Making Courses Accessible

Course materials, referenced resources, and Learning Management System modules, can be made accessible in order to fully adhere to principles of UDL.

What is Universal Design for Learning, or UDL?

UDL is a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice which:

• provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and
• reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

Characteristics of UDL

According to the National Center on Universal Design for Learning, UDL:

• is intentionally and systematically designed curricula address individual differences;
• is based upon flexible approaches can be customized and adjusted for individual needs; and
• creates a better learning environment with no need to retrofit or adapt materials.

How to make an impact with UDL

1. Take responsibility.

• Find out more about UDL.
  • National Center on Universal Design for Learning
  • UDL on Campus: Universal Learning in Higher Education
• Within each syllabus, include your institution’s accessibility statement and instructions about registering with your disability resources office.
• Once aware of a registered student,
  • make reasonable accommodations;
  • provide access to classroom and materials; and
  • maintain confidentiality.

2. Utilize transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions.

• Use transcripts for audio content.
• Use captions along with transcripts for video content.
• Use audio descriptions to indicate actions that are happening within videos.
• For explanations, see WebAIM resources.

3. Consider color choice.

• Use adequate color contrast.
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning.
• See WebAIM regarding color-blindness.
• Use WebAIM’s Color Contrast Checker.

4. Create and utilize accessible documents.

• Documents should be accessible, including those acquired from external sources.
• Sans serif fonts and 12 point text are ideal.
• Use Microsoft Office’s Accessibility Checker.
• Resources:
  • NCDAE Cheatsheets (which contain information about #5 through #8)
  • Microsoft Office help and training
  • Converting Microsoft Word to PDF

5. Assign “Alt Text” to images.

• Use meaningful text equivalents.
• Keep the context of the image in mind.
• If adjacent text describes an image, use a shorter Alt Text.
• If Alt Text is longer than 150 characters, link to a full description elsewhere.

6. Use relevant link text.

• Use descriptive and meaningful link text.
• Avoid vague or repetitive link text such as “click here” or “read more.”

7. Utilize proper heading structure.

• Within documents and web pages, a heading structure allows individuals to utilize screen readers effectively.
• Use descriptive heading text and nest headings sequentially, just as in an outline.

8. Create and utilize accessible tables.

• Use simple table formats.
• Convert complex tables into multiple simple tables whenever possible.
• Make sure to identify row and column headers and include a caption or summary.

9. Make math/technical content accessible.

For math and technical content, ensure that:

• equations are either in MathML or images with an ALT tag (see how to use Math ML);
• technical symbols are supported on a student’s screen reader; and
• all charts can be interpreted without color and include a properly tagged data table.

10. Research available technologies.

• Research accessibility features of products and services before recommending or purchasing them.
• Ensure that they meet business needs and accessibility requirement.

If you have specific questions, contact your instructional technologist, unit accessibility liaison, or the IT Accessibility team.