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Extended Test Time Considerations

  • Extended time is a frequently approved accommodation, and instructors should be prepared to explore strategies for providing this. (Note that an extended time accommodation is not the same as providing more time for all students; it means that the accommodated student should get an additional percentage of time above whatever other students are getting. For example, the standard test time might be one hour and an approved student gets time-and-a-half, or 1.5 hours. If the test is expanded to two hours, the accommodated student would then get three hours.)
  • If online proctoring is used such as Proctorio, make sure it is very clear to company/proctors that students with accommodations may need external software- such as magnification, text to speech software, permission to use grammar/spell check in cases where that occurs.  Student with some mental health issues, such as severe anxiety, significant ADHD symptoms, or those on the autism spectrum may have varying levels of eye contact- may look around the room or fidget, read the test out loud to themselves, pace the room, spin in the chair, etc. Please keep these considerations in mind.

Accessibility of Websites & Documents

  • If you use Word or a similar word processor to create a PDF, post both versions online.
  • "Accessibility Quick Tips on web access as you create online course materials to ensure inclusive learning experiences:
    • Text Contrast: Use black text on a white background to ensure that the text stands out on the page. [Editor's note: Pure white backgrounds may cause problems with glare or distraction for some students.
    • Text Styles: Do not use color alone to denote differences in emphasis and content meaning.
    • Heading Styles: Use built-in heading styles to designate content organization.
    • List Styles: Use the built-in bullet or number styles for lists.
    • Alt Text: Provide a brief text alternative for images, graphs, and charts that answers the question: Why is this image important?
    • Closed Captioning: Captioning your media provides greater student comprehension of the material covered and provides accessible media for individuals with hearing impairments in compliance with federal regulations. See 3CMediaSolutions for free captioning of Audio/Video.

Accessibility of Instructional Delivery Methods

  • Provide an accessibility statement in all class syllabi.
  • Will navigational elements (e.g., buttons) be read by screen readers?
  • Zoom anecdotally considered to be the most accessible videoconferencing system currently available
  • Zoom: Accessibility
  • Getting Started with Closed Captioning
  • "Zoom recordings can be uploaded to YouTube and automatically captioned. Captions will not be 100% accurate but it is a good starting point. To upload to YouTube, you will need to create a YouTube channel. For instructions, visit Create a New Channel."
  • Tools are available to check the accessibility of content as it is posted. These include Ally (works with multiple LMSs) and UDOIT (Canvas only). Since these can take some time to fully implement, they may be better considered as part of a long-term accessibility plan rather than as part of emergency measures
  • Additional guidance on Canvas:

Synchronous (real-time) classes

  • Students with disabilities may not be able to participate at a fast pace online; e.g., their assistive technology or ASL interpreters may require some time to communicate the information. Consider pacing your instruction accordingly and check in with students about how your pacing is working.
  • Encourage all students to self-identify ("Hi, this is __ speaking") as they begin comments to make clear who has the floor." This is particularly helpful to blind students and to captioning efforts.
  • You may consider assigning a student to take notes for the class in Google docs or similar platforms. This will help others focus while one person documents what was said. If you have someone designated to take notes (an accessibility best practice), you can enable closed captions, which allows your notetaker to transcribe what's being said in real time.
  • Don't assume that all students can see or make the same sense of your visual display as you intend. For accessibility, get in the habit of describing whatever is happening visually on the screen.
  • Consider using multiple modes of communication to ensure that all students are receiving all pieces of information. Using a combination of email, Canvas announcements, and Canvas Inbox will allow you to create a sense of continuity from the classroom to the virtual world. Also consider recording your session so students who may need to process the information again are able to watch it later.

Additional Web Resources