7 core practices that benefit all students

Successful interactions depend heavily on what we can see, hear, say, touch, learn, and remember. When done well, we can recognize more than just the barriers that people encounter. We also recognize the motivations that all people have in common.
—Microsoft Inclusive Design Toolkit

Three statistics highlight why creating inclusive course materials can be a challenge—and why it's best to focus on proactive design approaches that benefit all students:

• Only 11% of students formally disclose learning disabilities. (Source: NCCSD Research Brief)
• However, 20% of undergrads informally report disabilities. (Source: NCES study)
• And 43% of both groups have hidden, non-obvious disabilities. (Source: US Department of Education)

As the Inclusive Design Toolkit goes on to clarify, instructors also need to consider related limitations like "situational impairments, activity limitations, and restrictions on participation." Examples of these limitations include everyday situations like a short-term injury, reading on a small screen, or working in a loud environment.

Would you like to download a copy for future use? Get a PDF version of the graphic here.

The costs of last-minute fixes

If materials aren't designed with accessibility in mind from the beginning, it can be stressful to remediate them all when a student with disabilities enrolls on short notice. If you need the Assistive Technology & Accessibility Centers (ATAC) or a vendor to remediate the materials for you, be prepared to send off the materials two or more weeks in advance. Think: No last-minute PowerPoints!

Want to know which criteria ATAC uses to evaluate course accessibility? Review their course accessibility checklist and feedback form (IU login required).

However, many publishers now maintain lists of their accessible titles (and some commit to at least a base level of accessibility for all their titles published since a certain date). By selecting accessible course texts and focusing on universal design from the outset, you'll have much less to do—and all of your students will benefit.