Introduction

Incorporating the principles of the Universal Design of Learning can help foster inclusive and accessible environments that welcome learner variability. Below, you will find some suggestions or strategies that could be implemented to help promote accessibility, inclusivity and anti-oppressive pedagogies in the classroom environment. These are by no means an exhaustive list; these are suggestions to help you get started. Links to the source of the material are embedded. The material included in the following section comes from a variety of websites. A link to each website is embedded within the discussion of the site.

How Do I Create Space/Welcome Disability into my Classroom?

Below are some strategies that can be employed to help create space/welcome disability into your classroom.

Conduct Access Checks

Description:

• An access check is a brief ‘check’ done at the beginning of lecture to ask participants if there is something about the learning environment that is creating a barrier for them. Barriers may be identified with regards to classroom material (e.g., the font size on lecture slides, the colour contrast between the text and background, etc.) and/or with regards to the environment (e.g., the presence of background noise, the lighting in the classroom, the volume of the microphone, etc.).

Benefits:

• Conducting an access check helps to welcome learner variability into the classroom and creates a space in which students can approach the instructor with questions or concerns about accessibility. It helps with the de-stigmatization and normalization of accommodations.

Tips:

• Access checks are recommended to be completed at the beginning of lecture or interspersed throughout the term. Consider including the following sample statement in your lecture slides.

Sample Statement to be Included in an Access Check

“We understand access to be a shared responsibility between everyone in this space. We will strive to create an accessible space that reduces the need for you to disclose a disability or impairment for the purposes of gaining an accommodation. In doing this together, we strive to welcome disability, and the changes it brings, into our space.”

Create a Community Agreement

Description:

• At the start of the semester, create a Community or Classroom Agreement with your class. This is a set of guidelines that outline the proper etiquette expected in the classroom environment. The ultimate goal of a Community Agreement is to ensure that the learning environment is one that is respectful, welcoming, and inclusive to all of its members.

Benefits:

• Community Agreements can help foster mutual respect and understanding. Creating this agreement together helps promote student buy-in and accountability.

Tips:

• Near the beginning of the semester, you could have a brainstorming session (or a Think-Pair-Share Activity) in which all members of the class collectively develop a Community Agreement to be posted on Quercus.

Increase Awareness About Available Resources for Students

Description:

• How do Accessibility Services work at the University of Toronto?
  • Check out: Fostering Accessible Teaching and Learning
• How do accommodations work at the University of Toronto?
  • Check out: Fostering Accessible Teaching and Learning

Benefits:

• Promoting awareness about the resources available to students will help to ensure that the students have access to the proper support systems that will help them be successful in your course.

Tips:

• At the start of the semester, make an announcement inviting and welcoming students with disabilities to approach you to discuss any accessibility needs, should they feel comfortable doing so. Make clear that there is no expectation or requirement for them to identify themselves or to disclose disability-related information.

How Do I Create Accessible Teaching Materials?

Below are some strategies that can be implemented to help ensure your teaching materials are accessible.

Creating Accessible PowerPoint Slides

Description:

• Ensure that the slides can easily be read by a screen reader or other types of assistive technologies.
• Include Alt Text to describe images, pictures, graphics, graphs, tables, and flowcharts.
• Use high-contrast colours for the text and background.
• Make sure the font size is large enough to read from far away (recommended font size for lecture slides is 26-30 point-type).
• Use sans serif typeface (e.g., Calibri, Arial, etc.).
• Use slide templates created by PowerPoint (as they are designed to be accessible). When possible, try to ensure that captions for videos are present, and if using audio clips, ensure that a transcript is provided.

• Include closed captions or subtitles while you speak. If using an online platform, such as Zoom, enable closed captioning for participants.

Tips: 

• Use the Accessibility tab in PowerPoint to check if your presentation is accessible.
• Additional tips can be found here.

Creating Accessible Lectures

Description:

• Include ‘Learning Objectives’ at the beginning of the lecture (to provide an outline for the lecture) and at the end of the lecture (to review what concepts were covered).
• Try to incorporate ‘active breaks’ into your lecture, where students can compare notes with a neighbour, work on solving a problem together, or collaborate on a topic.
• When lecturing, try not to stand in the shadows. Try to refrain from moving around too much. If students are trying to lip read, standing in the shadows or moving around too much can be distracting and make this task difficult.
• Try to convey the material in multiple modalities. For example, it may be helpful to share the information with students by verbally describing the material, and also sharing a graphic, image, cartoon, video or audio clip that helps to convey the concept.
• Provide multiple means of classroom engagement. For example, allow students to raise their hands to ask questions or to type a question in an online platform (e.g., Mentimeter).

Tips: 

• Mentimeter is a useful online tool that many students enjoy using.
• Check out Mentimeter here.

Creating Accessible Word Documents/ PDFs

Description:

• An accessible Word document is a document that is clear and concise, and that can easily be read by a screen reader or an assistive device.
• When creating an accessible PDF, it is recommended that individuals first create an accessible Word document, and then export it to a PDF document.
• On all documents, use 12 point-type font or larger.
• Fonts should be sans serif (e.g., Arial, Comic Sans, Georgia, Calibri, Courier New, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS or Verdana).
• Include Alt Text on images, pictures, graphs, tables, etc. when possible.
• Use high contrasting colours.
• If you want to emphasize a word, bold the word. Refrain from using italics or underlining the word.
• To start a new section of the document, use headers (instead of creating your own headers), as screen readers will recognize Microsoft’s headers.
  • Refrain from separating paragraphs by selecting ‘Enter’. Instead, change the paragraph spacing if you would like to ensure there is space between paragraphs.
  • Avoid using text boxes as screen readers cannot read inside text boxes.

Tips: 

• Ensure screen readers can read the document.
• In Word, check the document’s accessibility. In the top menu bar, select, ‘Tools’, and then select, ‘Check Accessibility’.

How do I incorporate Universal Instructional Design into my teaching?

“Accessible education aims to reduce dependence on the accommodation approach and move toward inclusion.”

Universal Instructional Design ensures that access is proactive, inclusive, and sustainable. When thinking about how to incorporate Universal Instructional Design into your course, prioritize accessibility in your curriculum development, learning activities, and assessment.

For additional information, and to see examples of how to put the principles of UID into practice for tutorials and labs, visit: https://tatp.utoronto.ca/resources/fostering-accessible-teaching-and-learning/

Below are the seven principles of UID, questions to consider when implementing UID in your course, and suggestions for implementation.

1. Principle: Accessible & Fair

Description: 

• • Assessments and methods of fulfilling course requirements should be the same (if not feasible, then equivalent) for all students.

Questions to Consider: 

• • What assumptions (about past knowledge, access to technology, institutional expertise, etc.) are represented in the course material?
  • Will students find it difficult to participate in the essential course activities?

Suggestions for Incorporation: 

• • Provide an option for how the content for a final assignment could be delivered (for example, via a video podcast or a written academic paper).

2. Principle: Flexibility

Description:

• • You can help increase the effectiveness of learning and provide students with the opportunity to exhibit their knowledge in a variety of ways by incorporating multiple modes of learning in your course design

Questions to Consider:

• • Does the course provide enough options for how content is presented so that any student can, to some extent, participate in a way that meets their needs and abilities?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Content could be delivered in a variety of media (videos, articles, graphs, and infographics).
  • Participation could be accomplished in a variety of methods (for example, by asking questions in writing, in small break-out groups, or by raising their hands).

3. Principle: Straightforward & Consistent

Description:

• • Instructional design should be delivered in a consistent and transparent manner.
  • There should be a link between instructional design, assessment methods, and evaluation.

Questions to Consider:

• • Are students being evaluated on the same topics and skills that are taught in class?
  • Do instructions correspond to the learning objectives and the methods of evaluation?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Start each lecture with “Learning Objectives for Today”. End each lesson with a review of major concepts covered in the course.

4. Principle: Effective & Clear

Description:

• • Ideally, information should be presented in multiple forms.

Questions to Consider:

• • Are there any obstacles to acquiring or comprehending the knowledge and resources required in this class/tutorial/lab?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Appeal to various learning styles. Whenever possible, combine verbal, visual, and tactile instruction.
  • Information can be provided in the form of text/articles, spoken directions, or video communication.
  • Make sure that PowerPoint slides and course documents are accessible in terms of font, colour, text size, and graphics.
  • Implement active learning practices.

5. Principle: Supportive Learning Environment

Description:

• • The learning environment should be supportive for students.

Questions to Consider:

• • Do students feel respected as individuals, free to express their opinions, and able to experiment with new ideas in this course?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Include an “Accessibility Statement” in your syllabus and/or in your lecture slides for the first day of class. See below for an example.
  • Explain the inclusive nature of your classroom.
  • Model appropriate behaviour.

Sample Accessibility Statement that could be included in a syllabus or class slides.

“Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. Please feel free to approach me or Accessibility Services so we can assist you in achieving academic success in this course.”

6. Principle: Minimize Unnecessary Effort & Requirements

Description:

• • Instruction is designed to reduce non-essential physical effort in order to maximize attention to learning.

Questions to Consider:

• • Are there physical challenges or obstacles that could be avoided?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Check out the accessibility of your classroom. Is it accessible? Can a mobility aid be used to access the room?
  • Does the sound system work? Is the sound of the microphone loud enough or too loud?
  • Adjust the lights to ensure that the equipment is visible.

7. Principle: Appropriate & Adequate Space

Description:

• • The learning space is accessible, and it supports a variety of teaching styles.

Questions to Consider:

• • Does the learning space support the type of learning activities I’m asking the students to engage in?

Suggestions for Incorporation:

• • Clear entrances and create clear pathways.

• Additional Resources for UID: https://udlguidelines.cast.org