1. Accessibility in Online Courses
October 23, 2017
Paula Thorsland, UMass Boston
Marcie Savoie, UMass Amherst
Marisha Marks, UMass Amherst

2. Why Universal Design?
Unique nature of online students’ learning needs and preferences (self-select online learning environment).
Can build in more choice and support for learning differences.
More built-in practice, ability to review or repeat content (easier to rewind video, reread materials, revise written responses).
May teach for mastery, making sure student grasps concept before proceeding to next unit.
Correctly constructed digital materials innately accessible.
Proactive accommodations remove barriers for learning.

3. UMass Amherst Initiatives
Student workers as captioners
Accessibility review of funded courses
Accessible syllabus for new courses
Workshops/ webinars/ documentation
Take the opportunity to use any help that is available to achieve accessibility:
Summer 2017 undergraduate student workers captioned public facing how-to videos.
Used YouTube for automatic captioning and then edited the automatic captions and timing.
Incorporate accessibility requirements into course building initiatives:
Piggybacked on a course building initiative designed to expand course offerings in key programs.
Instructors required to attend Universal Design webinar.
Course reviewed by accessibility expert with instrument based on OSCQR rubric and Department of Justice checklist.
Designed accessible syllabus template using Google Docs. The template will be incorporated into a training activity for all new online instructors.
Traditional venues of communicating with instructors:
Face to face workshops - accessible documents
Webinars - Universal Design best practices
Upcoming webinar
Recording of past webinar
Documentation on accessibility and universal design: Bit.ly/CPE_UD

4. UMass Boston Initiatives
Created accessible documents module
Elearning.umb.edu
Accessibility documentation
OSCQR
New Online Faculty Training

5. Share Your Success Stories? Your Challenges?
What are your success stories or challenges? Open discussion with participants.

6. On the Horizon Blackboard Ally Consortium CC license
Wish list: Universal accessibility policy for all campuses
Currently policy decisions are made on each campus, and sometimes with each department. Yet everyone is bound by the same set of federal regulations.