Faculty Tips
To ensure all students have equal access to the course materials needed to successfully engage in learning, the College asks faculty to provide accessible course content. Below are seven operating principles on how faculty can support students who use various types of assistive technology to access course content.
In the 2020-2021 academic year, focus on Operating Principles 1-4 — specifically the creation of new learning materials using the built-in accessibility features in frequently used software: Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, as well as Blackboard. Resources are provided with each principle to help you learn how to create accessible course materials.
Operating Principles for Accessible Electronic Academic Content
If a student reaches out to you for an accommodation, work with you partners at the College to provide the requested accommodations within a reasonable time frame. This will increase the ability for the student to be successful in your classroom.
Resources
Coming soon!
When you create your syllabus, use accessibility guidelines and best practices to provide an accessible syllabus to your students. Consider including a note on the best way to request an accommodation if needed.
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Coming soon!
When you include images within your course documents, include an alternative text description (alt text) that accurately describes the image. Adding alt text allows screen readers to describe any images to students. This is especially important for any image that is used to provide further context or information.
Resources
Coming soon!
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint provide a built-in accessibility checker and tutorials on how to use their platforms to create accessible content.
Resources
Coming soon!
When you select electronic materials for class, it is important that students who use assistive technology can access those materials at the same time as the rest of the class. This allows the students to complete assignments on time and engage in class discussions.
Resources
Coming soon!
When purchasing electronic information tools (EIT), such as software, learning platforms, digital content, etc., follow the College’s procurement process. This includes submitting a request for accessibility review. If there are accessibility barriers identified, proactively identify an equally effective alternative solution for students who may use assistive technology.
Resources
Coming soon!
To ensure all students can utilize digital media within your courses, use captions and transcripts when creating any digital media, such as videos.
Resources
Coming soon!