Are My Course Materials ADA Compliant? Barbara Draude (ITD) & Amy Burks (Disabled Student Services)

Objectives This workshop will examine best practices for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) course compliance/accessibility. Explain why ADA compliance / Accessibility is a factor in course design. List the basic principles associated with Universal Design for Learning. Consider how sample materials can be made more accessible. Apply an ADA compliance / accessibility checklist to a course.

Agenda Part 1: Why is accessibility in course material an issue o Definitions o Legal implications o Etiquette Part 2: Universal Design for Learning o Definitions o Pedagogy / Design Principles Part 3: Principles of Accessible design Part 4: Evaluation example / Adaptive Technologies Demonstration Part 5: Checklist for evaluating your course(s)

Part 1: Why is accessibility in course material an issue

What is ADA? ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The first law was embodied in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, often referred to as the “Civil Rights Act” for people with disabilities. In 1990, this law was reinforced with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In January 2009, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 became effective. Definition of person with disability Major life activities defined

Types of disabilities Visual ▫ From low vision to blindness Hearing ▫ From partial hearing loss to deafness Motor ▫ From partial to full loss of mobility or dexterity Cognitive ▫ From learning to developmental disabilities ▫ Other – medical, brain injuries, speech, psychiatric ▫ Other types of disabilities, such as seizure disorders

Part 2: Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design Principles (UDL) Framework encouraging flexible designs from the start that have customizable options which allow leaners to progress from where they are; eliminating unnecessary barriers without eliminated the necessary challenges o Equitable use o Flexibility in use o Simple and intuitive use o Perceptible information o Low physical effort o Size and space appropriate for use

Universal Design Principles (UDL) Three primary principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal opportunities to learn o Provide multiple means of representation o Provide multiple means of action and expression o Provide multiple means of engagement Present information and content in different ways Differentiate the ways that students can express what they know Stimulate interest and motivation for learning

Part 3: Principles of Accessible design

Best Practices Course organization o Confer with students Flexibility and openness (“adaptive faculty”) o Set clear course expectations o Provide alternative learning materials Using a variety of strategies Multiple versions of assignments o Make time limits and deadlines flexible Use release criteria Accessible web publishing standards

Part 4: Evaluation example / Adaptive Technologies Demonstration

The Adaptive Technology Center (ATC, LIB 174) strives to provide equitable access at the same academic and instructional level that the overall student body enjoys daily. Accessibility in the ATC…

A Student’s Experience…

Main ADA Applications… JAWS (job access with speech) o Screen reader that is utilized by someone who is blind page.asp page.asp ZoomText or MAGic o Screen magnifier with speech that is utilized by someone with low-vision page.asp page.asp Kurzweil o Text-to-speech applications or OCR application

AT Exploration…

Formatting Issues… Braille can be tricky when a vertical layout is not used, blank lines are given, formulas are not explained, etc.

Equations… Equation editors are wonderful; however, some students may require written or verbal explanations.

Just Unacceptable…

Video and/or Audio Clips… Notice the “CC” marked with the yellow arrow… o This clickable option will turn on captioning for this video BEST PRACTICE-Simply choose a captioned video SECOND-Simply listen to the video and type a transcript to share with the student in need THIRD-Simply offer the student an alternative assignment with the same educational benefits FITC Video Expert is Darryl Leach ( or

Power Point Presentations… presentations to students… Preferably before class and allow printing or resaving o Students can resave presentations as RTF/Outline Easier to view Screen Reader Friendly Braille Liters/PAC Mates Victor Stream

Share with your students…

Accessible HTML Templates…

Please remember we are here to help…

Part 5: Checklist for evaluating your course(s)

Questions / Comments