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Why Should I Make Content Accessible?



I think a better question is, “Why do you teach?” I teach because I love to share the passion, knowledge, and life experiences I’ve had with others. Why do you teach?
We have student learning objectives for each course we teach, from which we design our course material. Making something clear for our students to understand the first time makes it easier on all of us and is part of the universal design process. Making something accessible is part of our job as teachers. Providing clear communication and clear access to the content we provide both online and in a face-to-face classroom helps our students succeed in our classrooms.

Accessibility or Accommodation

Accessibility is different from providing accommodations. We make an accommodation for an individual student upon their request which is a reactive response. Accessibility is a proactive response; it’s how we design our material to benefit students and allow them to gain access to the material we provide. Both accessibility and accommodations are important for us to understand and are mandated by federal law (Sections 508 and 504). 
Let’s look at a few student situations which might lead to lack of accessibility; therefore, potentially putting a student at a disadvantage.
●      I don’t have a lot of bandwidth and I am asked to watch a video for an assignment within my class. If only there was a transcript, I could download the material and read it. I would then have access to the same material as my peers who have good internet access. 
●      I’m at a laundromat where there are noisy machines and kids; if only my video I had to watch for class was captioned, I could follow along and have access to the material I needed in order to do my assignment when I get home.
●      I get distracted easily, so I use a screen reader to verbally read the material as I follow along. I appreciate it when material is designed to be accessible for screen readers.
●      English is my second language, so I appreciate it when instructors include alternative texts with their images and what they’re trying to convey. If I don’t understand a word, I can use my translator. It also helps me learn the cultural context of images being used.
The situations are numerous and not all of the examples above would be considered a disability. By designing our courses with accessible material, we can help reduce barriers to learning for all students in our classrooms. Over this past month, I have found myself using captions on videos and text to speak on my computer as I am spending more time online. I like the variety and not always having to just listen or only read. By designing my material with accessibility in mind, I am going to eliminate barriers and enhance learning within the online community I am building. We also are modeling for our students and teaching them the importance of accessibility, which will most likely be a skill set they will need in the working world.  So, why wouldn’t you make your content accessible? 
Next week, I’ll share some tips on how to make your content accessible.
A few resources I would recommend to explore more on this topic:
Written by Janelle Reeb
Online Learning Coordinator
Feel free to leave comments below
For additional resources, visit icc.edu/tlc webpage

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