6.5 Accessibility and Inclusion Considerations
Accessible teaching involves designing courses and strategies to meet diverse needs, removing learning barriers, and presenting content in multiple ways.
Using Copilot for Accessible Teaching
Copilot is a tool that can support diverse learners and promote a more inclusive learning environment. At the same time, as with any educational technology, it is vital to support learners with Copilot use.
How can Copilot be used to promote a more accessible and inclusive learning experience:
- Copilot can help design lessons that cater to diverse learning needs by generating accessible content in multiple formats. For instance, create a lesson plan that includes text, audio, and visual aids to ensure all students can access the content.
- Copilot can facilitate collaboration by creating interactive activities that connect students and the content. Generate group activities and discussion prompts to encourage collaboration and peer learning.
- Copilot can support independent learning by providing personalized resources and feedback, helping students work independently. Provide personalized reading materials and quizzes tailored to each student’s reading level and interests.
- Copilot can assist in organizing learning materials and schedules, making it easier for students to manage their tasks. Organize lesson materials clearly and provide email templates and calendars to schedule upcoming assignments.
- By automating repetitive tasks and providing clear, concise information, Copilot can help reduce cognitive load, allowing students to focus on learning. Summarize complex information or provide step-by-step instructions to make content more digestible.
- Copilot integrates with accessible hardware, ensuring students with different needs can use the tools effectively. Include activities that can be completed using accessible devices, such as tablets with screen readers. Read inputs and outputs, or use the audio feature. Ensure that all images are transcribed.
Try This! Using AI in Accessible Teaching and Learning
Use Copilot to enhance accessible teaching. Copy and paste the prompt(s) below into Copilot. Add search string elements, where applicable. What ideas might be helpful for you?
Copilot, please review the following content and:
- Provide clear instruction with plain and simplified language text
- Use the terms and theory in PPT/eText
- Provide a glossary of terms used in case study to support student learning
- Provide an introduction and a background to your case study to give context
- Identify where cultural or language norms may make understanding difficult
- Ensure that the content can be read and used with assistive technology
- Ensure that the content reflects UDL principles
- Provide alternative formats to access the case study (Word, PowerPoint, video, embedded text) and provide additional sources for students to access for support (supplementary readings, videos, etc.)
- Incorporate PRME guidelines into the scenario
- Include a variety of different names that reflect ethnic and gender diversity
Using Copilot for Differentiated Learning Content
Differentiated learning content means creating different types of learning materials to meet the needs of all students. It recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different paces. So, teachers provide various ways for students to learn the same material, ensuring everyone can understand and succeed.
You can adapt teaching content for different audiences and complexity levels. By adding source content and asking AI to adapt it for specific ends, you can rapidly generate multiple variations on a theme while maintaining control of the output.
Differentiated Learning Content Power Prompt, adapted from Dr Phillipa Hardman (2024)
Convert the following [document, manual, etc.] into three versions:
- An executive summary with a strategic focus
- A guide with an implementation focus
- End-user instructions with clear and simple step-by-step guidance
Throughout, you must maintain consistency of critical information, adjusting only:
- Technical terminology
- Detail level
- Example complexity
- Supporting context
- Language difficulty
[insert original document]
Reflection Questions: AI and Accessiblity
- What barriers to learning might your students face, and how can these be identified early?
- How can you use Copilot to design a lesson plan that includes text, audio, and visual aids?
- How can you develop a group activity with Copilot that encourages collaboration among students with diverse needs?
- How can Copilot help create personalized reading materials and quizzes for different reading levels and interests?
- How can Copilot be used to organize lesson materials and set up assignment reminders?
- After implementing your lesson, how did student feedback on accessibility inform your plans for improvement?
Learn More
Learn more about Accessible Teaching with Copilot (Faculty Learning Hub).