Module 2 Accessibility

Module Overview

This module will introduce the participant to laws and regulations related to making online and blended learning materials accessible to all students. In general, teachers are made aware of student disabilities by the IEP (Individualized Education Plan). However, many students have disabilities that go undiagnosed or unknown, such as color blindness or impaired hearing. Teachers following the Universal Design principles are ensuring that all students have accessible curriculum. By the conclusion of this module, you will have reflected on your own accessibility practices and created a video assignment with accompanying captions and a transcript.

Learning Objectives

In this module, participants will:

Review concepts related to accessibility.
Review relevant laws and regulations related to Section 508 and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).
Reflect on current practice and materials regarding accessibility.
Create a video resource that meets ADA accessibility requirements through captioning and transcription.

Module Assignments

2.1 Discussion: How accessible is your digital content?
2.2 Portfolio Assignment: Establishing an Accessible Social Presence (screencast)
2.3 Reflection: iNACOL Blended Teacher Competency Framework or iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching, Version 2

Academic Vocabulary

The academic vocabulary you will encounter in this module is:

Section 508: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that all Web site content be equally accessible to people with disabilities. This applies to Web applications, Web pages (including online courses) and all attached files.
Universal accessibility: A requirement by law, ADA Section 508, that all students, regardless of disability, must be provided with access to equivalent learning materials, including interfaces, images, sounds, multimedia elements, and all other forms of information.
Universal Design: Broad-spectrum ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to both people without disabilities and people with disabilities.
IEP: An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is designed to meet the unique educational needs of one child, who may have a disability, as defined by federal regulations. The IEP is intended to help children reach educational goals more easily than they otherwise would, and is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In Canada and the United Kingdom, an equivalent document is called an Individual Education Plan.
Closed Captioning: Closed captioning is the process of displaying text on a television, video screen or other visual display to provide additional or interpretive information to individuals who wish to access it. Closed captions typically show a transcription of the audio portion of a program as it occurs (either verbatim or in edited form), sometimes including non-speech elements.
Alternative Text: Text associated with an image that serves the same purpose and conveys the same essential information as the image. This is often used in situations where the image is not available to the reader because they have turned off images in their web browser, or are using a screen reader due to a visual impairment.
IDEA Act: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities. It addresses the educational needs of children with disabilities from birth to age 18 or 21.

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