At IU Indianapolis, Gina Londino-Smolar's innovative approach is transforming the way laboratory courses are designed, ensuring that all students can thrive. Her journey began with a simple yet profound observation: A significant number of blind students were enrolling in a laboratory course designed for non-science majors. Recognizing the opportunity to pass her passion on to more students, she embarked on a mission to transform her courses so all interested students could learn about forensics.
Gina Londino-Smolar
Interim Director, Forensic & Investigative Sciences Program
Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry, IU Indianapolis
Alongside partners from eLearning Design and Services, the Assistive Technology & Accessibility Centers, and Academic Media Production Services, she set out to ensure all students could fully participate. Besides designing for accessibility, she focused on proactively developing materials for future students' accommodation needs.
This allows all students to engage in the same experiments and achieve the same learning outcomes as their peers—without having to wait for course materials to be adapted, which provides a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.
Her commitment to accessibility does not stop at the laboratory door. It has influenced her teaching methods across the board. Using Universal Design for Learning, Londino-Smolar has become more mindful of how she presents her course materials, providing accessible readings, video transcripts, and multiple formats that give students different ways to engage within her courses. She incorporates virtual tours, tactile graphics, 3D visualizations, and at-home experiments to give students a rich and meaningful learning experience, regardless of their physical location or access needs.
Londino-Smolar's work has received positive student feedback. Word of mouth from former students has also encouraged more students to enroll, knowing that they could participate fully in the laboratory activities. This positive reception underscores the importance of creating an educational environment that caters to the needs of all students. Her courses are made with accessibility and inclusion in mind—and they maintain the integrity of the laboratory experience while ensuring that no student feels excluded.
Her approach serves as a powerful model on how accessibility can be integrated into the curriculum. Her work demonstrates that with thoughtful consideration and collaboration, it is possible to create a learning environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of how they engage in a course. For those looking to follow in her footsteps, Londino-Smolar recommends reaching out to your local teaching center and/or Assistive Technology and Accessibility Center to explore how to make your course materials more accessible. Building a community of educators committed to accessibility is crucial for sharing resources and strategies.
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Know a faculty accessibility trendsetter? Please reach out to reachlt@iu.edu to nominate them for a future segment.