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As a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic, we have witnessed a swift movement of onsite and hybrid courses to fully online formats. This development has created an urgent need for the design and delivery of online content and engagement mechanisms that are equitable for all students. There is little evidence that many of these courses are accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of students with disabilities. The author of this article discusses challenges students with disabilities face in accessing online content and engaging in online activities as well as choices that instructors and online course designers can make with respect to pedagogy and information technology (IT) to ensure that their classes are accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of all students. She introduces for those new to this field the potential of the universal design (UD) framework to inform the design of online learning that addresses the needs of students with a wide range of characteristics.
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Applying a UDHE Framework to an Online Learning Program
Some students with disabilities cannot fully engage in digital learning opportunities because of the inaccessible design of many online courses. In this commentary on policies and administration, I describe how the Universal Design in Higher Education (UDHE) Framework can be used to guide the design of accessible and inclusive online courses and share examples of best practices in applying it. I also present potential roles key stakeholders can play in applying the UDHE Framework. Taking meaningful steps in this regard can improve online learning opportunities by making them accessible to and inclusive of more learners.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2137312
- PAR ID:
- 10541662
- Publisher / Repository:
- The Northwest ELearning Journal
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Northwest eLearning Journal
- Volume:
- 3
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2768-1378
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.5399/osu/nwelearn.3.1.6010
