Online Course Accessibility Technical and Pedagogical Strategies.
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Online Course AccessibilityTechnical and Pedagogical Strategies
A growing problem
College students reporting a disability1999: 6%2012: 11%
Technology dominance worsens accessibility issues
Agonizing and overwhelming barriers to access for college students today
“”– Eve Hill, US DOJ,
Civil Rights Division, 2015
Legal requirements
Section 508: Federal agencies must make electronic information accessible
Applies to schools that receive federal funding Upcoming “refresh” = stricter rules for all online content
Section 504: Anti-discrimination measure similar to ADA Covers web-based communications for public educational
institutionsAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Title II prohibits discrimination by public entities Title III applies to “public accommodations” broadened to include
online programs at schools
Paradigm shift
Accommodations•Reactive
•Customized
Accessibility•Proactive, built-in
•Removes as many barriers to instruction as possible
Accessibility challenges
Technical Lack of skills or time
to build in accessibility
Nature of online instruction, esp text-based discussion boards
Pedagogical Audio presentation of
screen readers is linear and continuous
Meaningful adaption of content requires significant effort
How does a screen reader work?
Screen reader reading different table layouts (2 min) Introduction to the Screen Reader (7 min)
Technical strategies
Provide digital texts in HTML, structured Word docs, or tagged PDF formats
Use alt text for images Present content in flat navigational structures (i.e., single
scrollable folder or file) Chunk videos and name the chunks Caption all videos Create human-readable links
Pedagogical strategies
Cut extraneous material Write clearly and succinctly Provide accessible alternatives to inaccessible materials or
activities Annotate links meaningfully Avoid pronouns Uniquely identify and annotate all figures and illustrations
Microsoft Word
Benefits Defined structure and
navigation Improved readability and
comprehension Conversion to other file
formats
Access Barriers Improperly formatted
headings, tables, lists, etc. Missing alt text Detailed or "busy" page
backgrounds or watermarks
URLs as links
Word best practices
Heading, list, and paragraph styles Alt text for images True columns True lists Meaningful descriptive text for links Clear table structure and headers Accessibility Checker tool
Save Word as PDF
Export correctly: File > Save As Check setting: Acrobat tab > Create PDF > Options >
Enable Accessibility and Reflow
Microsoft PowerPoint
Benefits Pre-set, accessible slide
layouts Accommodation of visual
learning styles Information in multiple
formats Conversion to other file
formats
Access Barriers Content within a text box Images, animations, or
videos without alt text Low contrast or patterned
backgrounds Slide transitions and
animations URLs as links
Best Practices
Structure and Images Pre-set slide templates Unique heading titles Logical reading order Charts, tables, graphs via
slide layout or Insert menu Alt text for all images Extended descriptions for
charts and other graphics
Content Sans-serif fonts Appropriate punctuation at
the end of each bullet point
Template text boxes Color contrast between
text and background Captioned video
Adding placeholders
1. On the View tab, in the Master Layout group, click on Slide Master.
2. Click the layout to which the Content Placeholder is to be added.
3. In the Master Layout Group, click Insert Placeholder.4. Choose the type of Content Placeholder needed.5. Choose a location on the slide, and position the new
Placeholder.6. In Edit Master Group, Rename the layout.7. In the Slide Master tab, Click on Close Master View.
Reading order
To verify the order of slide elements: Go to the Home tab. Select the Arrange icon to see a drop-down list of commands Choose Selection Pane (PowerPoint 2013 for Windows) or
Reorder Objects (PowerPoint 2011 for Mac) Use the tools to place items in correct reading order.
Windows: The bottom-most item is in the Arrange panel read first.
Macintosh: Item #1 in the Rearrange panel is read last.
Save PowerPoint as PDF
File > Save AsOR:Select Create PDF from Acrobat ribbon
Spring Accessibility Workshops
Best Practices for Word, PowerPoint, and PDF Jan 22 Feb 10 March 11
DIY Workflows for Captioning and Transcription Jan 28 Feb 17 March 24
https://net3.umkc.edu/intapps/workshops/