Making course content accessible through a variety of means often translates into a curriculum that presents information in multiple formats and media at the same time, provides multiple pathways to the same objectives, and multiple ways to engage (with) students (Meyer & Rose, 2002).

• Think Universal Design for Learning
• Offer content in a variety of formats
• Invite participation in various ways

Tools

• UDL Graphic Organizer
• Online tools are available to help you further explore one’s learning strengths and needs
• Emergency Remote Instruction Checklist (Teaching Effectively in a New Environment section)

Resources

• Student Accessibility Services
• Universal Design for Learning Guidelines
• Ensuring Accessibility to All
• Considering the Needs of Diverse Learners
• Centre for Human Rights Training Sessions
• Learning Skills Services
• Student Survey Results (Challenges with the Remote Environment)
• Look at our comprehensive YorkU Guide for Remote Teaching for more on Universal Design for Learning and Universal Design for Learning

Best practices

• When focusing on the course learning outcomes, instructors are able to maintain high expectations for students while opening multiple pathways towards achievement.
• Consider the various approaches and methods that you can share to deliver course content and engage students.
• Think about how students can demonstrate their level of understanding and achievement of course learning outcomes through varying forms of assessment.
• Be aware of unintentional barriers (e.g., the speed of a lecture or a tight turn around time for an assignment) and think of ways to remove these barriers for all students.

Tools

• You can enable Zoom to automatically generate a transcript
• Use an accessibility checker when using Word or Adobe Acrobat before uploading your documents

Resources

• Accessibility in Teaching and Learning
• Visit the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST) for guidelines on providing options for representing information
• Accessibility Services, York University Libraries
• Ensuring Accessibility to All

Best practices

• Some students use alternate format material in order to access their readings using technology. It may be necessary to have the text converted to an appropriate format so that it can be read by a screen reader.
• If you are posting video content for your class, videos should have closed captioning or transcripts made available.  Refer to Create and Share Content for more information.
• Use an accessibility checker when using Word, Power Point, or Adobe Acrobat before uploading your documents.

Tools

• Zoom
• eClass Discussion Forums
• Moodle Wikis
• Microsoft Teams

Resources

• Visit the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST) for guidelines on providing options for action and expression of learning
• Visit the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST) for guidelines on encouraging various modes of engagement

Best practices

• Involve students in the setting of their own personal academic and behavioral goals.
• Provide tasks that allow for active participation, exploration and experimentation.
• Invite personal response, evaluation and self-reflection to content and activities.
• Include activities that foster the use of imagination to solve novel and relevant problems, or make sense of complex ideas in creative ways.