Accessibility Training
for Online Educators
Sheryl Burgstahler • sherylb@uw.edu
Hadi Rangin • hadir@uw.edu
Sheryl’s First Online Course
> First online learning course at UW, 1995
> Co-instructor Dr. Norm Coombs
> Title: Adaptive Technology for People with
Disabilities
> Technology: Email, discussion list, Gopher
server, telnet, file transfer protocol
> Mailed materials: publications, captioned &
audio described VHS videos
Presentation objective
> Compare and contrast two options for
providing accessibility training to online
learning
instructors,
content
developers,
& program
administrators
Factors
> Increasing numbers of learning opportunities
delivered online & online tools
> Increasing diversity on postsecondary
campuses
> legislation to ensure equal access for people
with disabilities world-wide
> civil rights complaints about inaccessible
design of IT
A Goal for Online Learning
> Courses & programs that are welcoming
to, accessible to, & usable by all potential
students,
including
those with
disabilities
Stakeholders
> Students
> Instructors
> Online course designers
> IT technical & support personnel
> Disability service providers
> Campus leaders
> Learning management system (LMS)
providers
Most Common Accommodations
for Online Courses at UW
> Alternate testing
– extended time, permission to use speechto-text software like Dragon
> Accessible instructional materials
– audio books, accessible files
– Avg 26k pages evaluated each quarter
> Captioning
– 5.5 hours of video/wk = $10,395/quarter
Two Online Courses
> Rutgers University
> University of Illinois
Rutgers University
> Instructor: Sheryl Burgstahler
> Background
> Target: Online instructors, course designers,
program administrators
> Format: Online, asynchronous, universally
designed
> LMS: eCollege
> Length: 6 weeks, noncredit
Prerequisites, Rutgers
> Low level of technical expertise required
> Students are
expected to
engage about
2 hours
per week
Student Objectives, Rutgers
> Describe diversity, accommodations,
potential IT/course access challenges &
solutions, AT, UD, civil rights, legislation,
accessible IT guidelines/standards
> Describe accessible & usable design of
online content (e.g., for content design, web
pages, multimedia, file formats)
> Be aware of roles & resources regarding
the creation of accessible online courses
Instructional Strategies, Rutgers
> Modules with overview content & links to
videos & resources
> Discussions—post message & respond to at
least one other message
> Joint development of webliography
> Project, with extended time option
Evaluation, Rutgers
> Students reported gains in knowledge about
access challenges, legal issues, & making
courses accessible
> Students expect to apply what they learned
> Challenges for instructor:
– wide variety of technology skills of students
– materials not available in accessible format
– covering so much content in 12 total hours
University of Illinois
> Universal Design for Online Learning
> Instructors: Hadi Rangin, Marc Thompson
> Background
> Target: Instructors & Course Designers
> Format: Online, asynchronous, universally
designed
> LMS: Moodle
> Length: 8 weeks, 3 credits
Prerequisites, Illinois
> Basic familiarity with Word, PowerPoint, &
Adobe Acrobat applications &, ideally, with an
HTML authoring tool
> Plan to engage about 10 hours per week
Students Objectives, Illinois
> Describe UD principles for online learning,
how people with disabilities access IT, &
potential accessibility/usability issues
> Discuss basic course considerations & best
practices for distance learning
> Discuss UD practices for the web
> Create usable & accessible content in HTML,
Word, PowerPoint & PDF
Instructional Strategies, Illinois
> Modules with overview content & links to
videos & resources, including “OPTIONAL”
content
> Discussions—post message & respond to at
least one other message
> Hands-on experiences in developing
accessible content
> Project
Evaluation, Illinois
> Students reported gains in knowledge
> Students demonstrated skills in making
courses accessible
> Students expect to apply what they learned
> Challenges for instructors:
– addressing issues related to wide variety of tech
skills
– students who do not engage 10 hours/week
Lessons Learned
> Model UD in the delivery of the course
> An asynchronous mode offers flexibility
> Tailor instruction to specific stakeholders &
consider offering multiple short courses
> Assign projects relevant to student roles
> Make expectations clear RE linked resources
> Expect variability in student technical
expertise & give adequate individual support
Resources
> Sheryl Burgstahler, sherylb@uw.edu
> Hadi Rangin, hadir@uw.edu
> AccessDL
www.uw.edu/doit/programs/accessdl