Where do I start?
Learn About Accessibity
The first step to creating accessible content is learning about why accessibility is needed by some students but how it benefits almost everyone.
- Accessibility Learning Path – A self-paced Canvas course.
- Accomodations tab
- World Campus OL 3000 Course – this is a free course describing a variety of accommodation scenarios. Enroll at World Campus Faculty Development.
Is there a syllabus statement on accessibility?
Yes. The text is available on the Syllabus Statement page of this site.
Create Accessible Content
Where to Start?
Not everything has to be done at once. If you are looking for a place to begin, here are some some suggestions.
Some Places to Start
- General Education courses you teach
- Online courses you teach. Instructional designers may be able to help you.
- A course you plan to revise soon.
- Focus on content you create first.
- Start with the syllabus.
- Read the Course Priorities page for more details.
In many cases, the first files will require you to make decisions about workflow and templates. After that, it should become easier over time.
Training by Content Type
In general, accessibility accommodations depends on the type of content used in your course
- Get started by using an accessible syllabus template in Word.
- Ensure that Word files contain headings and accessibility features.
- If you use images, they need ALT text for someone on a screen reader.
- If you use Canvas, you can use the tools in the Rich Content editor to create accessible content.
- If you use PowerPoint, they can be optimized with a few simple techniques.
- If you use math and diagrams, ensure that they are usable for all students.
- If you use videos, they may need to be captioned.
Use the links on the Course page to learn more about how to provide accessibility for different content types and audiences.
Who can I contact for more information?
For more information you can contact these sources
- Technology Questions: accessibility@psu.edu
- Student Disability Resources
- Disability Resource Contacts by Campus
- University Libraries Adaptive Technology and Services
- Assistive Technology Labs
Last Update: September 20, 2023