Tips for Supporting Students with Disabilities in Online Learning

Use the information and instructions included here to help you create accessible learning materials, there are more teaching techniques you can use to better support students with disabilities in online courses. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) from the University of Washington has 20 tips for faculty on how to support students with disabilities in online courses.

Here are tips for supporting students with disabilities in online learning:

Use clear, consistent layouts and organization schemes to present content:

1. • Use headings and subheadings to organize content 
   • Use bullet points or numbered lists to break up text 
   • Use tables to present data 
   • Use white space to separate text and images 

Use a text-based format and structure headings, lists, and tables using style and formatting features within your Learning Management System (LMS) and content creation software, such as Microsoft's Word and PowerPoint, and Adobe's InDesign and Acrobat; use built-in page layouts where applicable:

1. • Use built-in page layouts and templates in software like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint 
   • Use headings, paragraphs, and lists to structure your content 
   • Use tables to present data 
   • Use style options like bold, italics, and underlining to emphasize valuable information 

Use descriptive wording for hyperlink text:

1. • Use specific terms like "DO-IT website" instead of generic phrases like "click here" 
   • Make sure the link text describes the content or destination of the link 

Avoid creating PDF documents. Post most instructor-created content within LMS content pages (i.e., in HTML) and, if a PDF is desired, link to it only as a secondary source of the information:

1. • Post most instructor-created content within LMS content pages (i.e., in HTML) 
   • If a PDF is desired, link to it only as a secondary source of the information 
   • Use the built-in PDF conversion options in software like Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat 

Provide concise text descriptions of the content presented within images (text descriptions):

1. • Use alt-text to describe the content of an image 
   • Use captions to provide more detailed information about the image 
   • Use text descriptions to provide additional context for the image 

Use large, bold, sans serif fonts on uncluttered pages with plain backgrounds:

1. • Use font sizes that are easy to read 
   • Use plain backgrounds to minimize distractions 
   • Use sans serif fonts like Arial or Verdana for text 

Use colour combinations that are high contrast and can be distinguished by those who are colorblind (colour contrast):

1. • Use colors with sharp contrast, such as black and white or blue and yellow 
   • Use color palettes that are easily distinguishable by people with colorblindness 
   • Caption videos and transcribe audio content 
   • Add captions to videos to provide a text version of the audio content 
   • Transcribe audio content to make it accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing 

Caption videos and transcribe audio content.

Don’t overburden students with learning to operate a large number of technology products unless they are related to the topic of the course:

1. • Use technology tools that are relevant to the course content 
   • Provide clear instructions and guidance for using the technology tools 
   • Use asynchronous tools to allow students to work at their own pace 

Make sure to use asynchronous tools. Consider if the IT used requires the use of the keyboard alone and otherwise employs accessible design practices:

1. • Use tools that are keyboard-accessible 
   • Make sure that the tools you use are designed with accessibility in mind

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Eleven Tips for Instructional Methods

Many of these tips are particularly beneficial for students with learning disabilities, with attention deficits, on the autism spectrum, and have other disabilities that are not obvious to the instructor.

1. Recommend videos and written materials to students where they can gain technical skills needed for course participation
2. Provide multiple ways for students to learn (e.g., use a combination of text, video, audio, and/or image; speak aloud all content presented on slides in synchronous presentations and then record them for later viewing)
3. Provide multiple ways to communicate and collaborate that are accessible to individuals with a variety of disabilities
4. Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate what they have learned (e.g., different types of test items, portfolios, presentations, single-topic discussions)
5. Address a wide range of language skills as you write content (e.g., use plain English, spell out acronyms, define terms, avoid or define jargon)
6. Make instructions and expectations clear for activities, projects, discussions and readings
7. Make examples and assignments relevant to learners with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds
8. Offer outlines and other scaffolding tools and share tips that might help students learn
9. Provide adequate opportunities to practice
10. Allow adequate time for activities, projects, and tests (e.g., give details of all project assignments at the beginning of the course)
11. Provide feedback on project parts and offer corrective opportunities

Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D., Director of Accessible Technology Services and founder of DO-IT presented these 20 Tips in a lecture to faculty. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology)

CAE Faculty Tech Tip Sheets