Optimizing Accessibility Training in Online Higher Education

Heap, Tania; Thompson, Marc

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/99745 Copy

Description

Title

Optimizing Accessibility Training in Online Higher Education

Author(s)

• Heap, Tania
• Thompson, Marc

Issue Date

2018-03-23

Keyword(s)

• Online accessibility
• accessible education
• universal design training
• faculty development

Abstract

In higher education and technology-enhanced learning environments, there is an increasing need for faculty members, instructional designers, and other learning professionals to be aware of and to use technologies and other learning and teaching tools that are accessible to all students, regardless of disability or other additional need. In this study, we evaluated our experience in training faculty members and eLearning professionals in accessibility and universal design principles, and we investigated the impact of these training workshops on the professional lives of faculty and eLearning professionals, as well as the impact on the overall quality of the University's course design and instructional materials. The aim of this study was to best address the specific needs of faculty and eLearning professionals in a wide variety of discipline areas, such as Veterinary Medicine, Business, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Liberal Arts and Sciences. Overall, our training analysis is aimed at empowering faculty and eLearning professionals to effectively create and deliver more universally designed instruction. As such, the ultimate beneficiaries of our study will be the students, who will have access to more accessible educational materials created according to universal design principles.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/99745

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