Universal Design in Teaching

Maureen MaddenInstructional Designer & Accessibility Liaison, ELI

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DisclaimerI am not an expert. I have spent hours attending webinars & conferences. I have spent additional hours researching online resources and chatting with people who work in the area of accessibility or use assistive technology in their daily activities. I share with you what I have found & what I have been told.

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Overview• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, & American with

Disabilities Act

• Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning

• Seven Principles of Universal Instructional Design

• Technology and accommodations

• Alt-text, scripts and captions for images, audio and video files

• Disabilities

• Accessible Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and emails

• Hints & Tips3

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Americans with Disabilities Act“prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in

employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and

transportation.”

Rehabilitation Act of 1973“prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by

federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal

contractors.”

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973“designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of handicap in any

program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

UD, UDL and UID Principles• Universal Design - began as an architectural concept, a

proactive response to legislative mandates as well as societal and economic changes that called for providing access for people with disabilities while benefiting others (curb cuts, ramps, captioning, etc.)

• Universal Design for Learning – an approach to curriculum that minimizes barriers and maximizes learning for all students - not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs (multiple means of representation, action & expression, and engagement)

• Universal Instructional Design in Higher Education - reduce or eliminate the need to provide customized individual academic accommodations, and particularly those that publicly identify or segregate students with disabilities (seven principles). 5

Universal DesignCreates a Welcoming Environment

•Architectural term coined by R. Mace

•Physical environment design for access

•Stairs as access feature/barrier

•Physical Disabilities

•Elderly

•Children

•Strollers/Carts

•Retrofitting for physical access remains a design afterthought

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Is this Welcoming?

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Does this make any sense?

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More Welcoming!

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ADA UDL and UID

Assures accommodations for students with disabilities one at the time

Barrier-freeFewer individual accommodations needed

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UID - Principle 1

Be Accessible and Fair

Will the students have difficulty accessing course materials or participating in any essential activities related to class?

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UID - Principle 2

Provide Flexibility in Use, Participation, Presentation, and Evaluation

Does the course offer a reasonable number of choices in the presentation of materials, opportunities for participation, and methods of evaluation to address all students’ needs and abilities?

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UID - Principle 3

Be Straightforward and Consistent

Are there any areas of confusion regarding course objectives, how the course materials are presented and/or goals evaluated?

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UID - Principle 4

Instructional Materials and Activities Should Be Explicitly Presented and Readily Perceived

Are there barriers to students receiving or understanding the information and resources needed to succeed in this course? Are instructions clearly written?

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UID - Principle 5

Provide a Supportive Learning Environment

Do students feel respected as individuals, welcome to express their thoughts, and able to explore new ideas? Do you make yourself available to answer questions & discuss issues?

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UID - Principle 6

Minimize Unnecessary Physical Efforts or Requirements

Are there any physical challenges in this course that can be removed? Are field trips, viewing films or creating recordings required? Are they accessible or are other options available?

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UID - Principle 7

Ensure a Learning Space that Accommodates Both Students and

Instructional Methods

Are the materials, activities and evaluation tools used appropriate and suitable for successful instruction and the use of all the students?

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Textbooks & Print Resources

Are they available in an:

•electronic format?

•accessible text?

•alt-text for images?

•descriptions of graphics & tables?

•accessibility statement available?

Are they accessible?

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Audio & Video Files

Do they include:

• accurate captioning?

• accurate transcript?

• context cues where necessary?

Note: When creating a video, use a script that can be used to create captions or record a Collaborate session using live captioning (CART).

Are they accessible?

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Accessible ImagesAlternative text provides a textual alternative to non-text content (images, photos, tables, charts, etc.)

•Determined by context and surroundings of image.• Is the graphic functional or decorative?

• How can the information be conveyed?

• Is the information provided somewhere else?

•Alt-text vs long description.

•Accurate and equivalent.

•Succinct.

•Not redundant.

•Avoid using “image of…” and “graphic of…” unless important.

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Assistive Technology• Human & electronic note takers (pens, tablets, apps).

• Use of MS Word comments for feedback.

• Digital, braille, & large print books.

• Text to speech/speech to text software.

o ZoomText.

o JAWS.

o ReadWrite (Copy available to NOVA faculty. Contact Disability Support Services.)

o Window Eyes.

o NVDA.

o Dragon Dictate.

• Tactile Objects (Often used in STEM subjects).

o Charts and graphs.

o Molecular structures.

o Circuits and vectors.

o Diagrams of systems.

o Flowcharts.

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Use of Tactile Objects

Often used in STEM subjects

•Charts and graphs

•Molecular structures

•Circuits and vectors

•Diagrams of systems

•Flowcharts

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Hidden Disabilities

• ADHD/ADD• Learning Disabilities• Developmental Reading Disorders• Developmental Delays• Color Blindness • Dyslexia• Autism Spectrum Disorders• Traumatic Brain Injury/Closed Head Injury• Medical Concerns• Psychological or Psychiatric Disorders

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Source: Tutoring Duluth24

What is Dyslexia?

Source: WebAIM Dyslexia Simulation

Read the following paragraphs & be prepared to answer a few questions.

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After reading the earlier passage, answer these

questions…

Source: WebAIM Dyslexia Simulation

1. Why are images good for web accessibility?

2. Who would be negatively impacted by a text-only site?

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The Unmodified Paragraph

Source: WebAIM Dyslexia Simulation27

Color-BlindnessYou see this…

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Color-BlindnessYou see this… They see this…

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Accessible Word Documents• Use styles for headings & in long documents.

• Provide alt-text for images.• Use simple table structure and provide column header rows in

tables.• Keep all headings short.• Use meaningful hyperlinks (

Northern Virginia Community College instead of http://www.nvcc.edu/index.html.

• Use true numbered and bulleted lists with punctuation.• Use font size of 12 points or more.• Provide sufficient contrast and do not use color as the only way

to convey content.• Spell check!• Provide electronic version that can be enlarged or read by a

screen reader.30

Accessible PowerPoint• Use slide layout templates & make sure that each slide

has a unique title, even if invisible.

• Provide alt-text for images.

• Use simple table structure and provide column header rows in tables.

• Use meaningful hyperlinks (Northern Virginia Community College instead of http://www.nvcc.edu/index.html.

• Use true numbered and bulleted lists with punctuation.

• Use sufficient font size & don’t overcrowd the slide.

• Provide sufficient contrast and do not use color as the only way to convey content.

• Avoid automatic slide transitions or keep simple.

• Limit animations.

• Use outline and notes panels.

• Spell check.

• Provide electronic version that can be enlarged or read by a screen reader.

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Accessibility Checker in Word & PowerPoint

The accessibility checker is the same for both Word & PowerPoint. Warnings & tips will be provided so corrections can be made.

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Converting Word & PowerPoint to PDFs

Select one…

OR

Ensure that Enable Accessibility and Reflow with tagged Adobe PDF is selected.

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If using a scanner…

Scanned documents & images saved as PDFs are really JPEGs. They cannot be read by screen readers or searched.

Accessible Email• Keep it short and simple.• Forwarded emails contain extra headings & recipient email addresses/names.

Delete when possible.• Avoid using a jpeg as email content.• Black & white with 12 point font. Avoid all caps (unless necessary) or fancy

fonts.• HTML format preferred.• Use styles for headings & in long documents.• Images & Graphics (line up for reading order - Wrap Text > In Line with Text

and Alt-text).• Accessible attachments.• Meaningful subject.• Use meaningful hyperlinks (Northern Virginia Community College instead of

http://www.nvcc.edu/index.html. • Use true numbered and bulleted lists with punctuation.• Spell check and spell out acronyms and abbreviations when first used.• Avoid background images/stationary.• Avoid special characters (copyright or emoticons).

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Keep It Simple

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http://www.uoguelph.ca/tss/uid/uidprinciples.cfm 37

Not This…

UID’s Guiding Principles

UID’s Guiding Principles

•creating welcoming classrooms;

•determining the essential components of a course;

•communicating clear expectations;

•providing constructive feedback;

•exploring the use of natural supports for learning, including technology, to enhance opportunities for all learners;

•designing teaching methods that consider diverse learning styles, abilities, ways of knowing, and previous experience and background knowledge;

•creating multiple ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge; and

•promoting interaction among and between faculty and students

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This…

Suggested Dos and Don’ts

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Do Don’t

Confer with the student with a disability as to the accommodations most appropriate for him/her.

Make assumptions about a student’s ability.

Treat students with disabilities with the same courtesies you would afford to other students.

Engage in philosophical debates about “fairness” to other, nondisabled students, or whether providing accommodations somehow violates your academic freedom.

Respect the privacy of students with disabilities. They need not disclose their disability to fellow students. While they must disclose disability to a designated official at your college in order to access accommodations, this does not require disclosure to everyone. Treat disability information which has been disclosed to you as confidential.

Decide not to provide reasonable accommodations, or the academic adjustments which have been approved by the institution’s designee. You may subject your institution or yourself to liability.

Assist students in following the university’s policies, such as possible requirements that all requests for accommodation be lodged with the Disability Services office and not individual faculty members alone.

Refuse to permit students to tape record lectures as an accommodation.

Refuse to provide copies of handouts, or orally describe information written on the chalkboard, or face the class when referring to something written on the chalkboard, etc., if these accommodations have been determined to be appropriate for a student.

Refuse to provide extended time for tests on the mistaken assumption that doing so would require that all students be given additional time.

Refuse to provide accommodations until you have personally evaluated a student’s documentation of disability. Eligibility for services under the ADA is the job of the disability services personnel, not the faculty.http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/dart/legal/ada-basics.aspx?utm_source=Copy+of+Understanding+ADA+Compliance+%26+Resources

%3A+Fast+Facts+For+Faculty&utm_campaign=Effective+Faculty+Advising+Program&utm_medium=email

Things You Can Do Immediately

• Design – Include a variety of activities that align with the outcomes and goals for the instruction.

• Delivery – Provide a variety of delivery methods to include lecture, projects, case studies, discussions, hands-on activities, etc.

• Materials – Arrange for accessible materials that include alt-text, captioning, transcripts, visual cues and can be accessed using screen and text reading programs.

• Environment – Be responsible for a welcoming and accessible environment that removes all physical roadblocks and provides opportunities to for students to express themselves and demonstrate knowledge.

Source: http://www.coles.uoguelph.ca/TSS/instructional_design/checklist.aspx40

References & Resources•Rose, D. & Meyer, A. (2002) Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. ASCD

•Meyer, A., Rose, D., Gordon, D. (2014) Universal Design for learning, Theory and Practice. CAST

•Universal Instructional Design, Implementation Guide (2003). University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada: http://www.uoguelph.ca/tss/projects/uid/UG16-implementation%20guide.pdf

•UID Quick Start Check List : http://www.coles.uoguelph.ca/TSS/instructional_design/checklist.aspx

•Preliminary Assessment of Faculty Implementation of UDL En ACT: Ensuring Access through Collaboration and Technology: http://ctfd.sfsu.edu/sites/sites7.sfsu.edu.ctfd/files/Preliminary-Assessment-of-Faculty-Implementation-of-UDL.pdf

•http://www.astd.org/Publications/Newsletters/Learning-Circuits/Learning-Circuits-Archives/2012/02/Accessibility-Through-Design

•DART Toolkit II: Legal Issues — ADA Basics: http://www.apa.org/pi/disability/dart/legal/ada-basics.aspx?utm_source=Copy+of+Understanding+ADA+Compliance+%26+Resources%3A+Fast+Facts+For+Faculty&utm_campaign=Effective+Faculty+Advising+Program&utm_medium=email

•WebAIM – Web Accessibility in Mind: http://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/#context

•Creating accessible Word documents: https://support.office.com/en-US/Article/Creating-accessible-Word-documents-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US#__toc275414986

•Creating accessible PowerPoint presentations: https://support.office.com/en-US/Article/Creating-accessible-PowerPoint-presentations-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-dae3b2b3ef25?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US#__toc286131977

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References & Resources, cont’d

• Related to tactile materials:

• http://diagramcenter.org/standards-and-practices/accessible-image-sample-book.html

• http://diagramcenter.org/webinars.html

• Tactile Ready made graphics:

• American printing House for the Blind: www.aph.org

• National Braille Press: www.nbp.org

• Diagram Center http://diagramcenter.org

• Talking Graphics:

• Talking tactile tablet: http://www.touchgraphics.com

• Guidelines for making tactile graphics:

• Bana Tactile Graphics Guidelines: http://brailleauthority.org/tg/index.html

• Tactile Graphics website: http://www.tactilegraphics.org

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