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Emily Moore, Howard Kramer, and Clayton Lewis

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.

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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).

Copyright - some rights remain. See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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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.
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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

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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
Reviewing previous foundational material on design will help you hit the ground running when the course begins.
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Show steps
  • 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
Strengthen your understanding of the primary tool you'll be using in the course.
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Show steps
  • 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
Networking with others in the field will help you stay updated on the latest trends and best practices.
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Show steps
  • 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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Show all six activities
Create a collection of UX design resources
Having all of your helpful resources compiled in one place will save you valuable time.
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Show steps
  • 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
Sharpen your skills while contributing to the broader UX community.
Show steps
  • 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
A portfolio website will allow you to showcase your skills and attract potential employers.
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Show steps
  • 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Basics of Inclusive Design for Online Education.
Provides a comprehensive overview of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a framework for creating learning environments that are accessible to all learners. It covers the three main principles of UDL: representation, engagement, and assessment, and provides practical strategies for implementing UDL in the classroom.
Practical guide to making websites accessible, covering everything from the basics of HTML and CSS to more advanced topics such as ARIA and WCAG 2.0 compliance. It is an essential resource for anyone who wants to create accessible websites and online courses.
Provides instructions for creating accessible PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat. It covers topics such as tagging documents, adding alternative text to images, and creating accessible forms.
Provides a quick reference guide to designing accessible websites and other digital products. It covers topics such as color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and how to use assistive technology.
Provides practical guidance on how to create and use rubrics for teaching and learning, including how to write clear and concise rubrics, and how to use rubrics to assess student learning.
Provides practical guidance on how to teach gifted students, including how to identify gifted students, and how to develop and implement differentiated instruction for gifted students.
Provides practical guidance on how to assess and grade student learning, including how to use formative and summative assessments, and how to provide feedback to students.
Provides a comprehensive guide to accessible user interface design. It covers topics such as color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and how to use assistive technology.
Provides a practical guide to web accessibility. It covers topics such as how to create accessible HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and how to test for accessibility.

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