Accessibility for Uncertain Times
My paper will address uncertainty by discussing how particular pedagogical methods make course content accessible, thereby making campus communities embrace differences between people beyond disabilities and learning styles. It will provide meaningful insights, regardless of whether courses are held online or in-person, on how accessibility fosters inclusion by embracing human diversity among the student population.
At the start of COVID-19, when the shift from in-person to remote learning occurred without any preparation ahead of time, university instructors and professors in the United States dashed towards accessibility. The focus on accessibility has continued in the 2020‐2021 academic year, as most courses have been conducted online due to COVID 19 protocols. Assuring recorded lectures have close captions and each Zoom meeting has live transcripts are examples of how the awareness and execution of accessibility have been enhanced.
With the new focus on accessibility the perception of accommodations for students with disabilities has changed. Accommodations granted to a few students before COVID 19 are now becoming the norm in all course instruction. With accessibility in mind, what is good for one student is good for all students. My session will explain how accessibility can make educators adaptable to uncertain times.
At the start of COVID-19, when the shift from in-person to remote learning occurred without any preparation ahead of time, university instructors and professors in the United States dashed towards accessibility. The focus on accessibility has continued in the 2020‐2021 academic year, as most courses have been conducted online due to COVID 19 protocols. Assuring recorded lectures have close captions and each Zoom meeting has live transcripts are examples of how the awareness and execution of accessibility have been enhanced.
With the new focus on accessibility the perception of accommodations for students with disabilities has changed. Accommodations granted to a few students before COVID 19 are now becoming the norm in all course instruction. With accessibility in mind, what is good for one student is good for all students. My session will explain how accessibility can make educators adaptable to uncertain times.
The lack of accessibility was one of the many inequities that various students in the United States experienced before the COVID pandemic. Ensuring every student had equal access to course content was primarily taken for granted by the general public. Accessibility and disability advocates raised questions such as: How could a student with low vision access information that would primarily be accessed through sight? How could a student who is deaf obtain information that could mostly be learned through hearing? How could a student with a learning disability comprehend course material in a way that best meets their needs? The answers lie in strategies that will help students with disabilities have their learning needs met and experience inclusion. Two of these strategies are use of technology and the principles of User Experience Design and Universal Design for Learning.
Accessibility has received greater attention as universities and colleges have conducted their courses during the COVID Pandemic. Assuring recorded lectures have close captions and Zoom meetings has live transcripts are examples of how the awareness and execution of accessibility have been enhanced and become a part of the etiquette for video conference calls. It is a start to making accessibility the norm when Zoom and other platforms become a standard tool for course instruction once the COVID Pandemic ends.
In addition to technology, the principles of User Experience Design and Universal Design for Learning can also be utilized to incorporate accessibility into any course's pedagogy regardless of its subject matter. This session will explore these principles as there will be many uncertainties in a post-COVID world. A focus on accessibility will also help instructors, professors, and administrators at colleges and universities in the United States see their inclusive goals and objectives with a lens that spots learning barriers. They will benefit from learning about technologies and principles to be more certain in their decision-making.
Accessibility has received greater attention as universities and colleges have conducted their courses during the COVID Pandemic. Assuring recorded lectures have close captions and Zoom meetings has live transcripts are examples of how the awareness and execution of accessibility have been enhanced and become a part of the etiquette for video conference calls. It is a start to making accessibility the norm when Zoom and other platforms become a standard tool for course instruction once the COVID Pandemic ends.
In addition to technology, the principles of User Experience Design and Universal Design for Learning can also be utilized to incorporate accessibility into any course's pedagogy regardless of its subject matter. This session will explore these principles as there will be many uncertainties in a post-COVID world. A focus on accessibility will also help instructors, professors, and administrators at colleges and universities in the United States see their inclusive goals and objectives with a lens that spots learning barriers. They will benefit from learning about technologies and principles to be more certain in their decision-making.