I am not an expert, not at Universal Design. I am passionate about teaching and learning and in my roles as the Coordinator of Instructional Technology and as an Adjunct Professor, I am often confronted with the challenges of how to make course materials the best they can be. A recent request for accessible videos by a student deep into the semester had all of us scrambling and not only trying to figure out how to make certain materials accessible, but on a grander scale, how to be more proactive about course materials in general and the potential need for accessibility. The National Center on Universal Design for Learning states, "UDL improves educational outcomes for ALL students by ensuring meaningful access to the curriculum within an inclusive learning environment." If we can help everyone, why wouldn't we? As educators, isn't that our mission? Let's explore a few ideas and techniques together and discuss how making marginal changes over time can really add up to an overall improvement in the quality of your course and more important, your outcomes.
