Accessibility in OER - Spring 2024 Cohort

Hi: 1. Besides using an accessibility checker, the POUR and SLIDE mneumonics for someone just starting to look at these, any other suggestions on tools you could use?

2. no questions at this time

3. OER in a nursing program is very tricky because everything needs to be evidenced based. So besides diagrams, it is difficult to find materials to use. 

Kari,

As far as your question/comment #3.... Open RN is a good source of OER in the allied health disciplines. There are also a few textbooks at OER Commons.

Hi Kari,

OER in nursing is tricky! I have two faculty members that have created a website to replace their text book. Very excited to see how it moves forward!

OpenStax is working with a group in Texas to develop OER for nursing programs. It looks very exciting!

I attended a very useful training online class designed to improve teaching methodologies. it was Multimodal Design for Hyflex Delivery
https://cltcc.instructure.com/courses/238191

• What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
  • What accessbility checkers exist with Learning Management Systems (LMS)?
  • I wonder how I can include accessibility in OER design/creation without overwhelming staff
• What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
  • I am pretty new to UDL so any information would be amazing!
• What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
  • How can we ensure OER is high quality/scholarly (I have had multiple instructors claim OER is not as scholarly as publisher materials, which I know is not necessarily the case)?

Hi Rachel,

At CCCS, we're in the process of getting a robust accessibility checker for D2L. It will be widely available by summer (I think.) It has an AI component to make suggestions for fixes.

Ah, that is amazing, Kathy!

Rachel,

We incorporated ALLY into our D2L system fully about a year ago.  One of its strengths is our ability to highlight very easily (through a dashboard) what items are accessible and which ones are not.  It also allows students to download materials in different formats.  It shows how many materials we need to adjust to make them better resources for students.  I think it is helping drive the discussion beyond we only have to make changes in the cases of accommodations.  There will be a lot of work to do, however, since many PPTs and PDFs are not easily read by ALLY at this time.  We need to do a little better with communicating the valuable role updating those will be with faculty.  I hope the new checker is successful at your institution!

What is DL2?

D2L Brightspace is the learning management system we use for our courses.

Hi Rachel,
Not sure which LMS you're using, but Ally is one that integrates with Blackboard (and possibly other LMSs) that you might be able to explore. It seems to be fairly robust and provides helpful strategies to improve your score (out of 100%) for accessibility of an entire course.

Also UDL seems definitely the way to go to not make it feel overwhelming when designing new materials. For existing ones, doing one thing at a time can help to chunk it down. Small Teaching and Small Teaching Online would be good resources for bite-sized ways to accomplish this if you're not familiar with either.

I share the concerns about quality of OER, but it really has come a very long way as it becomes more and more prominent. By encouraging more and more individuals to create OER materials, there become more robust options as demonstrated with a simple search of the OER commons that often reveals thousands of resources.

Hope these help!
Kiersten

Hi Rachel,

I'm curious to see Yuja panorama program.  People have been talking about it at FRCC.  Perhaps they will integrate AI into it to help lower the labor load for people?  

As far as OER:  I'm hopeful that I can attend one of your OER trainings.  :-)

Leslie

Leslie,

We will definitely let you know once the OER trainings for the system are scheduled! Kathy Sindt may have more information about Yuja Panorama.

Hi Leslie,

From the demos I've seen of Yuja Panorama, it does have an AI component that will provide suggestions/fixes for content. I haven't gotten to play with it yet, but I believe it is a function that can be turned on or off by the user.

1. I want to know more about how we can best entice faculty/instructors to be mindful and incorporate accessiblity practices in their courses and recognizing the importance of it.

2. No questions on UDL at this second, as that is one of my areas of expertise.

3. How can we ensure that the OER materials we choose are accessible?  How can we ensure the OER materials we create are accessible?

Brittany,

As an expert in UDL, what do you suggest for online instructors? I teach history online, which can be quite writing heavy, and would like to incorporate more UDL practices into my courses.

Hi (again) Rachel,

One question I have about the writing heavy piece is does it have to be written specifically? As an example, if you tend to have documents or discussions that students create, could they also have the option to record themselves instead as an alternative to writing? Some tools that I'm familiar with for this would be in line with UDL, offering options even if students don't ultimately choose a non-writing option for a specific assignment. Such tools that all integrate with LMSs including Blackboard would be Yuja, VoiceThread, and Harmonize. To my knowledge there is a cost associated with each, but perhaps this is something that you could explore that your institution might already have or be considering.

Kiersten

I love using Yuja! This semester is the first semester I am asking students to make interactive Sway presentations on their topics, rather than writing papers. I only tested it out in one class, and I already have gotten student feedback saying they love it, so I think I am going to move forward with that next semester. I also added the option for video and infographic discussions in that class, but most students are still typing out discussions. I will definitely check out VoiceThread, as I've heard great things about it from multiple instructors.

Hi Rachel,

Always a good question!  So, providing options on assignments can be helpful or using tools like VoiceThread for discussions, which allows students to submit and/or respond either orally or in a written format, while also possibly including visuals like PowerPoints, can be super helpful and VoiceThread is quite accessible more broadly.  

I also recommend making sure if you create lecture videos, they are broken up into shorter videos (15-20 minutes tops), so that students can watch them as they have time.  Also, make sure that they are captioned appropriately (more than YouTube captioning!) or make sure you have a transcript of the material to ensure that all students can access the information.  I would also suggest uploading your PowerPoints or visuals, if you use any, to make sure students have another way to access information.

I also recommend making sure you provide multiple means for students to interact with materials.  You want to make sure that you have learner-learner interaction (possibly discussion forums or VoiceThread), learner-instructor interaction (recorded lectures, feedback on assignments, etc.), and learner-content interaction (providing not just videos or only written materials, but written maybe other ways that students can interact with the material (are there practice quizzes they can take?  can you create lesson plans in your LMS? etc.).

Those are some of the key things I recommend to our faculty here!  If you have questions, do not hesitate to let me know!

Brittany

Hi Brittany, I found a few resources you may find useful in terms of ensuring courses are accessibile. The resource from Cuny includes:

• Accessibility Principles (go to page) [Updated 2023]

  Learn about the four main principles of accessibility, described by the acronym POUR (perceivable, operable, understandable and robust) and how those principles are reflected in the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) CUNY follows.
  Content covered: Why Accessibility Matters, WCAG, POUR.

• Accessibility Best Practices (go to page) 

  Detailed accessibility best practices information and instructions.
  Content covered: Accessibility Best Practices for Titles, Text/Typographical Layout, Headings, Lists, Meaningful Link Text, Alternative Text (alt-text), Videos, Audio, Tables, Color and Color Contrast and Accessibility Design Do's and Don'ts.

• Creating Accessible Content (go to page) 

  How do you make sure the content you are adding to your OER is accessible? What do you need to do to make sure a PDF is accessible? Do you know what "optical character recognition" is when scanning? What is "alt-text" and how do you add it to your images on your OER? What are the best practices when adding images, videos, pdfs, word documents, powerpoints or podcasts? This section will attempt to answer these questions and provide you with some useful information and tools to make sure your content is accessible to as many users as possible.
  Content covered: EPUBS, Images, Word Documents, PDFs, PodCasts, PowerPoint and Videos.

• Create Accessible Social Media (go to page) [New 2023]

  Social media is used to engage with others, share information and deliver services more quickly and effectively than ever before. If your course is going to use social media as a tool, it is important to make sure the content is accessible to everyone. This section contains helpful tips, real-life examples and best practices to ensure that your social media content is usable and accessible to all.
  Content covered: Best practices, hashtags, emoji, memes, ASCII art, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.

• Platform Evaluations (go to page) 

  Which OER resource platforms are accessible? What are the pros and cons of each platform? How is accessibility different (if it is) between the users version and the creators version? Are there tips/helpful reminders to creators about accessibility issues as they are adding content? Read about how each OER platform meets accessibility standards and what you will have to do to ensure your OER is accessible if you use a specific platform.
  Platforms covered: Canvas, Dropbox, ePortfolio (Digication), GitHub, Google Sites, LibGuides (Springshare), Lumen Learning, Manifold Scholarship, MyOpenMath, OER Commons (ISKME), OpenLab, Scalar and WordPress (.org & .com).

• Evaluation Tools (go to page) 

  Is your site accessible? Do all your images have "alt-text"? What is "alt-text"? Can someone who is colorblind see your site? Can someone navigate your OER without using a mouse? Use these tools to determine if your site is accessible and how to fix any issues you find.
  Evaluation Tools covered: WAVE, AChecker, aXe: the Accessibility Engine (Deque Systems), tota11y, Accessibility Bookmarklets, Color Contrast Checker, Colorblind Web Page Filter, PDF Accessibility Checker and EPUB Validator (beta).

• Search for VPATs (go to page) [Updated 2023]

  Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) are one of the tools to see how a electronic resource or platform addresses accessibility. They are filled out by vendors. Search here for a product's VPAT and see is that OER platform accessible? Is that database usable by a person with low vision? Does the vendor check all the PDFs on that OER you are wanting to adopt? A vendor's VPAT will provide this information.

Thank you, Carolyn!  This is super helpful!

Brittany

Brittany,

I also have these same concerns. When I serarch of OERs, a lot of them are outdated resources or resources that have been abandoned. I sometimes feel like the fact that they are "free" comes with a consequense, one of those being that they do not have the built in accessibility neccessary or the ability to alter what is there (like in a word document). I also have a concern that there are not many tools to ensure that they are accessible, and perhaps even more difficult is that the sources that provide OER's do not ensure the material is compliant.

Hi Matt,

I know that some of the OER organizations like OpenStax do try to make their items more accessible and if for some reason they are not, if you reach out to them, they really work to update them!  I tend to look at their items first, for that reason!  However, some of the others may be harder and I agree with your concern.  I wonder if it might be helpful to create a database of those OER organizations that are known for accessibility practices (unless it already exists and I haven't found it yet??)?

Brittany

Hi Brittany,

I think getting faculty/instructors to be mindful of accessibility practice is an issue we all face. One of the things we're doing at our institution is rolling out a robust accessibility checker for our LMS. It will give us institutional data on the accessibility of our courses, as well as course-by-course results. An instructor will easily be able to see if their content (including uploaded documents such as Word, PDF, etc.) is accessible and provide some suggestions for fixing any issues. Once it's turned on for instructors, there will be visual clues for the accessibility of the items in their courses. We're hoping this will help them see how accessible or not their content is.

Kathy

Hi Kathy,

What LMS do you use and who is your provider (if separate from the LMS company itself)?

Brittany

Hi Brittany,

Our LMS is D2L Brightspace. We are contracted to use "Yuja Panorama" as our new accessibility tool. It integrates directly into the LMS. It is being rolled out now, and we plan to have it completely integrated for all users by summer or fall.

Brittany, I have the same question -- how do we get faculty/instructors to be mindful and not see this as additional work or an added burden?

1.) Accessiblity: I wonder how to effectively broaden shared understandings of accessibility among faculty/staff to include neurodivergent needs? So often, I find that the conversation focuses on mobility and/or sensory impairment -- which is only part of what we should be anticipating and designing for.
2.) UDL: I think the best design work often happens in teams -- and I'm musing about how to best assemble a UDL team here, specifically for OER. (This isn't a new goal; it's just one we still haven't accomplished as of spring term 2024! :) )
3.) OER: None right now.

I would also be interested in learning more about how to make courses more accessible to those who are neurodivergent! You're right that we do focus primarily on those with vision/auditory/mobility impairments. This might go hand-in-hand with UDL, providing multiple methods of assessment, content delivery, etc. 

Love your question about neurodivergent needs and agree 100% on your first question!  As a neurodivergent individual and as an advocate, it is often very overlooked, as we so often look at the more physical disabilities (is it captioned appropriately?  is it screen-reader friendly?).  I would love to work with others to maybe create reviews of materials to determine if they are neurodivergent friendly!

Brittany

1. What can we do do make subscription library resources more accessible within the bounds of our vendor contracts?
2. Same as #1 
3. How can we encourage the creation of OERs in specialized graduate fields such as the health professions?

1. How to get other faculty on board to use accessibility checkers and commit to including more students and designing with access in mind vs retrofitting.

2. UDL in psychology in particular (activities, assignment models) ALSO using rubrics that allow for alternative assignments.

3. OER textbooks that have built in accessibility features like text to speech.

Hi Michelle,

Fellow psychology instructor here - I've only dabbled so far into the world of OER but plan to continue exploring. Are there specific topics you're looking for help with? I do have assignment guidelines that include elements of UDL that I'd be happy to share if you're interested. One in particular is for a presentation assignment where I encourage students to complete the assignment in one of a variety of different ways, and I also have UDL built into weekly discussion forum assignments.

While it might not be specific to an OER textbook, I do believe there are browser settings/programs that allow text to speech as well as software that you can subscribe monthly or yearly. This might be something to check with your Disability Services team about that might already be available.

Kiersten

Thanks Kiersten! I'd love it if you could share how you've incorporated UDL alternatives to traditional oral presentations and weekly discussion forums. I currently allow students to record themselves but would like to have more options, especially for discussion fora :)

1. The hardest thing I've come across is making PDFs accessible, but I know there are programs (that can be quite expensive) out there that can do this. What resources exist to ensure PDFs are accessible?

2. I wonder how to best engage students in the process of UDL, ensuring them that we are doing our utmost but are not perfect.

3. I've known about OER and that they continue to improve, but how can we ensure the quality of OER when choosing course resources?

Hi Kiersten,

Not every OER has these features but I like the OER from Open Textbook Library. Each of the OER has a rating based on a 5-star scale. You can see reviews from other instructors and which institutions they are from. Here's an example of a sociology book I found for one of our instructors at my college. You can see this particular OER has 43 reviews and 4.5 star rating. It would be nice if more OER had these kinds of features.

Huyen

Hi Kiersten - Regarding the quality of OER, there are some sites such as OER Commons that include reviews written by discipline faculty that can give you a headstart, or a way to sort through multiple possibilities. Of course, theoretically, the open licensing means that updating a portion of the text that has out of date information or updating with fresh examples, etc. is easier to do, either by suggestion to the author or repository, or by yourself if you make a copy to remix and redistribute. 

I agree that ensuring PDF accessibility, especially for specific content, can seem challenging. I primarily utilize Acrobat's Read Out Loud feature and NVDA screen reader software to ensure PDF accessibility (after running accessibility checker)

While there are some tools available, many are expensive though. If your institution incorporates accessibility software into the LMS, I upload documents there and download alternative formats (such as braille, EPUB, and audio) to verify accessibility, even if the built-in checker indicates a 100% score. I often find myself questioning whether my theoretical knowledge effectively translates into practical application.

I also appreciate the third question and am curious about ensuring the quality of Open Educational Resources (OER). It's an excellent inquiry, and I'll continue to monitor this discussion for any insights or tips.

Thank you.

Kiersten,

Michelle again. Let's see if our facilitators can help us with your Q1 - I know ACROBAT/ADOBE professional does this but only recently learned that only a few of us on campus have access to that software.  I tried to make several of my OER text chapters individually accessible by saving them down as pdfs through the PRINT command but this only created image files.  Surely there are programs out there that more faculty can access so we don't have to keep asking our instructional design people to do it for us. I also want to learn more about these free screen readers. I've heard of NVDA but haven't yet tried it: 

https://www.nvaccess.org/download/#:~:text=The%20NVDA%20screen%20reader%20can,a%20donation%20before%20downloading%20NVDA.

• What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
  • I wonder if there is a way to make the process of turning things accessible easier. The biggest barrier that faculty communicate to me is time, which I understand. How can we help them make content accessible within the resonable timeframe they have to develop a course?
• What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
  • Similar to the one above. How can I help support faculty in a way that implementing UDL principles are second nature? Or, how can I start training on the "low hanging fruit" so it becomes standard across the courses I help?
• What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
  • Where do we get started? We have an amazing group of faculty that want to implement more OERs, but there is a vetting process that needs to happen that is daunting. Is there a framework for evaluating good OERs? Or a step by step guide for implementing?

Time is a big issue for our faculty as well. One idea that just occurred to me is perhaps teaching assistants or student interns could be used to help with "retrofitting" existing content to make it more accessible, and then faculty would only need to focus on monitioring accessibility when creating new materials, which is much less time-consuming. I consider the accessibility of PowerPoint slides to be "low hanging fruit" because there are fairly straightforward recommendations/best practices. Starting with lecture slides can be a good way to get started on accessibility without feeling overwhelmed.

Great idea, Emily. I also feel that faculty workload discussion, including discussions around tenure and promotion, should reflect that fact that faculty will need additional time they can dedicate to educate themselves around accessibility and UDL. I think fauclty fellows programs where faculty receieve a buyout of their time to dedicate to this would be great. THat, of course, requires buy-in frmo Povosts, Dean, and university leadership. 

I agree about the time barrier. In some ways, teaching as an associate/professional track faculty (non-tenure track) and teaching a few (mostly intro) courses multiple times allows time to get materials properly accessible. With that said, the time factor does seem to be an issue which may prevent me from updating some materials when I would otherwise consider it. 

Same with the UDL -- again, teaching courses multiple times allows for more experimental switches in what kinds of things students can submit for assessment, and in coming up with alternate assignments. Maybe working with the non-tenure track faculty and even graduate students who are training and getting them to consider UDL and accessibility as a usual part of teaching prep might eventually trickle into instructors who aren't teaching as often. 

Perhaps if there are multiple instructors, they could work together on vetting a few OERs for a department -- collaboration among faculty members seems like a possible way to make the process actually doable. 

Hi all,

This might be something a staff member could assist with, as I've seen newly created positions for precisely this idea of "retrofitting" at some institutions where they are prioritizing accessibility. Maybe something a grant could help fund?

Kiersten

Hi, everyone,

I served as an adjunct faculty a few years and taught the same course repeatedly. I started retrofitting and just took it a step at a time and was ready to make additional accomodations as  needed and requested by any student taking the course. Eventually everything was as accessible as possible, but by doing it gradually, it took some of the pressure off. Getting a checklist from an instructional designer might also be helpful too.

1. Loved learning about MS Word Accessibility; now how do I find it in Canvas?
2. Too many to list.
3. Teammate helped me find some textbooks.  Now I want to figure out how to find more.

Wendy - It's not perfect (none of them are) but Canvas has its own accessibility checkers.  How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

Thank you!!

1.  I found the slides very easy to follow and very informative.  I would like accessibility information for Canvas.

2. I do not have any questions about UDL so far.

3. I would like information about what is available for Accounting resources for OER.

Dawn

Dawn - It's not perfect (none of them are) but Canvas has its own accessibility checkers.  How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

1. What initativies or policies are being implemented to address accessibility gaps in educational institutions and what are their outcomes? How to include accessibilty in course designe and OER without overwhelming faculty?

2. None

3. Helping faculty find good, quality OER.

#1 is a good question. I think sometimes OER's are sterotyped into either being all good or all bad, but I think having guidelines or policies in place to guide faculty in finding or creating quality OERs from the beginning would be very helpful! It seems like sometimes there is a push to adopt OERs without these policies being in place first and then there is a lot of retroactive clean-up that needs to take place later to make these resources accessible. 

I have always struggled with charts, graphs, and maps. Often, we provide an audio description in mp3 format to the student. I have been studying and using UDL for quite some time now. I always have difficulty finding content in alternative modalities that are equivalent. I am curious if there is a clearing house of OER textbooks and course materials 

Simmilar situation for me. I teach forest technology. We look at charts and Site Index Graphs in many classes among other things. I am not super farmiliar with the assessibility of PDFs and things of that nature. As the only instructor in my proffession at a small college, I do not have the time to record audio descriptions for that content. Currenly, I rely mostly on videos put out by University Extension office accross the US to explain the concept, but it is not always specific to the chart or graph I am having them look at.

Michael, as an ID, one of the disciplines I have been assigned is math at all levels.  Even the "professional" 3rd party vendors have difficulty with equations, charts, & graphs.  Providing a long-description - either print or audio - should be required.  I hope to find accessible and authentic OER materials as do you. 

A second level of difficulty is determining how to use those same visuals in assessments without providing the answer in the description.  So far, we have been required to provide an alternate format or have the student test with a live proctor who describes the image without giving away the answer.

Maureen:

I honestly just gave up on "professional" 3rd party vendors and wrote my own Python script to automatically insert alternative text for mathematical equations. 

"A second level of difficulty is determining how to use those same visuals in assessments without providing the answer in the description."

I've noticed that too. I was able to find a solution for my some of our courses here; fittingly, our department wrote an OER textbook which makes it much easier to work out a solution, since I can just talk to the authors of the textbook.

-Jeff

1. I am wondering more about accessibility features that I may be overlooking/don't know about that have been added to Microsoft Office products or other commonly used apps. 

2. I do not have questions about UDL right now.

3. My wonderings about OER center around the accuracy of it versus other resources (textbooks). 

Kelly, ten years ago I would have questioned the accuracy, accessibility, and quality of OER materials.  I have found that the current OER materials are more accurate, accessible and better quality.  It still takes some time reviewing the materials while picking and choosing the needed material, but not the stuggle it was before.

1. I wonder once we get the low hanging fruit handled, what should we concentrate on?
2. How can we get all the faculty on board?
3. What projects might our faculty need us to collaborate on? Where should we begin? Hearing other experiences would be helpful.

Gail, 

Your question about getting faculty on board is something we are considering, too. Faculty oneed time to develop OER and time is often a difficult commodity to find. 

I wonder if we could support more cross-institutional work to help instructors develop OER for similar courses.

Josh,

In our departmental meeting last week, I asked for ideas on how to get the faculty on board with OER and accessibility. 

Jayne,

That's an excellent idea! We have several committees / groups where we could bring up this question.

1. How to create consistency among my institution regarding OER and accessibility.

2. What are the best ways to introduce UDL to my faculty, will they get it?

3. How can I get faculty not familiar/trustful of OER more comfortable with using OER Material.

Hello Brianna, 

Thank you for sharing! It sounds like you and I have some of hte same concerns, specifically with your role/responsibility in introducing some of these concepts to faculty. My question for you is, do you have any faculty currently using OERs in their courses? How has that gone for them so far?

1. How can we foster proactive vs reactive design? How can we encourage faculty/staff/students to search for diverse options/be aware of diverse needs?
2. How can I design towards intuitiveness and predictability? Can UDL become intuitive to me?
3. How can we incentivize faculty and staff to prefer OER to commercial textbooks and commercial educational resources? How can we incentivize faculty and staff to contribute to the accessibility of already-existing OER as well as to OER they create?

What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context? 

• How to shift attitudes of instructors to an idea that accessibility is more than accomodations. 

What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

• Resources for better UDL activities and assessment types that can be shared with instructors. 

What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

• How to encourage instructors who are required to use certain OER resources by their discipline to make those texts accessible/inclsive when they may not have the support at their home college to do so and so much undertake that process on their own. 

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

Can the variety of accessible items offered actually bring confusion on which tool to use or combo of tools to use?

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

If someone does not know HTML, how do they learn to correct some of the HTML-accessible problems?

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

If people can update or re-rwrite your OER is it still creditable?

1 and 2. I mostly have questions about options for very specific situations on how to make specifc documents accessible related to very specific pedagogical purposes. There are a number of these situations, but I'll share one in particular that has come up this semester. 

For instance -- I have an article from the Saturday Literature Review in 1940 that I was unable to find online, and instead found in microfilm. I scanned the article and made sure to also update a text version (based on OCR with revisions) to be accurate. I then scanned the whole issue, becuase I found the visual layout, other articles, etc. useful for talking to students about rhetorical situation. As I managed to get a copy of the specific article in a typed/screen-readable format, and I'm not actually interested in having students read the rest of the magazine, I shared that version. I just don't want to deny my seeing students the option to see the whole thing in context becuase I'm unable to figure out how best to make the whole thing accessible.

How can I consider Universal Design for Learning and opportunities for observation in a way that won't deny some students accessible access? Should I consider an audio description of the document, for instance? Since part of the point is that I want students to make their own observations, wouldn't an audio description by definition have to pick and choose which parts are important to notice? How can I set up learning opportunities for these kinds of situations?

A similar situation might apply to something like analyzing a historical political cartoon -- if we are asking students to see what they notice/observe based on details, how can we avoid shaping those observations too much by using descriptions, whether with alt-text or audio? We can work on making the text readable and provide alt-text, but any accessbility issues also provide interpretation a step removed from the original text. What are best practices for such a situation? 

3. No questions at this time. 

Kalani - I have the same problem when providing audio descriptions - what is too little, too much or just enough - without influencing the user.  I did a quick Google search on "audio descriptions of political cartoons"  Found BEHIND THE LINES – AUDIO DESCRIPTION ONLINE.  Listen to audio descriptions of political cartoons in the Behind the Lines exhibition or at home.  Lots of examples to choose from.  

1. We have help articles on accessibility for Microsoft Office products. Could we expand this to other programs, or outline more general accessibility tips. 

2. What features are available in our LMS that can make materials/activities more accessible for all?

3. We have some inaccessible OERs (PDFs) that instructors are interested in implementing. Are there tools that can more easily make these documents accessible besides Adobe's built-in feature? Are there easier ways to get them implemented in a program like Pressbooks?

1. I wonder how other universities/community colleges approach raising awareness about accessibility within their institution. What are some best practices for encouraging faculty, staff, and students to prioritize accessibility in their practice?

2. I do not have any questions regarding UDL for now!

3. Are there any disadvantages to using OER? Are there any specific disciplines we need to be cautious about when creating OER documents?

1) I saw in the comments that someone uses multiple accessibility checkers to review their work. What are the best to use/most reliable free accessibility checkers to use?

Joanna mentioned that even though someone may get zero errors on the accessibility checker their content still may not be accessible - what do we look for/how do we detect what not accesible at that point? 

2) I don't have any questions about UDL at this time. I did like the example about the curb cuts and how that design benefits many people.

3) How do we know if an OER is accesible? Can we use an accessbility checker on OER?

I want to continue learning from these sessions, and I'm sure the questions will come. For now, I enjoyed all the content, and look forward to the next one.

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   • Our library offers both physical and digital resources. I wonder how accessible our resources really are and how we can make them more accessible? 
2. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   • I am interested in learning more about UDL and incorporating these guidelines into our work. 
3. What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   • It would be great to have an OER evaluation tool to share with faculty. OERs come in all shapes and sizes and not all of them should be used. Having a tool to help faculty evaluate OERs would be helpful. 

Brian - Great idea regarding an OER evaluation tool.  Not just content, but accessibility, too.

I am also interested in learning more about UDL. I feel like this is something worth incorporating and talking about at my institution.

I love the idea of an OER evalution tool!

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   • What can my institution do to better lift the burden from students? What are the legal parameters around students and accessibility, and what poor practices continue exist out of habit even if there is not legal framework to support it?
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   • What sort of professional development outreach could be offered to inspire faculty to rework their courses with UDL in mind?
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   • What sort of professional development outreach could be offered to inspire faculty to rework their courses, especially the assignments, with OER in mind?

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I struggle with what I call "performed accessibility".  While I also 100% always start with and use the checkers; I find sometimes people lack a healthy skepticism.  For example, if I labeled an image of a dog, Ally would not see an issue with it even if it was an elephant.  I struggle with communicating the limits of technology and the need for human intervention.

2. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

• I am sometimes concerned with how to implement UDL and accessibility at the same time in an affordable way and to allow student creation of content while making it accessible. 
  • If we use student-created video - how can we ensure that video is accessible?
  • If we use multiple means of representation,- do we incur more costs because there are more materials that need to be transcribed?  (accessible OERs help here)

3,  What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

I am noting a gap in available OERs for graduate school applications (our institution has only a few undergrad-serving programs.  Within that context I find the biggest uses of OERs is to provide background and preparatory content needed to help students bridge gaps (everyone has gaps when your programs are interdisciplinary) 

Hi, Alexis. I share your concern about performed accessibility, although I haven't heard that term before.  I often see images with alt text that is next to useless (e.g., "an infographic") and think that, while it technically meets the criterion of having alt text, it's not functionally accessible because the meaning is not conveyed. (I should note that I am sure I have made this mistake myself!  I'm still learning.).  How do we move the conversation past "here's where you click to add alt text" to get to the real discussion about making content functionally accessible for learners?

I hear you on #1.  I've wondered whether offering some type of workshop or training or something called "Ally and Beyond" would be useful... to not only teach faculty the basics of how to use Ally, but also to make them aware of where Ally will fall short, where they need to look more closely.

1. Are there tools or technologies available to help us create inclusive learning environments for students with various learning disabilities when studying a primarily hands on field like forestry?
2. Are there specific UDL frameworks or models that have been successfully applied in forestry education?
3. What openly licensed resources are available for teaching core concepts and topics in forestry, and how can we integrate them into our curriculum effectively?

What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I am wondering how the evolution of AI in educatonal settings will impact accessiblity and compliance.

What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

What concepts of UDL do not revolve around accessiblity but revolve around equal access in general.

What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

What is or is there a best practice in selecting OER materials that are accessible.

Matt,

Your statement regarding the evolution of AI and its impact on accessibility is a great point! I have used AI to simplify the creation process for alt text and vivid descriptions with all of the images that I use within my Art Histiry OER. It is still necessary to give it a good look over since the programs aren't perfect, but it does help reduce work time.

Matt I really apprciate your second question here. I find myself too often conflating UDL and accessbility in terms of technology and am challenging myself to imagine these things as seperate and disconnected from tech (while still making sure tech choices I make align with UDL best practices and are accessible)

Matt, you make an excellent point regarding the evolution of AI. I have been doing a deep dive on AI and how to incorporate it in the classroom so this is a great point that I need to keep in mind. 

How do we foster a culture of continuous improvement regarding accessibility and become an accessibility-first institution?

How do we create engaging, interactive courses using UDL and have them still be accessible to all.

How can we identify high-quality, accessible OERs that align with the learning objectives and instructional content?

1. I am thinking about how many faculty seem to be overwhelmed and/or anxious about the topic of accessibility for their materials. This overwhelm then makes them think they can't, it's too much, they'll deal with issues when they come up. What are the keys to shifting that perspective?

2. I have a lot to learn about UDL. I like how these 3 elements of learning materials go hand in hand: accessibility, UDL, and OER.

3. What is the current status of accessibility levels in OER texts? Do most pass basic accessiblity levels, or is there a lot of work to do?

One of the questions I have about accessibility in my context is about how I should be thinking about accessibility in a broader context.  This dovetails with my question for #2.  How can I think about OER differently so I'm not considering accessibility in terms of a fix-and-check model (although that's important!) but thinking more in terms of how I can make the overall learning experience more inclusive.  For #3, I'm wondering how we can best share what we learn with other OER users/creators/adaptors at our institution. How can we ensure that we're not only making our own work as accessible as possible, but also try to expand that impact?

1. I am most curious how important it is to get "buy-in" from all members of the campus community vs doing the best I can on a smaller scale

2. how to navigate UDL best practices on outdated univeristy technology (LMS, email, etc)

3. none so far, so much still to learn.

What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

What is the best practice for accessibility for online students?

What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

N questions regarding UDL at this time.

What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

How to get the most out of the OER context for developing course material?

1. I am considering how I can begin conversations about accessibility (once I know more, of course) within my institution. 
2. I am new to learning about UDL, and excited to hear more.
3. I would love to view examples of OER that has been made more accessible!

1. I am wondering if a barrier to making accessible content is a concern over it's too hard to do or it takes too much time to do.  The functionality of adding ALT TEXT is quite easy, but is a feature I don't think many users know about in WORD or PPT, for example.  So when the issue is brought up of working towards more accessible materials, I am curious if there is an immediate hurdle that must be overcome.  I think that can be dealt with through professional development and general awareness of easy steps that can have a great impact in the long run.

2. I am curious about some of the best practices surrounding UDL that faculty could get started with right away to at least begin the process of making their courses accessible.

3. My biggest question regarding OER would be quality.  Years ago, when I first looked for material for my Japanese history course OERs did not exist in that area; OER's that did exist for my other courses (Latin American history) were not very good.  I would not want OERs to be used because of low cost if students do not benefit from their content.

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

Science and Math are hard to make accessible with all the graphs and equations. What tools are available for faculty trying to create accessible content in these areas?

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

How do we get our instructors to buy into these principles? I believe in them, but we get push back all the time when we try to get them to implement them.

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

none at this time.

Hi, 

I thought your second question about getting instructors to apply UDL was interesting. Does your institution have an annual review process that includes something about student success? It'd have to come from higher up in administration, but requiring proof of actions to build student success could be done by applying UDL principles to a classroom. 

1. is it always posible to test materials for blindness without a Kurzweil reader?

2. Can you make materials UDL 100% of the time or do you have to get as close as possible sometimes?

3. Where can I find more simulations and other interactive materials?

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

What impact will AI have one these accessibility checkers.  I need more time to think about this.

2.   What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context? I use UDL  in my curriculum and with students I work with. We discuss universal design. 

3 What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?  I  understand that there are online resources but sometimes the quality is not so great for grammar and writing. I am looking for more and better ideas.

1. Can you share some proven ways to raise accessibility awareness and foster an accessibility culture at a university?

2. No questions re: UDL at this time.

3. What methods are available to help us verify that OER materials are accessible?

1. I'm interested in learning more technical/step-by-step information about to create closed captions, label images, etc.
2. I just look forward to learning more!
3. How can we learn where to find high-quality OER tests for our specific disciplines? 

One source to learn the step-by-step information is LinkedIn Learning. Many tutorials in LL from experts in the field. If you don't have the subscrition, some public libraries subscribe to LL. Another great resource is the Section 508 page from GSA. Many tutorials on the page https://www.section508.gov/training/

1. Are my library databases and systems that are already in place accessible?

2. How can UDL be adapted to the Library?

3. How can I best organise and promote OER for my faculy/staff/students?

Hi Casey: Speaking to your first question, at our institution we found that some of the articles within the library databases weren't necessarily accessible but that almost all the search engines had some sort of accessiblity policy around their materials and how to contact them if you found an item that was inaccessible so that they could update it accordingly. An example is this JSTOR Accessibility Policies webpage, where they list their contact information. You may want to check the databases you are using and see if they have similar policies for remediation of materials!

What can I do to help the faculty I work with buy in to the importance of accessibility and commit to it when developing materials or designing activities for their online courses?  What can I do to make accessibility less overwhelming to those with limited expertise and, more importantly, limited time?

How can I better build UDL into the course design process, or encourage faculty to incorporate it in couses that have been running for a while?

I've sometimes had faculty ask this when faced with the choice between curating learning materials and creating materials (written or recorded) of their own:  "Why would a student take a course from me if I'm just pointing them towards materials other people have created?"  I'm curious how other folks have answered this question, if they've been asked.

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   • What alterations do I need to make to my current OER to ensure the highest degree of accessibility possible? 
   • What are my short-term and long-term goals for maintaining a high standard for accessibility in my OER and within the classroom?
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   • I wonder how to best impliment UDL practices in a way that is benificial to student learning while having a rubric for assessment that allows for the openness of alternative formats.
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   • No questions at this time

With regards to accessibility, the scale is overwhelming. When everything needs to be drastically overhauled, where do you even start?

I need to learn more about UDL.

Changing mindsets from competitive to co-operative will be difficult, but I hope we can make some advances in that regard.

I completely understand that overwhelmed feeling, it makes it seem like the project is just too big to handle, and almost giving up before you even start. I've found it easier to evaluate what needs to be done and prioritize things. Then starting with some of the smaller projects that will make you feel accomplished once they are done.It is difficult to prioritize accessibility but maybe teachers, advisors, and students could help.

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   None at this time.
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   None at this time.
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   I receive a lot of requests tor OER materials related to manufacturing, is there a plan to create any? Or, how can we encourage its creation?

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   As some others have noted / discussed, I wonder how we can effectively reshape the conversation around accessibility to emphasize neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia and ADHD given the percentages of those conditions are far greater than those with sensory or mobility impairments. Both are equally important, but I doubt most people know that dyslexia affects ~20% of the population and represents 80-90% of all those with learning disabilities. Source: Yale University Dyslexia FAQ
    
2. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   UDL takes time to implement effectively (as does everything else!), so how do we affect that change when faculty are so accustomed to teaching in one way, e.g., sage-on-the-stage, and don’t see the value of changing their approach after so many years? (Doctor of Pharmacy program)
    
3. What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   As noted by my colleague Emily Gorman in an earlier post - "How can we encourage the creation of OERs in specialized graduate fields such as the health professions?" There are a great many resources for the basic sciences and undergraduate-level courses, but so few beyond that scope.

My question is general -- How do you get to the "baked-in" instead of "bolted-on" environment?  I tend to receive a lot of pushback. 

1. Mine is more of a wondering and that is how I can best use technology to improve the accessibility of the OERs I have a hand in creating. I am also wondering how to best set up others involved in the creation of these OERs to think ahead about accessibility.

2. I never really thought of UDL and this webinar is the first time I am hearing about it, though I am sure I have seen it in practice.

3. I love OERs and I am wondering how we can encourage our faculty to adopt accessible OERs and the benefits of doing so over the traditional textbook and paid educational resources route.

Greetings:

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context? What ways to promote OER and accessible courses across a campus? How can faculty get buy-in from administration?
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context? What are ways to ensure consistency in UDL across courses in all disciplines?
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context? Does CC update OER to ensure all content is accessible? Are older OER scrubbed for accessibility issues?

Will we be practicing Accessibility tools in particular OER publishing platforms like Pressbooks?

The questions I have about accessibility, UDL, and OER in my context relate to additional opportunities for training and support for instructors. What training and support related to accessibility and UDL would be most impactful? I'm also continuing to wonder how I can support more instructors with OER creation and adoption. OER creation often seems like a challenging, time-intensive process. What's the best way to support OER creation at scale? 

1. What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I wonder how well accessibility evaluation tools are built into publishing platforms when faculty/staff are creating OER. Yes, there are third-party tools, but is accessibility being promoted holistically from that initial draft that lives on your own computer to a robust content and learning management system that publishes and hosts the final product?

2. What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

As someone who partners with faculty through a disability resource office, what are some methods and strategies for supporting faculty in approaching UDL that are proactive? Too many times we're called into situations when there's an access concern or after the curriculuim and materials have been design. I want to identify tangible methods to better support our faculty ahead of this friction. Any advice, programs, resources others have found helpful in accomplishing this, i"m all ears! UDL makes sense and many would agree, but finding a way to package this so that it is part of the process is where I'm struggling. Because I'm not faculty, I want to have that perspective so I can be a stronger ally.

3. What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

I will undoubtedly have some as we go along, nothing at this point yet.

1. Does anyone have suggestions on a short video(s) we can post on our university website to educate people on what web accessibility is and why it is important. Our faculty, staff, and students are undrestanding the importance but we get content from outside sources (ie. vendors doing a presentation at a conference) they often provide slide decks/PDF and other documents that are not accessible and then complain that it can't be posted immediately because we first need to make them accessible and that takes time.

2. None at this time

3. Same question as #1

Trisha - Check out Video Introduction to Web Accessibility and W3C Standards.  

Thanks for the suggestion...here's where we added it to our site! Web Accessibility (umaryland.edu)  It is on the initial landing page regarding campus web accessibility - which all our campus websites and applications have a link to in the footer of each page.

Thanks for letting me know.  The video is so well done and will hopefully get lots of views.  Glad I could be of help.

1. Accessiblity: For the majority, accessible spaces and content is largly granted. However, when it is not accessible, i.e. see, hear, navigate, interact, the same group will not hesitate to raise issue. I wonder how to effectively broaden advocacy and awareness for accessibility that is not viewed as compulsory? Moreover, how to have those shared understandings turn into actions (noting a level technical skill might be required in some cases).
2. UDL: How to incorporate empthy, compassion, and sympathy into UDL understandings? Is it already there? How does a person use a design process that is not focused on self, but others without this?
3. OER: Facts and ideas are not included in copyright law, however the expression of these are; According to the Marrakesh Treaty, these copyrighten works can be made accessible (copy, modified, and released) how does this work with the law? Have there been legal challenges?

Hi Jason,

You have raised some very good questions here. I agree it is important to not forget the accessabilty needs to move beyond being viewed as compulsory. At a UDL workshop I attended they stressed that accessabiilty improves learning for all, not just those with the need for accomodations. I try to keep this principle in mind in all I do. I think the challenge is just getting buy-in. So many times as faculty and instructors we feel that checks like this are "one more task to do" and not as something that makes our job easier. I compare it to prevention of illness. Prevention is not sexy. You often don't know if it worked, because well if you prevented things in the first place there is no evidence. But putting the work up front can help in the end. Same with accessability. 

I also appreicate your questions on copyright law. That is one area I am not famliar with myself and need to be mindful of. That can certainly make some things a bit trickier but again if we can create processes or best practices we may all benefit from it and not take away from the orginal product in an illegal way.

I have the same questtion for Accessibility, UDL, and OER within my content of being a member of the Instructional Technology team. That is, "What are the strategies and the data that tell the compelling story of why course usability and accessibility, UDL, and offering OERs matters to all students?" 

Our team is well versed and facile when it comes to supporting and providing training on accessibility, UDL, and OER. We've contributed to institutional workgroups in helping craft guidelines and recommendations to infuse all three of these into designing a learning experience (in-person, online, or hybrid); yet we are not the Academic leaders at the institution. We can offer as much training, support, and consulation as anyone would want ... yet we are not in a position to mandate more than we can suggest and encourage faculty to learn and utilize these things. 

Hi Susan,

Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful post. We face a similar struggle, and I hope that someone out there has a compelling solution (or success story) that worked for their institution. For us at UMB, I think our biggest challenge is the siloed nature of the indivudual schools on our campus. So much effort and work is repeated because we don't have a centralized approach to universal issues.

1. Accessibility - one size does not fit all; still not a requirement in many situations; often an after-thought.  We've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.
2. UDL - good to see the distinction between Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning.  More to it than curb-cuts and wide bathroom stalls.
3. OER - Again we have come a long way, but there is always room for improvement.  While non-readable PDFs are not as prevalent anymore, images, videos, charts, graphs, simulations, etc. still pose accessibility issues for some users.

1. How does one know when their accessibility check or remediation is done?  What is good enough?  Materials may pass an accessibility checker but still not accessible to certain individuals. While I am fairly competent in checking accessibility or remediating in certain areas/apps, I am not a professional and most certainly miss more in certain areas.  I also do not have all the tools I need to check the more complex learning objects. 
2. UDL is extremely subjective - one person's self-check that they adhere to UDL principles may not be "good enough" for the next individual.  What is the balance?
3. We use many ZTC materials as a remix with OER materials.  What is the best way to license or note this use of freely available with licensed and institution-specific content?

1. Are there any other tools available to check accessibility?

2. So many! What tools are available to convert or enhance the accessibility features of OER?

3. None

• What questions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I wonder how to make open sources owned by other people fully accessible without overloading faculty or instructional designers. 

• What questions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

It could be time-consuming to incorporate UDL into online course design for faculty and instructional designers. 

• What questions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

We can't find all the materials we need for a course using open sources. For lab science courses, virtual labs and simulations are not always available or accessible. 

About all three, I am wondering about motivation to compliance. We know that, in an educational context, accessibility is the law, yet compliance remains so spotty. For example, I have been trying for months to get access to a faculty resource at my institution, but the web application process is not accessible. I've called. I've emailed. I have formally requested an application in an alternative format as a Reasonable Accommodaton under the ADA. Crickets . . . .

Someone mentioned last week about offering incentives to faculty and administrators to encourage them to make their materials accessible, such as offering awards for best accessibility and release time to produce/convert accessible materials. The intrinsic value of "doing the right thing" doesn't always motivate to compliance. We need more strategies.

I think dedicated release time would make a huge difference.  When I've worked with faculty on their courses, it's often a challenge for them to get me materials at all, let alone do the extra work required to make them accessible.  But I agree that the motivation often just isn't there... or it isn't perceived as a pressing need ("none of my current students need those accommodations, so I can just worry about this later").  One institution I worked at ended up being *highly* motivated following a lawsuit and settlement, but that's not really the incentive one would hope for!

1. When using OER resources, what happens if you use something that you think is OER but it ends up not being an OER resource? 
2. I am really new to UDL so any information would be helpful to me. 
3. I have struggled to find good resources for my Spanish courses and I always worry that I might be using something that isn't actually an OER. I am assuming that we will be learning how to be sure in this cohort. 

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I am interested in best practices to begin this project as well as the tools (available/compatible w/Canvas) to use.  

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

I am interested in learning more about the best practices for UDL in fully online, asynchronous course design. 

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

I am excited to learn about OER beyond basic textbooks, as well as ensuring we are in compliance.

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I have not really thought about how accessible my documents and D2L shell is until now. I now know it is advisable to go through the Accessabiltiy checkers multiple times. Also, I need to think beyond the things that come up readily, like high contrast fonts and screens and think about a screen reader or other devices. I know a little bit about making documents accessible but I still have more to learn and more tools to explore!

2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

I have taken a few classes and workshops on UDL. I have a better idea about this, but still more to learn and practice. I don't have any specific questions at this time but will be mindful of keeping this idea in the back of my mind in all that I post on my D2L. Trying to make things more user friendly, trying to think like a studnet, and not a back end user. I have found that the student view in D2L is a fabulous tool to use when I am not sure where to put something or how to best place it in my shell. I have also found that posting in multiple spots is a big help--such as assignments go in content and in assignment tab. And they are linked together so students can hopefully easily find them.

3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

This is one area I have big questions on this. i teach in the Medical Assistant and Nurse Aide programs. Health texts are hard to find, and when I do find them they are often outdated and from other countries. Nothing wrong with a text from Australia or the UK, but sometimes the analogies they use or the issues they are facing are not as prevalant in my area of Northeastern Colorado! Also finding things that reflect current practice is hard to find, mostly because heatlhcare changes rapidly! But I am ready for the hunt and not afraid to get creative and remix and adapt if I can find the right resources. I want to get off of the hamster wheel of high cost books and not enough resources into more adaptable and timley and cost effective resources!

I don't have questions or wonderings about accessibility, Universal Design for Learning, or Open Educational Resources.

As a learning designer, I have been learning about all of them since 2018. The biggest thing that I know is that it is a continuous learning curve. Like Maya Angelou says, "You don't know what you don't know. When you do know, do better."

That is where I am at - I know better so my job as a learning designer is to help others do better also.

Howdy Jacqueline! Glad to be on this journey with you - and eager to learn more about the learning you've been doing these past few years.

What, for you, has been a spark on your campus to take what you've been learning, seeing others latch onto it, and then watching what we know is valuable and necessary about accessibility, UDL and/or OER take shape on your campus? Have you found particular methods to mobilize ideas and get buy-in? I work with faculty a fair bit in my role and want to be a better advocate, ally and partner in supporting their understanding and output - while also recognizing there are obstacles that are out of my control. Mostly wanting to hear how you've found success in your space.

One thing I've found to be helpful is having stories from our students and other constituents integrated in the trainings and presentations I do. I also think these concepts just don't lend well to a single training... There needs to be ongoing instruction, cohort-based collaboration and conversation, and tangible deliverables as a result of the instruction so that folks are encouraged to have a product of their learning and discovery. Would love to develop a UDL Academy on our campus where we walk a small cohort of faculty through revamping activities and materials in their course for the next academic year... My positionality on campus has me limited in my ability to do something like this, but I will continue to seek partners who want to pick it up and run together.

I too have graduate certificates and expert-level training in accessibility, as well as half a century of lived experience. That being said, I have yet to attend a seminar with like-minded colleagues and not learn something new.

• I would love to get feedback from students to help improve the accessibility and UDL in our courses. What have been struggles? What's missing? What has helped them be successful in their courses?
• We need a process for maintaining OER, not just creating the content and establishing OER courses.

Your idea of getting feedback from students is a great idea. Could you pose those questions in the survey at the end of the course?

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   
   In my context, I have the perennial question of "who is paying for all of this?"
   In Texas, it might be easier to start a small business.

Hi Jeffrey,

Even outside of Texas that is the question. There isn't a great option when it comes to funding. It might be a great business opportunity in Texas right now though...

Hello!

#1 In my role as librarian I am particularly interested in the ways and strategies our library could employ to make our library guides more accessible. Additionally, I am interested in strategies for building a OER text with accessibility in mind from the start of the process.

#2 I am interested in broadly learning more about UDL, especially in the context of future OER projects at my insititution.

#3 Finally, I am interested in learning more about strategies to encourage faculty to adopt OER.

Your first points are really interesting thoughts - I hope we'll talk about accessibility features or tools in some common systems such as LibGuides and PressBooks. Perhaps there are templates that incorporate some accessibility elements such as color contrast and formatting for screen readers?

What accessibility LTIs are available in Canvas?

I am also interested in learning more about the accessibility LTIs in Canvas.  I have heard of Ally, but I would like to learn how it expands upon the (free) checker built into the Canvas RCE.  Cost is important as well.  

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   1. I wonder about accessibility outside of the LMS, and how to ensure that it is being accomplished.
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?
   1. I always want to learn more about UDL, so I wonder about everything.
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?
   1. I wonder how best to help faculty and instructors at my institution buy in and build their own OER content.

1 and 2. How can we best educate faculty on access and UDL? We regularly hold professional development sessions about it, but unfortunately the same faculty and staff attend each time and we are not reaching all faculty. 

3. Are there OER resources that might better support students who need access like text-to-speech, ability to highlight and take notes, plain and accessible language, etc.? 

To your question about educating faculty on access and UDL, can you make the professional development sessions mandatory as part of their contract? That is what many companies do but I know education is different.

Hi LeAnn,

Thanks for sharing your idea. We have discussed having mandatory trainings. We were able to secure an hour or so at our annual May professional development, but beyond that we will need more adminstrative support. 

Hailee 

With regards to accessible OER, our team's plan is to focus on finding good resources first. Then, test the OER for accessibility. If it's not accessible, edit it to make it accessible (if possible) and then share it so others have the accessible content.

I wonder how we can get instructors to see accessibility as beneficial to students beyond those with identified disabilities or accommodations. I'd like to learn more about specific UDL best practices, and how OER facilitates UDL (or doesn't!). And I wonder if there's an easier way to tell how accessible any given OER is.

Hi Rachel,

We just have to keep showing our colleagues how different encoding, engagement, and assessment formats benefit a much wider range of students than we have been reaching to date. This is a retention issue. Here's just one example: text-to-speech capacities through read aloud pdfs, screen-readers, or books on tape. We've presented data on how many of our students experience disabilities but also how many identify as nonreaders or who simply prefer to listen to their readings. So many students also work long hours, but depending on the job could certainly listen to a podcast or a reading while doing other things. We need to keep reminding people how many of our students deal with mental health issues, trauma, and ongoing crises such that they NEED options like recording themselves presenting or having the option to participate non-orally through polls, forums, and collaboration boards etc. I'm excited to learn more about what others have done to help make this case. Such an important question.  

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context? I need to learn about aceeesbility tools for videos. I only use closed captions.
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context? That it is universal
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?  We are creating OER and how do we increase access to the OER our college has created?  Microlearning channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr697kpTmT9n2oint13EWZA

Are their simply designed graphics for these three concepts?  Some of the graphics are a challenge to read. 

My biggest wonderings/concern is how mandated accessibility is going to affect our curriculum.  Some materials we don't have control over.  For example, we use company websites such as Oracle.com.  I don't think we have any control over that.

I am wondering about how UDL overlaps with accessibility.  I'm almost thinking they essentially are the seme.

My question about OER is what does it stand for?  And what are the resources to create OER?  I'm also wondering about how AI will affect OER?  Will there be AI that can create OER?

1. What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?
   1. What resource are available to assist with completing Accessibility checks with faculty courseware material? 
   2. Reviewing faculty-created websites for WCAG standards is a daunting task for staff who are new to the material. What are the reccomended basic guidelines/ reccommendations? Is this information available in a distilled manner anywhere? How can we best onboard and educate staff who will be assisitng with this work?  
2. What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context? None at this time
3. What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context? None at this time

1. I think this depends on definition of "courseware material." If it is publisher created, then likely only the publisher can remediate—and one hopes that it is accessible. If it is in an learning management system, some have accessiblity tools available—or integrations for purchase. Else, most office tools have a "basic" accessiblity cheacker built-in.
2. Home - The A11Y Project might be a good resource to begin building knowledge

What quesions and wonderings do you have about Accessibility in your context?

I am interested in how to make Google Docs/Slides more accessible

What quesions and wonderings do you have about UDL in your context?

I am interested in learning more about the best practices for UDL in fully online, asynchronous course design. 

What quesions and wonderings do you have about OER in your context?

I don't know much about OER so I could use a lot of training!

1. I wonder how I, in my dual role as faculty and director of the Writing Center, can contribute to educating fellow faculty as well as students about integrating accessibility, especially in the context of writing instruction/pedagogy.
2. I want to learn more about UDL and find time to review my courses to see how my course design mashes up with UDL principles. 
3. I am interested in using an OER resoruce I located on Oepn Stax (spelling?) around academic writing into a 1-creditintroductory writing course I manage. I am also interested in crearing some OER resources around science communication professional development. 

I wonder about this too, Isabell. I am also a writing center director and feel as though it can be a good space to focus on the integration and promotion of accessibility on campus, but at the same time, it can have unique challenges as a non-classroom space. 

Things I’m thinking about related to all these topics: what can I do in my role as director of WAC/writing center to be more accessible and promote accessibility? how can I help others to see accessibility/UDL as a priority not a matter of preference? What tools resources are already available to help?