More than a fifth of college students have a learning disability or similar academically- related impairment. Yet many experienced, well-intentioned faculty are uninformed of these students’ needs. This may be especially true in online classes where these students can be inadvertently overlooked, or their requirements may seem too complex to successfully address. Yet given how the disability community has struggled to earn access to education as a basic right, it is essential to consider these disabilities in terms of diversity and equity. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a useful first consideration for instructors searching for greater online course equity. Premises of UDL are that all learners differ in how they navigate learning environments and the ways that they express what they have learned. Best practices incorporate these differences to optimize learning outcomes. UDL guidelines include evidence-based suggestions from cognitive science to allow online and other courses to be more accessible for everyone. Specific “how to” guidelines offer recommendations that can be applied to almost any discipline to better ensure that all learners can participate in meaningful online classroom learning opportunities. More specific contributions for online learning beyond UDL guidelines have been made by major stakeholder communities. These include suggestions for students with dyspraxias, epilepsy and seizure disorders, attention problems, memory disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, and auditory and visual impairments. We will consider these in highlighting strategies for maximal online classroom accessibility and fairness including suggestions for alternative discussion formats and assessment strategies.
- Teacher: William McCown