Wiki Page, Sandbox Kevin: [MODULE 2] Universal Design and Accessibility

Wiki Page
2023-08-31T11:12:26-06:00

Universal Design "meets the needs of the community of learners
while focusing on access for many individual learners." (Rose, et al. 2008)

Who are your learners? This is an important question to keep in mind while designing your Canvas course. HSU students come to us from a variety of ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds, and possess different levels of knowledge and skills that prepare them or limit them in the college environment. Students come to us with different strengths, abilities, and needs that require varying levels of support for learning. These include different learning style preferences and may also include physical, psychological or learning disabilities that may require accommodations in the classroom.

In a web-based environment such as Canvas, utilizing accessible technology enables all users to interact with course content equally and effectively. Universal Design principles allow instructors to employ technology in ways that can maximize student engagement, build community, and lead to successful learning. If you design your course upfront with Universal Design principles in mind, you will optimize accessibility for all learners.

Key principles of Universal Design include:

1. Multiple means of representation: variety of ways to gain information and knowledge

2. Multiple means of expression: alternative ways of demonstrating what they know

3. Multiple means of engagement: challenging learners in different ways (CAST, 2011).

To learn more, watch this short video from the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST): UDL At a Glance

The following resources will help you design your course for optimal access and engagement:

CAST UDL 2.0 Checklist [pdf]

CAST Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines

Seven Principles of Universal Design (Sonoma State University)

CSU Accessibility checklists by file type

CSU Tutorials to create accessible documents and multimedia

CSU Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI)

Don't forget to caption your videos:

Video captioning: Videos: Create, Caption and Add to your Canvas Course [pdf]

References:

CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology). (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA.
Rose, D., Harbour, W., Johnston, C., Daley, S., & Abardanell, L. (2008). Universal design for learning in postsecondary education: Reflections on principles and their application. In S. E. Burgstahler & R. C. Cory (Eds.), Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice (pp.45-59). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.