Creating accessible digital content allows everyone, including students with disabilities, to participate in the learning experience more fully. Accessibility unlocks features in our technologies that some people need, and others often appreciate. For example, when captions are added to a video, it gives access to learners with hearing impairments. But the captions are also very helpful for multilingual learners, students studying in loud spaces, or wanting to pinpoint the spot they need in a lecture by searching the captions. When accessibility is implemented, it supports a wide range of learners.
Accessibility Links
Accessibility is part of a larger framework called Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The UDL framework is designed to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. UDL includes accessibility measures and considers ways to address a wider range of barriers, such as motivation, background knowledge, and executive function. This framework focuses on providing different types of materials, engaging students using active learning strategies, and assessing learning using many types of assessments.