are materials for teaching and learning that are free and licensed such that the user gains various reuse and/or adaptation permissions by default. They can be anything from books, articles and videos to entire courses and homework systems. OER frequently carry a Creative Commons licence. For a resource to be a true OER, it must meet the criteria of the 5Rs of Openness: – Retain – Reuse – Revise – Remix – Redistribute OEP Open Educational Practice (OEP) is an approach to teaching and learning which focuses on reciprocal learning, repositioning the instructor as the facilitator of learning that is collaborative and flexible. Students are viewed as co-creators of knowledge and empowered to drive their own learning. OEP underpins OER and, thus, OEP often includes the use of OER and open learning technologies.

Resources

• Enhancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) in Open Educational Resources (OER) by Nikki Andersen
• What is Accessibility? by SeeWriteHear
• Open Pedagogy by DeRosa & Jhangiani
• Open Educational Practices in Higher Education by Mayrberger
• Open Educational Resources (OERs) by Deakin University Library