What do we mean by accessibility?

By Valérie Florentin and Lianne Fisher

In a recent blog post, we discussed inclusivity and tried to show that, currently, students with different needs might not feel fully supported in class. In this post, we will delve into a few true and tried practices that could help your groups. Therefore, we will start with reminding you the three principles from the universal design for learning (UDL):

 1. Stimulate interest and motivation for learning;

2. Present information in different ways; and

3. Differentiate the ways that students can express what they know.

Although these principles appear straightforward, we may need help enforcing them in our classrooms, especially the last two. The UDL framework obviously constantly pays attention to accessibility and suggest approaches in every principle, but it might not be easy to translate those into actions that can be put in place in each and every class, or to fully grasp what it means for the teaching and learning context.  

Regarding the second principle which centres on the presentation of information, you might be reluctant to consider YouTube videos as equivalent to peer-reviewed articles. You are likely even more hesitant to use single images to replace a whole lecture, despite the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, what can we do? Can we ask our students to go through all the different material, so that they hopefully engage with at least one type of learning opportunity? If we leave the choice up to them, are we at risk of having no student do the reading, preferring a short YouTube video, thus encouraging our group to “slack”? How can we make sure that any type of learning material we provide is “equivalent” to the others? And how much time will it take to rethink our whole course in order to provide several ways to access the material?

Those are all fair questions, to which we will counter with just one: can we afford not to provide students with what they need?

With the hope that we have convinced you that we need to do more, here’s a list of things that can be easily implemented to help our students:

For blind or low vision students:

• Always add alt-text when inserting images.
• Narrate what you do when you write or draw something on the board, or even when you project your PowerPoint. Make your PowerPoint available on eClass prior to the class.
• If you ask students to move around the class (to work in teams for example), make sure that they’re able to do so easily.

For deaf, deafened and hard of hearing students:

• Make sure that your videos are accompanied with a verbatim transcript. You can use a speech-to-text software to save time: play the video, proofread the transcription and you’re all set. Such a document can also be helpful: 1. for students who do not have English as a first language: having a transcription means that they can use any translation software to get a version in their preferred language and 2. for students with ADHD who might be able to focus better if they read at the same time they watch the video.
• Have your PowerPoint or other material available on eClass before the class, to help students prepare accordingly.

For students with mobility issues, even temporary ones (e.g. broken leg):

• Make sure that the door to your classroom is equipped to open by itself and closes slowly enough; otherwise, find an agreed-upon alternative: a door stopper, or a designated person who would get up and get the door when somebody knocks, or at specific times.
• If you ask students to move around the class (to work in teams for example), make sure that they’re able to do so easily.

Also, you’re the expert in your course and you know where your students are likely to struggle. Ask yourself: What is one more thing you can do to ensure their success? What is one more way for them to access the information differently? This idea of “plus one” can also be applied to assessments: what it one more way students can demonstrate that they have learned what they were supposed to learn?

On the topic of evaluations and assessments, there are two well-known images that, to us, illustrate part of the problem. We feel that the first is problematic because there are a number of ways for some animals to cheat: the elephant could topple the tree, and then reach the top, but that wouldn’t be climbing… We take issue with the second image because the younger child has twice as much help as the other, which usually ends with a debate about how much help is “just right,” to quote Goldilocks. Should there be a point above which our students are just “not made” for the university and should pick other venues instead?