Accessibility 101: Educating Faculty on Designing Accessible Digital Learning Materials

Abstract

Faculty and staff play a significant role in creating inclusive learning materials and environments, but often struggle to provide necessary accommodations to students with disabilities (Guilbaud et al., 2021). As learning increasingly shifts to online platforms and digital formats, the lack of faculty awareness and knowledge about accessibility continues to negatively impact students, particularly those with disabilities (Guilbaud et al., 2021). This educational gap limits students’ engagement and hinders faculty from fully adopting inclusive teaching practices (Chen et al., n.d.). This project aims to explore and address the critical need for faculty training on accessible digital learning materials in higher education, which impacts students’ learning experiences. The goal is to design instructional courses that equip faculty with the awareness, empathy, knowledge, and confidence needed to enhance their teaching and professional development, strengthen their connection with students, and promote an inclusive learning environment. To address this need, an online learning website, Accessibility 101, was developed to introduce faculty to accessibility concepts and the S.C.U.L.P.T. framework, which serves as the guideline for creating accessible digital learning materials (Worcestershire County Council, n.d.). Usability testing (n=3) was conducted to evaluate navigation and design. Feedback was generally positive, especially regarding visual design, while additional comments informed revisions to both content and layout. To measure learning outcomes and changes in attitudes, a post-survey was conducted with 15 participants. Results indicated a 6% improvement in Module 1 scores and an 8% improvement in Module 2 scores from pre- to post-survey. All participants agreed that the course was helpful and reported increased confidence in applying the S.C.U.L.P.T. framework in their future professional practice.