"Accessibility" in the context of online courses is the degree to which students with different abilities can access your course content. This is a larger topic than can be covered here. Therefore, this page provides links to other resources that cover this topic more thoroughly.
Click the following link to read the USM Disability Services Office’s Brightspace Accessibility Guide.
You can also read more general Digital Accessibility advice on the Center for Academic Innovation's Accessible Content page on USMDL.
Brightspace provides several features for implementing accommodations approved for students by the Disability Services Office.
Instructors can set different “time limit” accommodations for different students for specific assignments.
Navigate to the Assessments menu in the Navbar and select Assignments.
Click on the Action Button to the right of the assignment you wish to edit, and click Edit Assignment.
Click the Availability Dates & Conditions panel to reveal the options it contains.
Click the Manage Special Access button. The Manage Special Access pop-up will appear.
Click the Add Users to Special Access button. Another pop-up will appear.
Set the Due Dates and/or Availability Dates for the student(s).
Select the checkbox(s) next to the student(s) to whom these dates will apply.
Click the Save button.
Click the Save and Close button on the Manage Special Access pop-up.
Click the Save and Close button on the Edit Assignment page.
Instructors can set different “time limit” accommodations for different students with this tool and can use the Quizzes Tool to edit a student’s accommodations for individual quizzes, if necessary.
Navigate to the Course Resources menu in the Navbar and select Classlist.
Click on the Action Button to the right of the student's name.
Select Edit Accommodations.
Click Modify Time Limit.
Enter either a Multiplier of original quiz time or specify Extra time in minutes.
Click the Save button.
TIP
The following instructions can also be used in cases where a student missed the window to take a quiz or exam due to a power outage.
Click the Assessments menu in the Navbar and select Quizzes & Exams.
Click the Action Button next to the quiz.
Select Edit from the menu that appears.
The Edit Quiz page will appear. Click the Restrictions tab.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Add Users to Special Access button.
If applicable, set an alternate Due Date.
Set the Start Date and End Date to create a window of time you would like to allow the student to access the quiz/exam.
Choose Enforced Time Limit to assign a longer window of time for a student or students.
Scroll down and click the checkbox(s) next to the student(s) these settings will apply to.
Click the Add Special Access button.
