As Oregon State University provides remote learning and work environments, we offer the resources below as a short guide for how to ensure people with disabilities have access to these environments. These materials are a brief primer, many more specifics exist within the links and resources list provided at the end.
General Tips for Remote/Online Environments
- Benefits for all. While digital accessibility is about creating access for individuals with disabilities, in practice it has wide benefits. Not only do individuals with disabilities gain access to materials, so to do those who; speak English as an additional language, have limited technology experience, have older technology or limited internet access, etc.
- Avoid camera phone pictures of handouts.
- Do not assume that participants can see your screen or read what is on it. Read and describe visuals or other shared screen materials.
Accessible Social Media
- Tips on Accessible Social Media, from Portland Office of Equity and Human Rights
- The OSU Canvas team has some great guides on how to make Canvas materials as accessible as possible. Accessibility and Inclusivity tools in Canvas.
- Avoid creating PDF documents, use html where possible (in Canvas or a website). If wanting a printable document, attach a Word or PDF as secondary access.
- Microsoft Word, PDF, and other document formats need to be accessible for students with disabilities. Use the Microsoft accessibility checker or Acrobat PDF accessibility checker.
- Employees who experience disability related barriers in remote teaching or working, or supervisors with accommodation questions, should contact Equal Opportunity and Access.
- Ensure accessibility for students with disabilities when using remote instruction.
- Accommodations for in-person classes may not be possible or effective remotely. Disability Access Services is mindful of these challenges and will work with all impacted
- Automated captioning is available, and while these captions can be a good start, do not rely on them for students who need this as an accommodation. Auto-captions will need to be edited for accuracy before posting.
- Can share videos with students without having to release them to the world.
- Accommodations in the physical class environment may not be possible or effective in a remote digital environment. DAS is mindful of these challenges and will work with all impacted to quickly determine reasonable options.
- If you need accommodations for the first time for your disability in the remote learning environment, contact DAS.
Third Party Materials
- Many third-party software, programs, and applications are not accessible to individuals with disabilities - particularly to blind students. This includes MathLabs, support software from book publishers, and other similar educational materials. Please ask vendors and research before purchasing any third-party materials.
- OSU recommends faculty use Kaltura instead of YouTube for video upload and captioning.
- Zoom Accessibility. Zoom is mostly accessible.
- If live teaching, Zoom automatically records and uploads meetings to your Kaltura account, where you can implement automated captioning. Automated captioning is not perfect and will need to be reviewed and edited for accuracy.
- Zoom also has support for Closed Captioning.
- In synchronous teaching environments, to ensure that all know who is speaking, ask participants to restate their names before they comment - each time. Also, consider pacing of your instruction for students with disabilities and others who need more time to process and contemplate communication.
- Accessibility 101: Accessibility and Online Instruction from University of Iowa
- Accessibility in Online Learning Environments from Educause
- 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course from University of Washington DO-IT
- Designing an Accessible Online Course from University of Arkansas Explore Access
- Keep Learning, Keep Teaching, and Keep Working from Oregon State University
- Tips for Accommodations while Teaching Remotely from University of Cincinnati
- Zoom Virtual Meeting and Training Tips from University of Washington
- Accessible Teaching in the Time of COVID-19 from Mapping Access
- Basics of Inclusive Design for Online Education from Coursera and CU-Boulder
- UD and Teaching about University Design & Accessibility from Accessing Higher Ground