1. Accessibility in Teaching, Learning and Assessment
  2. Making Your Course Accessible
    1. Universal Design for Learning
    2. Creating Accessible Documents
    3. Accessibility in Carleton’s Educational Technology Tools
    4. Web and Browser Accessibility
  3. Other Accessibility Resources
  4. Accessibility at Carleton University

Accessibility in Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Accessible teaching and learning refer to designing, developing, and implementing teaching strategies, and materials that ensure all learners, regardless of their background, or physical, cognitive, sensory abilities or disabilities or other challenges, have equal opportunities to access, engage with, and benefit from the educational experience. It is rooted in principles of inclusivity and emphasizes removing barriers that may hinder full participation or learning.

Instructors have both legal and ethical responsibilities to ensure that courses are fully accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities. While digital resources are often integrated into courses to enhance learning, their potential benefits can be undermined if accessibility is not carefully considered. When poorly designed, these resources may create significant barriers, making learning challenging or even unattainable for students with disabilities. Key elements of accessibility in teaching and learning include:

Inclusive Curriculum Design: Leverages Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to design and develop flexible learning outcomes, instructional methods and strategies, materials, and assessments that accommodate a variety of learning preferences and needs for all learners.

Inclusive Teaching Practices: Effective instructional processes prioritize inclusivity by employing diverse teaching strategies such as visual aids, hands-on activities, group discussions, and multimedia resources to engage all learners. Students should be given multiple avenues to demonstrate understanding, whether through written work, verbal presentations, or project-based assessments, while instructional materials are made accessible in formats like digital text, large print, braille, multimedia, or audio.

Leveraging Assistive Tools: Inclusive teaching and learning also involves leveraging assistive tools like screen readers, closed captions, and simplified text to support learners with disabilities. Flexible assessments, such as offering extended time or alternative formats, and timely, accessible feedback ensure all students can fully participate and thrive in their learning experience.

The Ontario government has introduced an enhanced set of accessibility standards to help close the accessibility gap. Institutions have until January 1, 2025, to comply.

Making Your Course Accessible

Depending on the delivery method, you can improve the accessibility of your course in several ways. The sections below address ways of making courses more accessible through thoughtful course design that incorporates principles of Universal Design for Learning, by creating accessible course documents, and by checking the web accessibility of your online or blended course components.

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing teaching and learning activities, courses or curricula so that they are usable by all people without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The principles of universal design encourage course design that is equitable, flexible, intuitive and that presents information in a clear and perceptible manner. Use the links below to learn more about UDL and how you can design or redesign your course by following UDL principles.

Creating Accessible Documents

Making course documents accessible ensures that they can be used in different ways by a wide range of learners. It can also make your documents easier to navigate and edit. The links in this section can provide guidance on creating accessible documents in Microsoft Word, Google Docs and PDFs.

Accessibility in Carleton’s Educational Technology Tools

Carleton’s supported Educational Technologies include many accessibility options. For more information on the accessibility of EdTech tools at Carleton, see the following support pages.

Web and Browser Accessibility

If you are designing or teaching an online course, it is important to pay attention to the accessibility of your online and web content. The resources linked below can help you improve the accessibility of your web content by following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), using accessibility checkers and changing settings in your browser.

Other Accessibility Resources

Accessibility allows all people to navigate, perceive, understand and be active in both the physical and digital world. In education, accessibility involves considering different learner characteristics in a proactive and inclusive way. When courses are designed with accessibility in mind, it provides equal access and opportunities for all learners.

Accessibility at Carleton University

Carleton strives to be an inclusive and accessible community, where everyone on campus is able to participate and thrive. This section contains links to general information about accessibility at Carleton, the Paul Menton Centre (Carleton’s centre for students with disabilities), and information about peer-to-peer support.

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