Standard 6. Accessibility considerations
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6.0: Content and third-party instructional tools used within the course are accessible according to university accessibility policy.
Providing content and tools that are accessible is critical to keeping students with disabilities on track. All enterprise-wide applications in use by the University have already been vetted for accessibility (i.e., WebCampus).
All online courses at the University of Nevada, Reno must meet federal laws regarding student access: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. While required, conforming to these standards will also benefit students with or without disabilities, and will help all of your students to access and use the content of your online course.
- Before including any third-party technology tool or application in your course, check for accessibility information on the product site, user reviews, and reach out to see if the tool has gone through the University’s ICT Procurement Process.
- Try using the accessibility features built into any tool that you use in your courses, including WebCampus. Familiarize yourself with Ally Accessibility Checker and the Rich Content Editor’s Accessibility Checker (video).
- Run the URL of web-based resources through the Wave Accessibility Tool from WebAIM, and accessibility organization. The results provide guidance on any issues that may be detected.
- Check with the Disability Resource Center and Office of Digital Learning’s Accessibility Resources for guidance on accessible technologies and specific tools and approaches to avoid.
6.1: All videos are captioned and transcripts are provided for audio materials; alternative text is provided for images or visual materials.
Like Objective 6.0, this objective is required for compliance with federal guidelines; additionally, it meets Universal Design for Learning guidelines and provides benefits for students who may not be able to view materials with sound on for various reasons.
University Resources:
- Captioning Resources for Faculty
- Creating and Using Instructional Materials
- Accessibility Workshops and Trainings
Bradshaw, D. (2020). Examining Beliefs and Practices of Students with Hidden Disabilities and Universal Design for Learning in Institutions of Higher Education. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice 20(15), 12–20.
Burgstahler, S.E., & Young, M.K. (2015). Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principals to Practice (2nd ed.). Harvard University Press.
Burgstahler, S. (2017, January 30). ADA Compliance for Online Course Design. EDUCAUSE Review.
Burgstahler, S. (2021, January 2). 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course. University of Washington Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DOIT).
Covadonga, R., & Tabuenca, B. (2020). Learning Ecologies in Online Students with Disabilities. Comunicar, 28(62), 53–65.
Web Accessibility Initiative. (n.d.). WCAG 2 Overview. The World Wide Web Consortium W3C.