Enhancing Course Accessibility: Simple Steps for Big Impact

By Eudora Struble, Director, Technology Accessibility, Information Systems

As we begin this new semester, it’s a great moment to consider strategies for enhancing the welcome and efficacy of our courses for all students, including those with disabilities. Thinking about accessible technology is a crucial aspect of this endeavor. The motivation for this effort extends beyond regulatory compliance; it is a direct reflection of our university’s Pro Humanitate motto and is fundamental to creating an academic environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Recent developments have brought renewed attention to digital accessibility through new federal regulations. You may have recently heard news about new regulations for digital accessibility, particularly the new rules for Title II of the ADA that apply to public universities. Those new standards closely align with the recent regulatory update by Health and Human Services to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—a civil rights law that applies to our institution.

Both sets of rules now explicitly state that digital resources—from Canvas pages and online articles to instructional videos and software—must be accessible. They establish a clear technical standard, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA, for what “accessible” means in an online environment. These regulations align with Universal Design for Learning principles and reinforce what we already strive to do: ensure every Wake student has an equal opportunity to engage with course materials and succeed.

Where to Begin?

The thought of retrofitting years of course materials can feel overwhelming. Instead of thinking you need to fix everything at once, I encourage you to take a more manageable, strategic approach:

• Prioritize Immediate Needs: First, prioritize any specific accommodation needs that students bring to your attention.
  • Reach out to the CLASS office to discuss any questions or concerns for specific student accommodations with these knowledgeable partners. (Check out the updated CLASS faculty website!)
• Focus on the First Few Weeks: Check that your syllabus, initial readings, and early assignments are as accessible as possible. This gives all students, including those still finalizing accommodations or class schedules, a strong foundation for the course.
• Adopt a Forward-Facing Approach: Concentrate on ensuring the accessibility of all newly created or adopted materials. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of past materials, focus on making the next slide deck you create, the next document you write, or the next tool you adopt accessible. Focusing on making the next thing better supports incremental and sustainable progress in enhancing accessibility.
• Submit any potential new digital course services or applications to learn about their accessibility features and challenges. The review includes a separate IS security team review of any digital services, such as applications and add-ons, to confirm security and privacy controls have been implemented.
• Learn more about how to Create a Welcoming and Accessible Experience in Canvas, about the intersection of Accommodations, Compliance, and Accessibility, or check out upcoming training sessions.
• Not sure where to start with your specific “next thing”? Please email tap@wfu.edu to contact the Technology Accessibility Team and receive support.

High-Impact Best Practices

You don’t have to be an expert to make a significant difference. Here are a few key practices that can significantly reduce barriers for your students.

Reconsidering the PDF 

Although widely used, the PDF format can present considerable barriers for students who utilize assistive technologies, such as screen readers.

• Utilize Digital Originals over Scanned Documents: Scanned documents are a primary source of accessibility issues. Instead of scanning and uploading a PDF, find the article in the ZSR Library databases and share the direct link. This ensures students get the most up-to-date, accessible version (which may include HTML or ePub format options) and helps our library colleagues track resource usage.
• Maintain Materials in Native Formats: For instructor-created documents like syllabi and assignments, consider keeping them as a Google Doc, a Word document, or a Canvas Page. These formats are more inherently flexible and easier to make accessible than an exported PDF.
• Want to learn more about PDFs and simpler alternatives? Join the Extreme Makeover PDF Edition during the month of November, learn how to Create More Accessible Basic Google Docs, or check out upcoming training sessions.

Optimizing Presentation Slides

Share your original, accessible Google Slides or PowerPoint files with students rather than a PDF version. The native format preserves accessibility features that are often lost in conversion. As you create them, try to focus on these three things:

• Alt Text: For all meaningful images, add brief text that shares the image’s purpose.
• Color Contrast: Ensure legibility by checking for a sufficient level of contrast between text and its background.
• Reading Order: Check that the content on your slides has the same logical reading order structurally and visually, for those using assistive technology. Reading order can be reviewed using the accessibility features available for Google Slides (Grackle) and PowerPoint (built-in).
  • Accessibility Checkers: PowerPoint has a built-in accessibility checker, and you can download Grackle to check accessibility in Google Slides.
• Want to learn more about slide accessibility? Check out how to Craft More Accessible Google Slides or view upcoming training sessions.

Enhancing Audio and Video Media

For all video and audio media, providing accurate captions and/or transcripts is essential.

• Leverage Real-Time Captioning: Remind students of the automatic captioning features available in platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams during live digital class sessions. This benefits everyone, like students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, those in loud environments, and non-native English speakers.
• Verify the Accuracy of Captions for Recordings: For recorded media, it is crucial to review and edit any auto-generated captions to ensure their accuracy, as inaccurate captions can impede comprehension.
• Did you know Wake Forest University offers a Course Caption Grant to support proactive captions and transcripts for courses?
  • Learn more about the Course Caption Grant, or email Eudora Struble directly to get started applying for the grant.

Narrating Visual Information

While you teach in physical or digital spaces, it is beneficial to verbally describe the important visual information you’re presenting.

• This practice of narrating actions—whether referencing a chart, writing on a whiteboard, or demonstrating software—ensures that content is accessible to students who may not be able to engage with it visually and reinforces concepts for all learners.
• Learn more about Improving Accessibility and Inclusion in Virtual Spaces.

We’re Here to Help

Just like all of technology accessibility work, integrating accessibility into your teaching is a process, and you aren’t alone. The IS Technology Accessibility Team is always available for consultations, conversations, and to offer support. Additionally, Wake Forest University has numerous accessibility advocates across its ecosystem, many of whom focus on teaching spaces, including in the CLASS, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT), the Office of Online Education, the Instructional Technology Group (ITG), the ZSR Library, and the IS Academic Technology Team. And remember that your faculty peers can be a great resource for learning about innovative and proactive accessibility work, whether through one-on-one interactions or in peer learning communities.

If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation to review course materials, please contact me and let the Technology Accessibility Team support you. Our collective efforts can make this a successful and accessible semester for all, building strong foundations for an even more accessible future.