Course Development Expectations
The following is a list of accessibility items to address when developing online courses and when creating materials that will be provided in an online format.
Post a transcript with audio.
- Different learners engage with materials in different ways. Providing content in different forms not only benefits students that require accommodations, but all students. For instance, if a student is in a café they may prefer to watch a video with captions instead of listening to the audio. If they are having technology problems with a narrated presentation, they can read the transcript instead. When creating presentations and podcasts, always include a transcript.
Provide closed captioning on videos.
- Video content needs to have captions available for those that are unable to listen to the audio portion of the videos. For third party videos it is recommended that you first search for videos that are already captioned; examples of publicly-available videos include TED talks, PBS videos, Lynda.com, Khan Academy, and videos from NBC Learn. The Kent State University library also has closed captioned materials available. It’s important to check that captioned pieces contain accurate captions; auto-generated ones, like those frequently found on YouTube, may not include accurate captions.
- If the video you are using cannot be found with closed captions or if the video is one that you created, you can check the project's budget in TeamDynamix to see if there is an accessibility allowance. If the project has a budget for accessibility, you may send the video to 3Play Media for captioning.
Use markup for documents you create.
- The markup or styles used in a word processor, such as Headings, Titles, and Subtitles, provide not only a visual difference to the reader, but also metadata used by screen readers that help users navigate the document. Use the Styles section when creating documents in MS Word and when you are adjusting type size and adding bold/italics to materials. Doing so without the Styles section makes the document much more difficult to navigate for those using screen-readers.
Use a shallow folder structure.
- Organize the course to keep the structure to as few “levels” deep as you can, while still giving it the organization it needs. Having the structure be fewer folders deep is also easier for those using screen readers to navigate. It is recommended that module folders are built with only two layers to keep navigation simple and consistent.
Provide the accessibility policies for the technology in the course.
- Sites and technologies used in the course should have the accessibility policy stated, or say that there is no accessibility policy for them if none exist. The accessibility policies for common programs like Canvas and Google products are already listed on the “Getting Started in your Online Course” page. Ensure that any software you use or additional platforms and materials from publishers are accessible. If not, the course may be rendered inaccessible for certain students with disabilities, and you would be unable to use those platforms/materials.
Use alt tag descriptions on images.
- Alt tags are descriptions of images that describe the image to those who are blind or low-vision and use screen reader technology. When adding any images to Canvas, include an informative description to convey important information about the image. The alt tag is what will be read by a screen reader when it reaches that image.
Avoid using color to convey meaning.
- Color blindness is relatively common and can affect how the students see, or do not see, the course materials. Avoid only using color to denote importance or meaning. Instead, consider also making a word larger or using bold text. Also, avoid color that is distracting, such as bright colors or patterned backgrounds. Finally, use colors that have a high contrast; for example, do not use green text on a red background or yellow text on a white background.
Use informative link names.
- Just as you use chapters to assist in navigating a book, it is important to label the hyperlinks to assist screen readers in navigating the course for blind or low-vision students. Write the hyperlink names to describe the content, rather than pasting the actual link or writing “Click Here”. The screen reader will read the hyperlink aloud, so ensure that it is descriptive of the actual linked content.
Important Accessibility Items to Consider for Student Accommodation Requests
Below are items that are difficult to make entirely accessible but are still important areas to think about when selecting and creating course materials. These are items that will need to be made fully accessible if there is an accommodation request for the course. Because of the time and effort required to address these items, these are not required as part of normal course development.
Accessible PDFs
- It can be difficult to make a PDF fully accessible, but when using PDFs in the course, avoid using ones that are simply scanned images.
Accessible websites
- Not all websites are created equal when it comes to accessibility. If you have questions about the accessibility of the content on the sites you use in the class and have a student with accommodations including publisher materials or platform, contact SAS.
Tables
- Tables can be difficult for screen readers to navigate in the best of circumstances, as they are a visual means of organizing information. Save the use of tables only for areas where the content requires it, and format the information properly with markup. Consider using a list or other means of displaying the information. If a table is the best means of conveying the information, format it correctly using headings and a title and avoiding excessive length, merged cells, or blank cells.