Online Accessibility and UDL Resources, Ideas, and Completed/In-Progress Efforts

The Online Accessibility Teaching Element is an online resources that is meant to provide a high level overview of what online accessibility is and what it means in relation to those with disabilities. It includes a brief introduction video, links to GOALS project cheats sheets, and TLS-related links on services and VPATs for supported academic technologies.

Who's Responsible for Accessibility will be an adaptation of PCC's Who's Responsible document (permissions granted). The intent of this document is to clarify for faculty who they can contribute to implementing accessible practices and who else can help them.

See Katie Bush's Accessibility Checklist from GCC

The TLS Accessibility Checklist is currently in draft form. This is a item-by-item reminder of the considerations faculty should keep in mind as they develop their online course materials. The purpose of this resource is to provide faculty with a list of the most common accessibility considerations to factor into their course planning and development. Although originally intended for online courses, this could apply to f2f courses and well as blended courses. It's intended that any faculty member developing electronic content and/or using academic technology in a course of any mode could find this relevant. It is a 'starting point' for addressing those most 'high-level', online accessibility considerations. There is a Online Course Quality Rubric which provides some criteria as well, but this expands on that. Another goals for this type of resources would be to create one for the EdX course development process as well, which has its own unique considerations and processes.

An Accessibility Clinic series was one idea for outreaching to faculty to provide in-person, step-by-step instructions on how to develop accessible course content delivered through the most common kinds of materials: MS Word, PDF, PowerPoint, D2L HTML, Math/Science Related resources,  Alt Text and Complex Images, and Video/Multimedia. The purpose of this series would be to take the DIY resources that faculty would have access to via the web (i.e., Online Accessibility TE, Checklist, and CheatSheets) and provide them hands-on practice, creation, or revision of their materials with designated TLS staff to provide a brief overview and instruction followed by support.  So far the following resources have been under development. The idea is to model PCCC's Accessibility Handbook and web resources.

• • PowerPoint

  • D2L HTML, etc.

  • Alt Text/Complex Images

Ten Tips for Creating Accessible Content is a simple, one-page resource created by Janet Syliva, a web accessibility expert and consultant with Accessibility Solutions and Research Center.

(George Mason University's Guide to Creating Accessible Electronic Materials is a detailed, 60-page reference book for faculty and students who are managing, developing, or distributing electronic learning materials. This "just-in-time" guide was developed by GMU's Assistive Technology Initiative for individuals creating electronic materials. It has been made available from the ATI's website. IN this documentation, GMU also references the GOALS Project Cheatsheets.

One other DIY resources idea was to have a template and checklist for each type of document type. The checklist would outline basic accessibility steps as well as basic design steps. The templates would offer a guide from which an instructor would have a contextual examples of what an accessible Word, PDF, PPT, etc., would look like. They could also edit these templates to making creating their own, customized materials more convenient. So far, here are some examples of these kinds of resources:

• • Templates: PDF and Word (source: SFSU)
  • Best Practices (see PowerPoint Clinic, Section III. Best Practices that Factor into Accessibility and Design Elements

• how to create engaging and accessible PPT
• how to create engaging and accessible videos
• designing and organizing your syllabus to be accessible
• brainstorming sessions with faculty or groups of faculty whereby they consider how they might factor in the UDL principles into their existing course.

• a visual workflow and/or decision tree for implementing UDL practices in the design of your content. This could be in the form of a video and printed document.
• curating a list of national and international webinars that address UDL

• ebucator
• A11Y Project
• Compliance Sheriff
• Accessibility: Designing and Teaching Courses for All Learners
• WAVE Web Accessibility Tool
• DO-IT:  Center on Accessible Distance Learning
• The Center for Universal Design
  
• UDL on Campus
  
• WebAIM: Web Accessibility in Mind
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Section 508 Standards

• IAAP
• WEBAIM - Accessible Website Certification
• Accessibility Certification and Consulting
• National Federation for the Blind
• AHEAD
• National Center on Universal Design for Learning
• National Center on Disability and Access to Education

• George Mason University

• Portland Community College

• University of Colorado, Boulder

• Accessible U, University of Minnesota
• Boston University, Universal Design for Instruction 
• Iowa State, Designing and Teaching Courses for All Learners
• WAMOE, Web Accessibility MOOC for Online Educators
• Accessibility at PSU
• SUNY MOOC: Accessibility: Designing and Teaching Courses for All Learners (Need to register, Mb has have access)

• How Can I Implement UDL in 20 minutes
• How Can I Implement UDL in 20 Days
• How Can I Implement UDL in 20 Months

Streaming these live on Wed, Thurs and Fri as A650/Carapella as space is available)

See Virtual Track A: http://accessinghigherground.org/virtual/

Taped Session Add-Ons: http://accessinghigherground.org/virtual/#taped

• Disability Services Office: Met with Susan Ackerman in January of 2016, to get a better understanding of the accommodations process and the kinds of accommodations and assistive technologies they provide. Also reached out to Sue Ackerman in February for input on the Online Accessibility Teaching Element (I also asked Linda Bryant for input too).  Since that time, we have been in touch with DSO to share resources and to also inquire further on their services.
• Spectrum Support Program: Emailed Laurie Ackles, the Director of the Spectrum Support Program, in February of 2016 for input regarding the Online Accessibility Teaching Element.
• DeafPlus: Reached out in February 2016 for input regarding the Online Accessibility Teaching Element.
• NTID Center for Access Technology: Reached out in February 2016 for input regarding the Online Accessibility Teaching Element.  Linda Bryant of NTID, who also provided feedback for the Online Accessibility Teaching Element, referred me to this group. Linda also expressed an interest in sharing this resource with her faculty.
• Center for Accessibility and Inclusion Research: Emailed in November of 2015 and again in January 2016. Had some initial contact with Matt Huenerfauth who directed me to Stephanie Ludi and Elissa Weeden. Email sent out to both Stephanie and Elissa for guidance and suggestions in Spring of 2016.
• NOTE: Access Services having TLS table at an Open House event in October 2016 re: video captionig processes.

• Academic Support Center, in general: In addition outreach to the Disability Services Office and the Spectrum Support Program, make additional connections with staff in other units of the ASC.
• The Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the English as a Second Language Center:  Universal Design is often interchangeably referred to as inclusive design.  Teaching & Learning may also want to explore how UDL and inclusivity can be applied within a multicultural context of teaching and learning.
• NTID Committee on Equal Opportunity Communication and Access (CEOCA): Gerry Buckley, President of NTID, established this committee in response to the NTID Student Congress’ request for several efforts on the part of NTID to improve the educational experience for NTID students. 
• RIT Faculty, like Catherine Beaton, who have taught, do research and/or have published in the areas of

Do we invest in our own screen reader that allows up to check our own sites and resources? Would this be a tool we'd also extend to faculty if they wanted to check their .html resources? Do we invest in programs that enable the general conversion of files into accessible formats. For example: OCR with Ominpage