1. Adaptable Accessibility: Best Practices for Ed Tech in
TESOL
2017
Adaptable Accessibility:
Best Practices for Ed Tech in
Low-Tech Environments
Heidi Howland
Bee Jenkins
Global Program Officer U.S. Department of State
TESOL Technical Officer FHI 360
© 2017 by FHI 360. Adaptable Accessibility: Best Practices for Ed Tech in Low-Tech Environments for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the US Department of State and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. To view a copy of this license, visit
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2. The American English E-Teacher Program
Goal
Provide participants with access to the latest language teaching methodology and free, adaptable materials (Open Educational Resources- OER) to use in their classrooms.
Who?
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
Implemented by FHI 360
Taught by ELT professionals

3. The AE E-Teacher Program
"Helloquence" by Adriano Latorre via Unsplash is licensed under CC0.
What?
Online courses
Community of Practice
Free, adaptable teaching materials (OER)
Where?
Asynchronous activities via Canvas LMS
103 countries 3

4. AE E-Teacher Participants by Region
Also, democratic access to information should not be limited to those in digitally easy-to-reach places. 4

5. Experience with Technology
Challenges
Connectivity
Time zones
Censorship
Background knowledge
Experience with Technology
“Untitled” by Sergey Zolkin via Unsplash is licensed under CC0

6. Instructional Design and Online Learning (IDOL) Standards
Intended as guidelines for partners
Ensure courses and materials meet requirements
Support the goals of the AE E-Teacher program
Divided into 5 major categories (domains):
Domains are divided into specific standards
Access
Language
Format
Learning Environment
Assessment
These standards are intended to serve as guidelines for partners to ensure that courses and materials meet the requirements and support the goals of the American English (AE) E-Teacher program. The standards are divided into five (5) major categories, or domains: Access, Language, Format, Learning Environment, and Assessment. Each domain is further divided into one or more specific standards that describe AE E-Teacher program expectations for course design.
These standards have been created to reflect the specific pedagogical and cultural needs of AE E-Teacher participants. Use of these standards does not preclude the use of other commonly used standards related to the field of TESOL, Applied Linguistics, instructional design, or online learning.

7. Standard 1: Course Hosting
Domain 1. Access
Standard 1: Course Hosting
Courses are hosted on a mobile-responsive, accessible LMS
All content is available on the LMS
Multi-modal assignments
Standard 2: Technology
Alternative materials are presented alongside primary materials throughout the course, so participants in low bandwidth environments can access them at any time without prior request.
Standard 3: Open Environments
Participants can submit assignments in multiple formats, including word processing (e.g. .doc, .txt) and freeform essay writing spaces provided in the Canvas course.
Participants are provided alternatives to material on blocked or censored websites, either in the form of static content (screenshots) or dynamic content (videos) uploaded on Canvas.

8. Course Hosting
Courses are hosted on a mobile-responsive, accessible LMS
All content is housed within the LMS
All materials are accessible regardless of bandwidth, loading, or connectivity challenge
Course elements are presented in multimodal formats for all participants
TGC Module 4, Task 6
Accessibility = Text, photos have Alt tag
“Module 4, Task 6: Submit Mid-course Assignment” from Teaching Grammar Communicatively, an AE E-Teacher course designed and instructed by World Learning.
“Module 4, Task 6: Alternative Submission Option” from Teaching Grammar Communicatively, an AE E-Teacher course designed and instructed by World Learning.

9. Course Hosting: Multimodal submission
“Module 4, Task 6: Alternative Submission Option” from Teaching Grammar Communicatively, an AE E-Teacher course designed and instructed by World Learning.

10. Technology
The course may not require mandatory use of any online tool or technological device that may not be available in all areas, or to all participants
Supporting Explanation
The diversity of AE E-Teacher participants extends to their financial resources. Therefore, course providers should design course activities and assignments to limit the mandatory use of any online tool or technological device that may not be available in all areas, or to all participants. These include but are not limited to microphones, cameras, and applications.
“Module 7, Task 7: Submit Reflective Essay 2” from Teaching Grammar Communicatively, an AE E-Teacher course designed and instructed by World Learning.

11. Open Environments
Using popular programs such as Microsoft Office Suite and Google products are not obligatory for materials, resources, or assignments
Participants are provided alternatives to material on blocked or censored websites, either in the form of static content (screenshots) or dynamic content (videos) uploaded on Canvas.
Transcript of “Vocabulary and Technology Lecture” from Using Educational Technology in the English Language Classroom, an AE E-Teacher course designed and instructed by Iowa State University.

12. References
Brown, H. Douglas Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. White Plains: Pearson Education. "Flesch–Kincaid Readability Tests." Wikipedia. Accessed August 9, "Principles of Accessible and Universal Design." Usability First. Accessed August 3, Wood, John. "The Best Fonts to Use in Print, Online, and ." American Writers and Artists Inc. October Accessed August 03,