ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS
Those who create course content need to consider accessibility as they design. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 11.3% of students have a disability (Academic Impressions, 2013). In Higher Education, it is estimated that 53% of those students do not consider themselves to have a disability and do not inform the school. Additionally, 7% of that population may consider themselves to have a disability but do not inform the school (Academic Impressions, 2013).
Designing accessible content gives students the ability to succeed. The first step in designing accessible content in the classroom is understanding the challenges students may face and seeking out resources and methods to overcome them.
Images
Provide concise alternative-text descriptions for images. If the image is pertinent to your lesson, describe the image succinctly in your alt text. If your image contains text, that wording needs to be in your alt text. If your image is described in the text surrounding it or it is purely decorative, mark it as "decorative." (Resource: WebAim - Alternative Text)
Video/Audio Content
If a provided video has audio narration, you must provide closed captioning [cc]. Captions should be synchronized, equivalent, and accessible. Videos without audio narration need audio description or a detailed time-stamped transcript. (Resource: WebAim - Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Description)
Hyperlinks
Use descriptive wording for any hyperlink text. Avoid giving the full URL or uninformative links phrases like "click here" or "explore more". Provide the title or name of the site or webpage and hyperlink that instead. (Resource: WebAim - Links and Hypertext)
Keyboard Accessibility
Ensure that all functions can be accessed from the keyboard. This is important to consider when creating content in different formats (Word, PDF, PowerPoint). Ensure that all content is accessible. If the content is to be converted to a PDF, ensure that the end product maintains accessibility. (Resource: WebAim - Keyboard Accessibility, WebAim - Creating Accessible Documents, Creating Accessible PDFs)
Tables
Provide column and row headers. Ensure that tables have alternate text descriptions. Tables should read left to right and top to bottom. (Resource: WebAim - Creating Accessible Tables)
Inclusive/Sensitive Language
Use language that inclusive and sensitive to the needs of diverse learners. Avoid verbs like "see," "view," or "look at." Use "go to," "open," "explore," or "visit" instead. Write clearly and directly, use bullet lists, avoid slang and jargon, and be as literal as possible. Consider users with reading disorders and cognitive disabilities.
Colors
Do not rely on colors alone to convey the meaning of content. Use color combinations with high contrast, and that can be easily read by those who are colorblind or have low vision. (Resource: WebAim - Color and Contrast)