Basics of Inclusive Design for Online Education from Coursera

This course provides instruction and strategies to support you in developing a course that is inclusive to students with a wide range of abilities, including students with disabilities. We cover effective practices to increase inclusion and avoid some of the common accessibility issues that can arise in an online course.

In particular, Basics of Inclusive Design Online covers course organization, the accessibility of Microsoft Office and PDF documents, making course instruction pages accessible, captioning of videos, making images accessible, and designing for learning differences. We also discuss how inclusive course materials can help all students, including students without disabilities.

This course will appeal to those who want both a broad overview of the range of accessibility considerations and also a step-by-step guide of how to check documents for accessibility, caption a video, or prepare course content for non-visual users.

Course logo credit: "web accessibility word cloud" by Jill Wright (https://goo.gl/xyUoeU).

What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Course, Demographics, Universal Design

Welcome to the first week of Basics of Inclusive Design! This module will review the structure and logistics of the course and then introduce the issues that affect course accessibility. The topic of course accessibility will include an interview with two students who use Assistive Technology to access digital material. The assignment will allow you to learn more about the issues that students with different backgrounds and abilities face when taking a course and for you to offer your own solutions for addressing the needs of students who may need special adaptations for accessing course material.

Week 2: Accessible Documents

Following a review of online accessibility issues, in this week we will explain the steps to create and remediate course documents in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF documents. The assignment will provide you with an opportunity to apply these skills to actual documents.

Week 3: Complex Images, Tables, Graphs

Week 3 will focus on creating appropriate text alternatives for complex images and other more complex material, such as data tables and graphs. The assignment will provide you the opportunity to add alternate text to images.

Week 4: Captioning

This week, we will introduce the topic of captioning, discuss its accessibility and Universal Design benefits and then provide step-by-step instruction for captioning videos using a variety of tools. The assignment will provide the opportunity to caption a video.

Week 5: Uncovered Topics, Resources & Review

This final week of the course will cover topics not covered in earlier lessons: keyboard accessibility, color contrast and the accessibility of Learning Management Systems (LMS). The assignment will ask you to use a resource we have covered and one discovered by you to address one of a number of accessibility scenarios.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides strategies and instruction for crafting inclusive courses for students with a wide range of abilities

Covers essential accessibility practices to avoid common issues that arise in online courses

Specifically addresses course organization, Microsoft Office and PDF document accessibility, as well as captioning and image accessibility

Emphasizes the benefits of inclusive course materials for all students, including those without disabilities

Provides a comprehensive overview of accessibility considerations and a step-by-step guide for checking document accessibility and creating accessible videos

Addresses course accessibility through interviews with students who use assistive technology

Reviews summary

Well-structured inclusive design overview

Learners say this well-structured course offers a great introduction to inclusive design in online education. They especially appreciate the practical exercises that help them apply new knowledge. Reviews note that videos are sometimes outdated and that assignment turnaround may be slow due to peer reviewing. Despite these drawbacks, students report gaining valuable insights and skills for creating accessible learning experiences.

Assignments help apply concepts.

"This course shares very important knowledge and offers practical exercises according to the content in each module."

"The assignments really pushed you to put theory into practice with documents you have to create."

Some course materials are outdated.

"The content of this course was great, but it needed to be updated."

"The PowerPoint modules need to be updated."

Peer review can cause delays in completing assignments.

"Waiting for assignments to be reviewed is a major drawback."

"I was disappointed and frustrated with the speed and consistency regarding feedback."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Basics of Inclusive Design for Online Education with these activities:

Review course material from an online presentation

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Reviewing previous foundational material on design will help you hit the ground running when the course begins.

Browse courses on UX

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Find a video or presentation about a beginner-level topic in design as it pertains to UXD
Take notes while reviewing the material
Make note of any questions you have and bring them to the first class

Complete the tutorial on using Figma

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Strengthen your understanding of the primary tool you'll be using in the course.

Browse courses on Figma

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Go to the Figma website and create a free account
Click on the 'Learn' tab and start the Figma tutorial
Follow the steps in the tutorial and complete all the exercises
Once you have completed the tutorial, create a practice design using Figma

Join a UX design study group

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Networking with others in the field will help you stay updated on the latest trends and best practices.

Browse courses on Collaboration

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Find a UX design study group online or in your local area
Join the study group and introduce yourself
Participate in the study group's discussions and activities
Share your own UX design work with the group and get feedback

Three other activities

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Create a collection of UX design resources

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Having all of your helpful resources compiled in one place will save you valuable time.

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Create a document or spreadsheet to store your resources
Include links to articles, tutorials, videos, and other resources that you find helpful
Organize your resources into categories, such as 'Tools', 'Articles', and 'Videos'
Share your collection of resources with other UX designers

Contribute to an open-source UX design project

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Sharpen your skills while contributing to the broader UX community.

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Find an open-source UX design project that you are interested in
Fork the project and make changes to the code
Submit a pull request to the project's maintainers
Work with the maintainers to get your changes merged into the project

Create a portfolio website showcasing your UX design work

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A portfolio website will allow you to showcase your skills and attract potential employers.

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Choose a domain name and web hosting provider
Design and develop your website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Showcase your best UX design work on your website
Include a call to action on your website, such as a contact form or a link to your resume

Career center

Learners who complete Basics of Inclusive Design for Online Education will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Teaching Assistant for Inclusive Design

Inclusive course design is an essential aspect of education, particularly for students with disabilities. As a Teaching Assistant for Inclusive Design, you would support the development and delivery of online courses in line with accessibility and universal design principles. You would have the opportunity to integrate the skills and knowledge gained in this course into your teaching strategies, ensuring that instructional materials are accessible to all students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teaching Assistant for Inclusive Design

Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers create and develop instructional materials for online and blended learning programs. Understanding inclusive design principles and best practices is crucial for designing accessible and effective learning experiences. By taking this course, you would enhance your ability to create instructional materials that meet the diverse needs of learners with varying abilities and learning styles.

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Educational Technologist

Educational Technologists support the integration of technology into teaching and learning. This role involves understanding and implementing accessibility features and tools in online learning environments. The knowledge gained from this course would enable you to effectively assess and implement assistive technologies and ensure equal access to educational resources for all students.

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Accessibility Specialist

As an Accessibility Specialist, you would be responsible for improving the accessibility of digital content and online environments. This course provides a solid foundation in accessibility principles and practical techniques for creating accessible documents, videos, and images. It would equip you with the skills to identify and address accessibility barriers in online education, making it inclusive for all.

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Web Accessibility Consultant

Web Accessibility Consultants specialize in ensuring the accessibility of websites and online content. Understanding inclusive design practices and legal compliance is essential in this role. This course would provide you with a comprehensive understanding of accessibility guidelines and standards, empowering you to develop and evaluate accessible web-based learning materials.

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User Experience (UX) Designer

UX Designers create accessible and inclusive user experiences for digital products and services. The principles and techniques covered in this course would enable you to design online courses that are intuitive, accessible, and user-friendly. It would provide a foundation for understanding the diverse needs of users and designing for inclusivity.

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Curriculum Developer

Curriculum Developers are responsible for designing and developing educational content and materials. Incorporating inclusive design principles into your work ensures that students with diverse abilities can access and engage with the curriculum effectively. By understanding universal design and accessibility best practices, you would be able to create inclusive course content that caters to the learning needs of all students.

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Education Researcher

Education Researchers study and evaluate learning processes and outcomes, including the impact of inclusive design principles on student learning. This course would enhance your understanding of accessibility and universal design principles and how they can improve learning outcomes for all. It would support your research in identifying and addressing accessibility barriers in educational contexts.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts conduct research and analysis to inform policy development. In the context of education, this may include policies related to accessibility and inclusion. By taking this course, you would gain a deeper understanding of the legal and ethical dimensions of inclusive design and how it can be implemented in educational policies to promote equal access to education.

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