Creating an Inclusive Class Environment

Accessibility and Creating an Inclusive Class Environment

You may have students in your classes who have disabilities and require accommodations. These could take many forms, including live captioning during class sessions, voice over audio, audio descriptions of nonverbal cues given within coursework videos, and extra time on tests.

Consider your content. Any resources used for class should be easy to read with headings, consistent navigation and user-friendly language. Use sans-serif fonts at least 12 points in size. Minimize using colors to convey meaning. Images and other non-text content elements should include alternative text.

Any students seeking accommodations for a disability should be directed to your university’s office of disability services for evaluation of their request. We recommend that you also connect with the office of disability services at your university to understand what services are available to faculty and students for an online environment.

In addition to the procedural aspects of implementing accommodations, it is vital that you create a welcoming, inclusive environment in which all students feel safe. The following table provides a few basic recommendations for creating an inviting environment:

• • Protect your student’s privacy. Avoid making a student feel ostracized or segregated from others by discussing a student’s accommodations and learning needs in front of others. If a discussion is required to ensure a student's needs are met, arrange a time to meet privately. A student with a disability does not need to disclose their accommodation to the class.

  • Use person-first language. If you need to mention the disability in your communications, you put the person before the disability. For example, instead of saying “the autistic student” say “the student who has been diagnosed with autism.” This protects the individual from being reduced to nothing more than the label for their disability and protects their right to dignity.

  • Use positive and supportive phrasing. For example, instead of saying “what issues do you think you’ll have?” ask “what barriers or challenges do you foresee having?” As a general rule of thumb, any language that discusses a student’s disability needs to be as empathetic as possible. You do not want students to feel like providing accommodations is a burden on your or other students.

  • Consider your content. Any resources used for class should be easy to read with headings, consistent navigation and user-friendly language. Use sans-serif fonts at least 12 points in size. Minimize using colors to convey meaning. Images and other non-text content elements should include alternative text.