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Accessibility for Online Course Content

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The document summarizes the key points from a presentation about making online course content accessible according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It focuses on a nine-point rubric for accessibility that includes criteria like using organized layouts and headings, descriptive hyperlinks and filenames, alternative text for images and tables, and closed captioning or transcripts for audio and video. The presentation emphasizes the legal responsibility to create accessible content and reviews best practices for text formatting, color combinations, and keeping files simple to aid accessibility.

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Accessibility for Online Course Content • Jonathan Boyle • Assistant Professor: Business & Accounting • Carroll Community College • E-mail: jboyle4@carrollcc.edu • AFACCT 2021 • Session 9.2 • Friday, January 8, 2021 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM
Executive Summary The presentation focused on the significance of course design that is compliant with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990). Moreover, the presentation focused on a nine-point rubric based on Burgstahler’s checklist for online accessibility. The checklist included the following criteria: 1. Organization: Maintain an organized, consistent, and easy to navigate layout. 2. Formatting: Use headings and lists built into your learning management system (LMS), Microsoft Word, or Microsoft PowerPoint. Make sure to use headers in tables. 3. Hyperlinks: Use descriptive wording when adding hyperlinks to text. 4. PDF Files: Post as much content as possible in LMS system, use PDF files sparingly. 5. Image files and Tables: Include alt-text descriptions for all image files and tables. 6. Text: Use sans serif fonts at least 12-points in size. Use bold and italics instead or underlining text for emphasis. 7. Text/background combinations: Use dark-colored text with light-colored backgrounds. Do not use text color to communicate important information. 8. Audio/Video Files: o Video: Close-caption videos. Make sure captions are synchronized. Include transcript if closed captioning is not available. Limit the use of flashing, flickering, or blinking to three-seconds in length. Limit video to no more than ten minutes. Use mp4 format. o Audio: Include transcripts. Limit audio file to no more than ten minutes. Use mp3 format. 9. Keep the content simple and use descriptive names for files.
Problem • According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 19.1% of undergraduate students reported having a disability during the 2015-2016 academic year (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) infer that all individuals should have equal access to all classes, including those that are offered online. (Burgstahler, 2017; Rabidoux & Rottmann, 2017). • Creating ADA-compliant online courses is a challenge (Rabidoux & Rottmann, 2017). Regardless, it is our duty to create accessible online courses that enhance the user experience (Rogers, 2018).
Significance • According Huss & Eastep (2016), many higher education institutions have not prioritized accessibility issues regarding online learning. • Who is responsible? • There is little case law regarding the issue, but the legal liability exists (Huss & Eastep, 2016). • How many students with disabilities do not report their disability or are undiagnosed?
Purpose • You will learn strategies for ADA-compliant course design that you can use in your Learning Management System (LMS) and ancillary materials.
Checklist for Accessibility • Burgstahler (2021) developed a 20- point checklist for an accessible online course: • Nine points pertain to design. • Eleven points pertain to online pedagogy. • This presentation will focus on the nine points for design.
1. Layout/ Organization • Layout and organization needs to be clear and consistent and easy to navigate. • No more than three clicks to access information.
2. Text- Based Formatting • Use built-in designs for LMS, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, etc. • Use structure headings • Don’t just bold or italicize headers and titles. • Use lists (numbered or bullet points). • Don’t use hyphens or other characters for lists. • If you use tables, use them for presenting data only. • Make sure to use headers.
3. Hyperlinks • Use descriptive wording for hyperlinks. • Readability • An example of descriptive wording for a hyperlink. o Use “For Tesla information, visit https://www.tesla.com” instead of “Tesla information can be found here: https://www.tesla.com” o Use “Tesla Information “ instead of “Click here for Tesla information”. • Show the URL if the URL is a short. Otherwise, add a link in the text.
4. PDF’s • Avoid creating them, if possible. • Post as much of your content as possible in the LMS content pages. • If you need to create or use PDF’s • Make sure they have ensured screen readability • Make sure they can be highlighted, enlarged/magnified, copied, and pasted. • Offer Word document alternatives, if possible. • Use PDF’s only as secondary source of information.
5. Alt Descriptions • Provide a one to two sentence alt-text description for image files and tables. • If the image or table is decorative, mark it as decorative.
6. Text • Don’t underline text. • Use bold or italics. • Less is more. • Use sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Verdana). • Avoid serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Palatino). Avoid decorative fonts (e.g., French Script, Desdemona). • Minimize font variation. • Spacing • Avoid clutter • Use large fonts (e.g., 12-point in documents minimum). • Make sure website/document is searchable.
7. Text/ Background Combinations • Use dark-colored text with light-colored backgrounds. • If you want to use color, use high contrast design (e.g., dark colored font on light, plain backgrounds). • Avoid extremely bright background colors (e.g., Red). • Avoid red-green or yellow-blue color combinations for text and background. • Colored text alone should not be used to communicate important information. • Use italics or bold instead to communicate important information.
8. Audio/ Video Content • Video files • Use close captioned videos on YouTube • Caption videos that you create. • Make sure captions are synchronized. • Platforms such as Kaltura and Panopto automatically caption content and allow caption editing. • If videos are not captioned, include transcriptions. • Keep videos to a reasonable length (no more than 10 minutes). • Inform students about length of video so they can plan for viewing. • Limit the use of flashing, flickering, or blinking to three seconds in length. • Use mp4 video file format. • Audio files • Include transcriptions for audio files. • Keep audio files to a reasonable length (no more than 10 minutes). • Use mp3 audio file format.
9. Keep it Simple • Content can be browsed using Tab key on the keyboard. • Use asynchronous tools • Don’t design your course in a manner that relies on multiple technology products (unless they are needed). • Use simple language. • Avoid jargon. • Include a glossary for technical terms.
File Names •Descriptive names for files. •Use proper spacing in the file name (spacebar or underscores)
References • Burgstahler, S. (2017). ADA Compliance for Online Course Design. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/1/ada-compliance-for- online-course-design • Burgstahler, S. (2021). Access Cyberlearning: 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/doit/sites/default/files/atoms/files/ 20_Tips_Designing_Courses_0.pdf • Huss, J. A. and Eastep, S. (2016). Okay, Our Courses Are Online, But Are They ADA Compliant? An Investigation of Faculty Awareness of Accessibility at a Midwestern University. i.e.: inquiry in education: Vol. 8: Iss. 2, Article 2. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol8/iss2/2
References (cont.) • Rabidoux, S., and Rottman, A. (2017). 5 Tips for ADA-Compliant Inclusive Design. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/digital- learning/views/2017/05/03/tips-designing-ada-compliant-online- courses • Rogers, S. (2018). eLearning Accessibility: Best Practices, Tips, And Tricks. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/elearning- accessibility-best-practices-tips-tricks • U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2019). Digest of Education Statistics, 2018 (2020-009), Chapter 3. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d18/ch_3.asp

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Accessibility for Online Course Content

  • 1. Accessibility for Online Course Content • Jonathan Boyle • Assistant Professor: Business & Accounting • Carroll Community College • E-mail: jboyle4@carrollcc.edu • AFACCT 2021 • Session 9.2 • Friday, January 8, 2021 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM
  • 2. Executive Summary The presentation focused on the significance of course design that is compliant with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990). Moreover, the presentation focused on a nine-point rubric based on Burgstahler’s checklist for online accessibility. The checklist included the following criteria: 1. Organization: Maintain an organized, consistent, and easy to navigate layout. 2. Formatting: Use headings and lists built into your learning management system (LMS), Microsoft Word, or Microsoft PowerPoint. Make sure to use headers in tables. 3. Hyperlinks: Use descriptive wording when adding hyperlinks to text. 4. PDF Files: Post as much content as possible in LMS system, use PDF files sparingly. 5. Image files and Tables: Include alt-text descriptions for all image files and tables. 6. Text: Use sans serif fonts at least 12-points in size. Use bold and italics instead or underlining text for emphasis. 7. Text/background combinations: Use dark-colored text with light-colored backgrounds. Do not use text color to communicate important information. 8. Audio/Video Files: o Video: Close-caption videos. Make sure captions are synchronized. Include transcript if closed captioning is not available. Limit the use of flashing, flickering, or blinking to three-seconds in length. Limit video to no more than ten minutes. Use mp4 format. o Audio: Include transcripts. Limit audio file to no more than ten minutes. Use mp3 format. 9. Keep the content simple and use descriptive names for files.
  • 3. Problem • According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 19.1% of undergraduate students reported having a disability during the 2015-2016 academic year (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) infer that all individuals should have equal access to all classes, including those that are offered online. (Burgstahler, 2017; Rabidoux & Rottmann, 2017). • Creating ADA-compliant online courses is a challenge (Rabidoux & Rottmann, 2017). Regardless, it is our duty to create accessible online courses that enhance the user experience (Rogers, 2018).
  • 4. Significance • According Huss & Eastep (2016), many higher education institutions have not prioritized accessibility issues regarding online learning. • Who is responsible? • There is little case law regarding the issue, but the legal liability exists (Huss & Eastep, 2016). • How many students with disabilities do not report their disability or are undiagnosed?
  • 5. Purpose • You will learn strategies for ADA-compliant course design that you can use in your Learning Management System (LMS) and ancillary materials.
  • 6. Checklist for Accessibility • Burgstahler (2021) developed a 20- point checklist for an accessible online course: • Nine points pertain to design. • Eleven points pertain to online pedagogy. • This presentation will focus on the nine points for design.
  • 7. 1. Layout/ Organization • Layout and organization needs to be clear and consistent and easy to navigate. • No more than three clicks to access information.
  • 8. 2. Text- Based Formatting • Use built-in designs for LMS, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, etc. • Use structure headings • Don’t just bold or italicize headers and titles. • Use lists (numbered or bullet points). • Don’t use hyphens or other characters for lists. • If you use tables, use them for presenting data only. • Make sure to use headers.
  • 9. 3. Hyperlinks • Use descriptive wording for hyperlinks. • Readability • An example of descriptive wording for a hyperlink. o Use “For Tesla information, visit https://www.tesla.com” instead of “Tesla information can be found here: https://www.tesla.com” o Use “Tesla Information “ instead of “Click here for Tesla information”. • Show the URL if the URL is a short. Otherwise, add a link in the text.
  • 10. 4. PDF’s • Avoid creating them, if possible. • Post as much of your content as possible in the LMS content pages. • If you need to create or use PDF’s • Make sure they have ensured screen readability • Make sure they can be highlighted, enlarged/magnified, copied, and pasted. • Offer Word document alternatives, if possible. • Use PDF’s only as secondary source of information.
  • 11. 5. Alt Descriptions • Provide a one to two sentence alt-text description for image files and tables. • If the image or table is decorative, mark it as decorative.
  • 12. 6. Text • Don’t underline text. • Use bold or italics. • Less is more. • Use sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Verdana). • Avoid serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Palatino). Avoid decorative fonts (e.g., French Script, Desdemona). • Minimize font variation. • Spacing • Avoid clutter • Use large fonts (e.g., 12-point in documents minimum). • Make sure website/document is searchable.
  • 13. 7. Text/ Background Combinations • Use dark-colored text with light-colored backgrounds. • If you want to use color, use high contrast design (e.g., dark colored font on light, plain backgrounds). • Avoid extremely bright background colors (e.g., Red). • Avoid red-green or yellow-blue color combinations for text and background. • Colored text alone should not be used to communicate important information. • Use italics or bold instead to communicate important information.
  • 14. 8. Audio/ Video Content • Video files • Use close captioned videos on YouTube • Caption videos that you create. • Make sure captions are synchronized. • Platforms such as Kaltura and Panopto automatically caption content and allow caption editing. • If videos are not captioned, include transcriptions. • Keep videos to a reasonable length (no more than 10 minutes). • Inform students about length of video so they can plan for viewing. • Limit the use of flashing, flickering, or blinking to three seconds in length. • Use mp4 video file format. • Audio files • Include transcriptions for audio files. • Keep audio files to a reasonable length (no more than 10 minutes). • Use mp3 audio file format.
  • 15. 9. Keep it Simple • Content can be browsed using Tab key on the keyboard. • Use asynchronous tools • Don’t design your course in a manner that relies on multiple technology products (unless they are needed). • Use simple language. • Avoid jargon. • Include a glossary for technical terms.
  • 16. File Names •Descriptive names for files. •Use proper spacing in the file name (spacebar or underscores)
  • 17. References • Burgstahler, S. (2017). ADA Compliance for Online Course Design. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/1/ada-compliance-for- online-course-design • Burgstahler, S. (2021). Access Cyberlearning: 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/doit/sites/default/files/atoms/files/ 20_Tips_Designing_Courses_0.pdf • Huss, J. A. and Eastep, S. (2016). Okay, Our Courses Are Online, But Are They ADA Compliant? An Investigation of Faculty Awareness of Accessibility at a Midwestern University. i.e.: inquiry in education: Vol. 8: Iss. 2, Article 2. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol8/iss2/2
  • 18. References (cont.) • Rabidoux, S., and Rottman, A. (2017). 5 Tips for ADA-Compliant Inclusive Design. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/digital- learning/views/2017/05/03/tips-designing-ada-compliant-online- courses • Rogers, S. (2018). eLearning Accessibility: Best Practices, Tips, And Tricks. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/elearning- accessibility-best-practices-tips-tricks • U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2019). Digest of Education Statistics, 2018 (2020-009), Chapter 3. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d18/ch_3.asp