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The Accessible Virtual Campus

Academic Departments

A growing number of universal design efforts relate to the accessibility of specific subject matter content.  This site continues to investigate the breadth of these and address as many as possible. Instructional Methods and Media & Materials pages will be informative for all educators.  UD ideas and strategies that can be added regarding specific subject matter are welcomed through the use of our feedback form.

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Font Size for Accessible Media in the Classroom

These two Power Point slides provide a guideline to insure that the font size within print media are accessible when projected.

ACCESS-ed Project, R2D2 Center

How to Determine Font Size for Accessible Media  (PowerPoint Presentation)

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Service Contract Tips

This document contains tips for "contracting for services that work for everyone including people with disabilities". Check these tips to insure accessibility before contracting for services.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Service Contract Tips  (Word Document)

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Slide Show AUDIT

Use this accessibility measurement tool to create a slide show that is accessible to everyone. Font size is one important factor in slide accessibility.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

Slide Show AUDIT  (Excel Document)

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Universal Design in the Classroom

Tim O’Connor discusses classroom accessibility in this segment as they are seated in a university classroom with a group of faculty members. Focus on the instructor, technology, and classroom set-up are included in this discussion which also attends to how universal design helps students with various special considerations, disability or other.

R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee

1 of 3 (captioned) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

1 of 3 (video described) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

2 of 3 (captioned) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

2 of 3 (video Described) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

3 of 3 (captioned) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

3 of 3 (video described) Universal Design in the Classroom  YouTube Video

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Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?

This video totaling approximately 30 minutes was created by the ACCESS-ed Project as a resource promoting universal design in higher education. Instructors and students share ideas for accessibility within a classroom setting. Topics include, but are not limited to, methods of providing accessible instruction and resources that aid in the accessibility of instruction. Students with disabilities express concerns based on their experiences and explain what has worked for them. Instructors discuss how they have effectively applied universal design in their courses. This is an excellent training tool when introducing universal design to your campus.

1 of 4 (captioned) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

1 of 4 (video described) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

2 of 4 (captioned) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

2 of 4 (video described) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

3 of 4 (captioned) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

3 of 4 (video described) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

4 of 4 (captioned) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

4 of 4 (video described) "Why Universal Design in an Educational Setting?"  YouTube Video

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Accessibility in the Classroom

This website provides link for advice on how to make the classroom more accessible using Microsoft and has a guide to download.

Microsoft

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Accessible Presentations

This website provides information and links regarding making presentations more accessible and how to design for inclusion.

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ADA Requirements: Service Animals

This website has updated ADA guidelines, regulations, and rights for people with service animals.

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Association on Higher Education & Disability (AHEAD)

AHEAD is a professional membership organization for individuals involved in the development of policy and in the provision of quality services to meet the needs of persons with disabilities, involved in all areas of higher education.

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Augmenting Multi-media Lectures with Accessible Self-assessment Exercises

This website contains an easy to use tool for augmenting multi-media lectures with accessible self-assessment exercises. The authors identify the elements of a classroom lecture and find appropriate mechanisms for transferring those elements to a web-based format.

Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

This website provides higher education's obligations under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilties Act. These sections see that students with disabilties are not denied benifits. This website is from the Office of Civil Rights.

U.S. Dept. of Education

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CAST Learning Tools

This website provides links to free learning tools for students, teachers and parents.

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Curriculum Transformation and Disability

This website provides the book Implementing Universal Design in Higher Education for free. "The purpose of this book is to introduce readers to the concepts of Universal Design (UD) and Universal Instructional Design (UID). This collection of essays addresses learning both within and outside the classroom, recognizing the role higher education plays in developing the “whole” person (American Council on Education, 1937, 1949; National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, 1989)."

University of Minnesota

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Distance Education: Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities

This PDF describes accessibility standards and issues related to distance education.

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Equal Access: UD of Instruction

Thursday workshop handout, Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler. This worksheet provides a checklist for inclusive teaching.

Burgstahler, S. DO-IT, University of Washington

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Fonts and Accessibility

This webpage discusses which fonts are the most readable and which are the most appropriate for web use. The different "font families" are compared and contrasted.

WebAIM

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National Center on Universal Design for Learning

This website contains information about universal design for learning, including advocacy, implementation, research, and how to connect with others.

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On-Line Learning Accessibility

This website provides a checklist and information on making web based courses and materials accessible for people with disabilities.

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Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

The information in this pamphlet, found on the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights website, explains the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities who are preparing to attend postsecondary schools. This pamphlet also explains the obligations of a postsecondary school to provide academic adjustments, including auxiliary aids and services, to ensure the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability.

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

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Tips for Communicating with People who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

A tip sheet for communicating with individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.

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Tips to Understand Deaf Culture

This tip sheet from PEPNet provides a description of Deaf culture and suggestions for effective communication. Tips include the importance of American Sign Language, terms used in the Deaf community, and guidelines for communication.

PEPNet 2

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UCD Resource Mapping

This website provides practical approaches to organizing and disseminating campus wide resources for universal course design.

Equity and Excellence in Higher Education: Universal Course Design

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Universal Course Design (UCD)

This website about Universal Course Design (UCD), from the Equity and Excellence in Higher Education grant, based at the University of Massachusetts Boston, was developed for faculty to ensure that students with disabilities receive a quality higher education through refinement, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of the Universal Course Design model of professional development. Additional model demonstration sites included the Universities of New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont and Rhode Island College.

The Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston

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Universal Design in Education - Applying the Seven Principles

The seven principles of product and environmental universal design (from The Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University) are applied to education on this printable "CATS Fact Sheet". Please note that wording is adjusted to the education realm.

"In these terms, universal design means the development of curriculum, instructional materials and instruction to be accessible to and useable by students with different backgrounds and abilities. The key aspect of a universally designed curriculum is its in-built flexibility."

CATS (Creating Accessible Teaching & Support) is hosted by the University of Tasmania, and was funded by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment, & Workplace Relations and the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

Australian Government, Department of Education, Employment, & Workplace Relations and the Australian Learning and Teaching Council

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Universal Design in Education: An Online Tutorial

This web page poses questions that link to a separate web page with the answers and more information about universal design in education or aspects related to education like Student Services, Information Technology, Distance Learning, K-12, Post-secondary, Class Projects, Professional Organizations, Projects, and Conference Exhibits and Presentations.

The Center for Universal Design at The University of Washington

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Universal Design New York

This is a desktop reference manual which presents common universal design principles from Universal Design New York and offers examples of how to incorporate these ideas into other projects.

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Universal Design Resources

This website provides articles and resources related to universal design regarding websites, higher education, UDI, etc.

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Using Universal Design for Learning: Successful Transition Models for Educators Working with Youth with Learning Disabilities

This InfoBrief identifies and explains selected classroom-based strategies within the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model.

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A lot of people with a disability say, "This is who I am. I don't come here hoping my disability will go away, but because I want to participate."

Carolyn R. Thompson