Instructional Materials Checklist
Contents
Instructional Materials Checklist .................................................................................................... 1
Syllabus ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Textbooks .................................................................................................................................... 2
Learning Management System Content ..................................................................................... 2
Vendor-produced labs/instructional resources .......................................................................... 3
Handouts Distributed Online/Print ............................................................................................. 3
Software ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Library Electronic Reserves ......................................................................................................... 4
Websites ...................................................................................................................................... 4
Video and Audio .......................................................................................................................... 4
FacPacks (Course Packs) .............................................................................................................. 5
For Additional Assistance: ........................................................................................................... 5
This checklist is designed to help instructors analyze and develop accessible instructional
materials. The checklist items apply to existing materials and courses at the time when they go
into use and to new materials and courses at the time when they are being developed. The
EITA Working Group based the Instructional Materials Checklist on guidelines from the
following national organizations:
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Advisory Commission on Accessible Instructional Materials in Postsecondary Education
for Students with Disabilities
National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC)
National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials
National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard Center (NIMAS Center)
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Syllabus
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Is my syllabus available in an accessible electronic format?
Does my syllabus meet general document accessibility standards according to UM Policy
and Procedures?
Did I post my course syllabus online at the Mansfield Library
(library.syllabi@umontana.edu or www.lib.umt.edu/syllabi)?
Did I include a statement regarding support for students with disabilities in my syllabus?
See DSS’ Course Syllabus Statement website for guidance.
Textbooks
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Did I submit a textbook that is available from the publisher in a digital format?
If I did not select a textbook that is available in electronic format, did I identify or submit
my textbook order in a timely fashion so that there is adequate time to create alternate
formats? If books are ordered through the Bookstore, the preferred ordering deadlines
are by April 15 for Fall Semester/Winter Session and by October 15 for Spring/Summer
Semester.
If I answered no to the questions above, did I establish a plan to provide an equal
alternate form of access if a textbook is not available in a format that can be accessed
by students on the first day of class? Contact Disability Services for Students at 406-2432243 for guidance.
Learning Management System Content
Content created in learning management systems (LMS) is one of the most effective and easy
ways to make instructional materials accessible, if you follow the basic guidelines in this
checklist. Moodle is the primary LMS on this campus; this checklist applies to all such systems in
use.
 Did I create a navigation structure in my Moodle course that is clear and consistent?
 Can I navigate through my course content using only the keyboard, without using the
mouse?
 Did I author accessible content (e.g. pages, labels, assignments, etc.) using the text
editor in Moodle?
 Did I use a sans-serif font (such as Arial or Verdana
 Did I add heading styles to my content?
 Did I add alternate text to images?
 Did I provide an explanatory paragraph for graphs, diagrams, timelines, or other
complex images?
 Did I format lists as proper lists?
 Did I avoid using color alone to convey information?
 Did I provide enough color contrast? (See the WebAIM Color Contrast Checker)
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Did I provide self-describing links?
Did I use tables for tabular data (rather than for layout purposes), with
appropriate table headers?
 Did I use Advanced forums for my online discussions?
 Do my quizzes contain one question per page?
 Did I adjust the settings of timed tests for students who require extended time
on tests? See DSS’ website regarding Test Modifications for Students.
Did I upload accessible content (such as Word documents, PDF’s, PowerPoint
presentations, Excel spreadsheets, etc.) into my Moodle course according to UM Policy
and Procedures?
Did I reference websites that are accessible (see the Website information below)?
Did I add accessible multimedia files (see the Video and Audio section below)?
Do I manage web conferences (Blackboard Collaborate) in an accessible manner? See
the following resources: Blackboard Collaborate Accessibility Guide for Moderators and
Blackboard Collaborate Accessibility Guide for Participants.
If I answered ‘no’ to any of the questions above, did I establish a plan to make my online
content accessible to students on the first day of class? Contact UMOnline at 406-2436434 for guidance.
Vendor-produced labs/instructional resources
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Did I select accessible vendor-produced labs and resources? (Two UM standards may be
applicable here: web standards and software standards)
Since many of these lab-based supplements are highly inaccessible, have I looked at
alternate instructional materials.
Handouts Distributed Online/Print
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Did I design course handouts so that they are accessible according to UM Policy and
Procedures?
Did I ensure that scanned materials are tagged so that they contain accessible electronic
text? See the scanning services provided by the Mansfield Library and IT Accessibility
Services.
Software
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Did I select accessible software for student use?
If the software is inaccessible, have I looked at alternate software or consulted DSS for
appropriate accommodations?
Hardware (new section)
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If I use an iClicker or a similar audience response system, does the manufacturer provide
a response system that is accessible?
Are the questions provided in an accessible electronic format that a student can access
during the exercise?
Do my iClicker questions require the use of inaccessible hardware/software (e.g.
graphing calculators to complete statistics exercises)? If so, do I allow my students to
work in groups or do I have a plan for providing additional time/assistance.
Library Electronic Reserves
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Are my course reserve materials in an accessible and readable format?
Did I choose materials from publishers and journals that provide accessible electronic
content?
Did I submit my course reserve materials to the Mansfield Library a minimum of 2 days
in advance from the date they will be used in class? See the Placing Materials on Course
Reserve web page to learn about the Library’s guidelines about placing course materials
on e-reserves.
Did I obtain permission from the owner/publisher of the print, video or audio content I
want to place on e-reserves? Visit the Course Reserve Materials Copyright
Guidelines webpage for more information.
Did I establish a plan to provide an equal alternate form of access to content I placed on
electronic reserves and traditional reserves, if either are not accessible by the first day
of class?
Websites
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Did I follow web accessibility best practices when designing faculty or course webpages,
blogs, wikis, etc.? See the Web Accessibility website for more information.
Did I select websites for class activities and resources that are accessible? See
the Accessibility website for guidance.
Video and Audio
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Did I identify video and or audio based materials I will use in my course at least 8 weeks
prior to the first day of class so they can be converted into alternate formats, if needed.
Did I ensure that the video is closed captioned/audio described and audio content is
transcribed?
If I could not locate a closed captioned/audio described version of my video, did I
request assistance from the Mansfield Library?
Did I establish a plan to caption videos that will be spontaneously identified and/or
generated throughout the semester for use in my course curriculum?
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FacPacks (Course Packs)
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Do you use FacPacks as part of your course instructional materials? If so, review the
following questions:
Do I have the content I want to include in a FacPack available in an accessible electronic
format?
If I answered ‘yes’ to the question above, have I considered making these resources
available online in Moodle? Contact UMOnline for guidance at 406-243-6434.
If I answered ‘no’ to the first question, did I establish a plan to provide an accessible
electronic format by the first day of class? Contact Disability Services for Students at
406-243-2243 for guidance.
For Additional Assistance:
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http://www.umt.edu/accessibility
UMOnline
IT’s Accessible Technology Services
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