Accessibility and Digital Course Design

What is Accessibility?

Accessibility focuses on the technological and logistical mechanisms for ensuring students with disabilities receive equal access to all elements of your course. The requirement for equal access for state and local government entities is governed by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Links to an external site. and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  Links to an external site. While "accessibility is essential," it is a component of delivering multiple representations of information and is, therefore, a part of UDL. "Accessibility is one of the key foundational principles of Universal Design for Learning, and it's a component of Universal Design for Learning, but it is not by itself Universal Design for Learning." -- Skip Stahl

Please watch this closed captioned video, which continues to detail how UDL and Accessibility are related (1:31).

Accessibility and UDL (Time 1:31) from UDL on Campus Links to an external site. by CAST Links to an external site.

Info What Accessibility Means to You

Your role is to provide a learning environment with the lowest access barriers for all students. This is a community effort between yourself, the student, and various UCF resources such as Student Accessibility Services, Center for Distributed Learning, Faculty Multimedia Center, and the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.  You may have previous experience working with UCF's Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office for your face-to-face courses. The same processes work for online or mixed-mode courses; however, the accommodations may be different for implementation. If you haven't worked with SAS before, discover how the accommodation process is managed.  

Be proactive, not reactive.

Proactive: Through <Replace - Course Title>, there will be strategies listed on how to address accessibility while designing your course. Discuss with your instructional designer if you have questions. Remember: It is easier and less stressful to address accessibility when building a course than teaching it.

Reactive: There is no such thing as a 100% accessible course. Student needs and experiences are unique and may require unique solutions when a student enrolls in your course. However, addressing common accessibility concerns up front will greatly reduce the time and effort required to address any additional student accommodations if needed. The Course Accessibility Letter from SAS will detail what student accommodations are required and provide further instructions.