Designing Accessible Content

By: Danae Cowell

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 Project Proposal – Module 2

PROJECT TITLE
Designing Accessible Content

SPONSORING ORGANIZATION
The University of Wisconsin-Stout is requesting this project. UW-Stout is a mid-size, 4-
year university with a polytechnic focus that is located in rural Wisconsin and offers
online and face-to-face degrees (The College Board, n.d.). Their mission for their online
services is to be “a leader in advancing innovative, high-quality services and learning
experiences that engage, inspire and challenge” (University of Wisconsin-Stout, n.d.).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Online courses are growing at a remarkable rate. In a report called “Grade Change-
Tracking Online Education in the United States” by Allen and Seaman (2014), it showed
that online course enrollment is on the rise. In 2014, the number of students enrolled in
one or more online classes was over 7 million US college students, translating to
roughly 33.5 percent of college students. With this, students who identify as having a
disability are also taking online courses at a higher rate, with an estimation of 11 percent
of all online students possessing some form of disability (Linder, Fontaine-Rainen, &
Behling, 2015; Allen & Seaman, 2014). With the increase in online course offerings and
the increase in students with disabilities enrolling in such classes, there is a need for
accessible and inclusive course experiences. This project will meet that need by
increasing disability awareness and educating instructors on how to create accessible
content and learning experiences that foster success for all students.

AIM
Increase the accessibility of online courses and ensure compliance to federal standards
within the United States by promoting disability awareness and increasing the skills of

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faculty in developing accessible content.

TARGET AUDIENCE
The primary audience is adjunct, part-time, and full-time instructors at University X.
These individuals are both male and female and are highly educated, having at least a
Master’s to teach online. They reside across the globe, with a small portion living in the
surrounding area. Additionally, the level of official training for online teaching tends to be
minimal, with only basic supports being offered by the university at this time.

DELIVERY OPTIONS
The instruction for this project will be delivered online due to the diverse locations of
instructors and the need to offer a flexible format for instruction that can be reused in
future years.

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 Front-End Analysis: Instructional Need – Module 3
INSTRUCTIONAL NEED
This project hopes to develop a course that will help inform and educate instructors on
the experiences, needs, and challenges of students with disabilities and how to
implement accessibility practices. Currently, courses at UW-Stout are not in full
compliance with federal accessibility standards and take a reactive approach to
providing reasonable access for students, which often leads to inefficient and time-
consuming changes that can negatively affect students and their learning (Linder,
Fontaine-Rainen, & Behling, 2015). The hope of this project is to address this felt need
and to enhance the overall quality of instruction and support for students with
disabilities. Additionally, this project will analyze the gaps in services by conducting a
needs assessment across the UW-System. Directors of Disability Service units in the
UW-System will be surveyed to help inform how to build learning environments that are
accessible and meet the needs of students.

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 Front-End Analysis: Learner Characteristics – Module 3
LEARNER ANALYSIS

Primary Audience
 Full time or tenured faculty
 Adjunct or part time faculty
 Instructional Designers and Instructional Technologists

Secondary Audience
 Administrators
 Academic Staff
 Student Services Staff

General Learner Characteristics

 Both male and female employees; 49 % female, 51% male
 Well educated, with at least a Master's to teach
 Varying levels of experience, with an increase in new instructors with limited
experience/ training for teaching online
 Age range from early 20s to late 60s
 Mixed races and ethnicities with a majority being Caucasian

Entry Characteristics
 Ability to read, watch, and integrate information
 Basic knowledge of the learning management system and technological tools
 Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

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CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Orienting Context
 The goals learners have taking this course are to improve their instruction and/or
to help increase student success within courses.
 The perceived utility is that it will help educate them on students with disabilities’’
experiences, and it will provide ways/methods for them to better meet their
students' needs.
 The learner's perception of accountability is limited as it will not be mandated at
this point for them to participate. If anything, the accountability would relate to
providing quality course instruction and receiving positive course evaluations.
 Common misconceptions might include:
o Around Disabilities:
 Disabilities equal lower overall intelligence (University of the Pacific,
n.d.).
 Students can grow out of their disabilities with the right instruction
(University of the Pacific, n.d.).
 Students with disabilities have “attitudes” (University of the Pacific,
n.d.).
 Disabilities are excuses/those with disabilities are lazy (University
of the Pacific, n.d.).
o Around Course Design:
 Course design should focus on the “average” student.
 Accessible course design weakens course requirements or holds
back abled students (University of the Pacific, n.d.).
 Universal Design for Learning and Accessibility are the same thing.
 The accommodation process meets all needs.

Instructional Context

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  Scheduling- Scheduling will be flexible as the course will be held in an online
context offered several times a year.
 Lighting- Lighting and color contrast of the materials will be considered to best
provide contrast and readability when viewed on a computer screen. Individual
levels of brightness within a room or on a screen monitor will be up to the learner.
 Noise- Noise used within the course will be clear and focused on the speaker.
Individual settings for volume will be adjustable by the learner.
 Temperature- The temperature will be variable depending on where the learner
chooses to engage in the online course.
 Seating- Seating will be variable depending on where the learner chooses to
engage in the online course.
 Accommodations- Materials for the course will be made accessible and meet 508
guidelines. Further accommodations may be made on a case by case basis as
requested.
 Equipment- Participants will need access to the internet, a computer, and
Microsoft Office products. This may mean that instructors would be encouraged
to take the training on campus at the library or to use job related laptops to take
them where preferred, whether in their office, at home, or at a local business.
 Transportation - As most instructors have access or were given computers
(laptops) for work related reasons, transportation should not be an issue.

Technology Inventory
 Learners have access to Microsoft Office, Office 365, D2L, other web-based
tools, and the adobe products.

Transfer Context
 The information that is learned through instruction should be easily transferrable
into instructors' courses, regardless of the subject. When designing a course,
there will always be students that could benefit from the incorporation of
accessible practices. However, while opportunities will present to transfer
knowledge, the activities and course design will have to be done by the instructor

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and no preset activities will be created/given away in the course. Therefore,
instructors will have to be able to integrate in what they've learned. Continued
support from Stout Online will be offered through additional training opportunities,
open use of in-house assistive technologies, email service support, and openings
in the Accessibility Audit Pilot’s course production queue to help instructors verify
and further their accessible practices.

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 Instructional Impact Based Upon Learner Characteristics

APPLICATION OF LEARNING THEORIES

The instruction for this course will recognize the unique characteristics of adult learners
using a Malcolm Knowles’s andragogy perspective and will facilitate learning by
including the following:
 Clear course expectations
o Course schedule
o Course policies
o Explicit instructions for assignments
o Rubrics for assignments
 Explicit learning outcomes
 Opportunities for choice (assignment options)
 Flexible online format
 Real-world examples and application
 Variety in teaching materials
 Self-reflection and opportunities to connect to prior knowledge and experience
 Goal-setting activities

Furthermore, principles of behaviorism will be incorporated to reinforce and encourage

learning. One primary way will be through the modeling of desired behaviors as well as
through reinforcement. As individuals move through the course, they will be asked to
assess their knowledge, and during those times, will be given feedback for answers.
There will also be an end reward of earning a certificate of completion.

Lastly, cognitive theory will be considered as well. For example, prior knowledge will be
assessed and tied into the training. Another consideration will be for cognitive load, with
acknowledgment for the amount of information learners can take in at once and the
importance of attaching meaning to learning being a priority throughout the training

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APPLICATION OF MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES
Motivational strategies will be tied in through the use of reinforcement (behavioral
principles) and through the consideration of the ARCS model. In the ARCS model, there
is an emphasis on attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. The training will try
to address these areas in the following ways by:
• Incorporating in multiple methods of presentations (readings, videos,
etc...)
• Providing specific examples
• Asking open ended questions
• Providing explicit explanation of how accessibility is important, and it’s
benefits within online learning
• Modeling accessibility practices
• Providing learning objectives
• Providing course prerequisites
• Providing feedback and praise
• Offering choice in course activities
• Providing a certificate of completion
• Using scaffolding of materials

IMPACT OF A DIVERSE AUDIENCE ON INSTRUCTION

As the learners of this course will be diverse in nature, it will be important to provide
clarity in communication and expectations. The course design will need to explain
acronyms and jargon and avoid slang or culturally loaded references or content, which
could alienate sections of the audience. In addition, since the topic is on disabilities, the
course design will need to use disability sensitive language, and norms will have to be
established in the course that cultivate respect for those with disabilities.

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 Goal and Task Analysis – Module 5
GOAL ANALYSIS
Step 1- Write down the goals.
Original goals:
1. Learners are able to identify common disability areas and their impacts.
2. Learners are able to recognize current accessibility legislation and standards.
3. Learners are able to select and produce accessible multimedia.
4. Learners are able to create accessible Word docs, PowerPoints, and Excel
Spreadsheets.

Step 2 - Write down everything a learner would have to say or do for you to agree
that the learner has achieved the goal. This is not a list of what you will need to
do as the instructional designer or teacher.
Related to Goal 1
 I can tell you about different disabilities.
 I can describe the impacts of disabilities.
 I can recognize common barriers for those with disabilities.

Related to Goal 2
 I can identify major legislation related to accessibility within the US.
 I can differentiate between different legislation related to accessibility within the
US.
 I can find or retrieve resources related to current standards.
 I can recall major accessibility practices.

Related to Goal 3:
 I can identify practices to make media accessible.
 I can explain practices to make media accessible.
 I can create accessible videos and audio.
 I can add in alt tags for images.

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Related to Goal 4:
 I can implement accessible practices for Word docs, PowerPoints, and Excel
Spreadsheets.

Step 3- Sorted out the goal items.

Step 4 - Write a complete sentence to describe each of the items on your final list.
This includes:
 Who does it
 What that person does
 Under what conditions
 How well they do it

Related to Goal 1:
Combined statement for Goal 1: When given an end of module assessment, learners
will be able to describe disability areas and their impacts with at least 90% accuracy.

Related to Goal 2:
Combined Statement for Goal 2:
When given an end of module assessment, learners will be able to differentiate between
major accessibility legislation within the US with at least 90% accuracy.

Related to Goal 3:
Combined Statement for Goal 3:
When asked to create accessible media for their course, learners will be able to develop
accessible videos, audio, and images meeting current accessibility standards.

Related to Goal 4:
Combined Statement for Goal 4:
When asked to create accessible content for their course, learners will be able to create
accessible Word docs, PowerPoints, and Excel Spreadsheets meeting current
accessibility standards.

Goal
Given an online training course on common disabilities and accessibility practices,
learners will be able to describe disability areas and their impacts, recall major

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accessibility legislation, and create accessible multimedia and content pieces to use
within their courses that meet current accessibility standards.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL
Given an online training course on common disabilities and accessibility practices,
leaners will be able to recognize and describe disability areas and their impacts, recall
major accessibility legislation, and create accessible multimedia and content pieces to
use within their courses that meet current accessibility standards.

TASK ANALYSIS METHOD

Procedural Analysis

TASK ANALYSIS
How-To tip sheets that describe the step by step process for making content accessible
(Word, PowerPoints, and Excel Spreadsheets). See OneDrive.

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 Instructional Objectives – Module 5
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES AND ENABLING OBJECTIVES
 When given an end of module assessment, learners will be able to describe
disability areas and their impacts with at least 90% accuracy (cognitive domain).
o Learners will be able to define what a disability is.
o Learners will be able to identify common disability areas.
o Learners will be able to describe common disabilities.
o Learners will be able to explain the impact of different disabilities on
learning, considering common challenges and learning barriers.

 When given an end of module assessment, learners will be able to recall major
accessibility legislation within the US with at least 90% accuracy (cognitive
domain).
o Learners will be able to identify major accessibility legislation within the
US.
o Learners will be able to find and retrieve relevant resources related to the
accessibility standards within the US.
o Learners will be able to distinguish between major accessibility legislation
within the US.

 When asked to create accessible media for their course, learners will be able to
develop accessible videos, audio, and images meeting current accessibility
standards (psychomotor domain).
o Learners will be able to recall accessibility practices for multimedia.
o Learners will be able to apply alt tags to images.
o Learners will be able to transcribe audio.
o Learners will be able to produce captions for videos.

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  When asked to create accessible content for their course, learners will be able to
create accessible Word docs, PowerPoints, and Excel Spreadsheets meeting
current accessibility standards (psychomotor domain).
o Learners will be able to recall accessibility practices for content.
o Learners will be able to identify accessibility issues within content.
o Learners will be able to apply accessibility practices to Word docs.
o Learners will be able to apply accessibility practices to PowerPoints.
o Learners will be able to apply accessibility practices to Excel
Spreadsheets.

Enabling Objectives Matrix & Supporting Content – Module 6

Title of the unit/module: Common Disabilities and their Impacts on Online Learning
Brief description of target audience: The target audience is faculty at the University
of Wisconsin-Stout. Faculty includes adjunct, part time, and full-time instructors. Faculty
are highly educated, comprised of both males and females, and represent a variety of
ethnic and racial groups.
List Terminal Objective Here:
When given an end of module assessment, learners will be able to describe disability
areas and their impacts with at least 90% accuracy (cognitive domain).
List Pre-Instructional Strategy: A written overview of what the learners will learn in the
module.

Enabling Objective Level on Learner Activity Delivery

Bloom’s (What would learners Method
Taxonom do to master this
y objective?)
Learners will be able to Remembering Pre-module reflection, Read Individual
define what a disability and watch material on activities
is. common disability areas,
Quiz
Learners will be able to Remembering Pre-module reflection, Read Individual
identify common and watch material on activities
disability areas. common disability areas,

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 Enabling Objective Level on Learner Activity Delivery
Bloom’s (What would learners Method
Taxonom do to master this
y objective?)
Quiz
Learners will be able to Remembering Pre-module reflection, Read Individual
describe common and watch material on activities
disabilities. common disability areas,
Quiz, Case study
Learners will be able to Understanding Pre-module reflection, Read Individual
explain the impact of and watch material on activities
different disabilities on common disability areas,
learning, considering Quiz, Case study
common challenges and
learning barriers.

References
Allen, E. I., & Seaman, J. (2014). Grade change: Tracking online education in the

United States. Retrieved from

http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/gradechange.pdf

The College Board. (n.d.). University of Wisconsin-Stout. Retrieved from

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-university-search/university-of-

wisconsin-stout

Linder, K. E., Fontaine-Rainen, D.L., & Behling, K. (2015). Whose job is it? Key

challenges and future directions for online accessibility in US institutions of

higher education. Open Learning, 20 (1), 21-31. doi:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2015.1007859

University of the Pacific. (n.d.) Some common myths. Retrieved from

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 https://www.pacific.edu/campus-life/student-services/disabilities-and-

accommodations---services-for-students-with-disabilities/some-common-

myths.html

University of Wisconsin-Stout. (n.d.). About Stout Online. Retrieved from

https://www.uwstout.edu/academics/online-distance-education/about-stout-online

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