Designing and Teaching Accessible Courses

Learn how to design and teach courses that are accessible to ALL learners through a free 6-week professional development course. This online MOOC offered by Open SUNY will help you gain a better understanding of accessibility as a civil rights issue and develop the knowledge and skills you need to design learning experiences that promote inclusive learning environments. The Access MOOC begins on February 22, 2016 and ends on April 5, 2016.

During this 6-week course, you will learn how to:

• Recognize and address challenges faced by students with disabilities related to access, success, and completion.
• Articulate faculty and staff roles in reducing barriers for students with disabilities.
• Apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in designing accessible learning experiences.
• Analyze the benefits of Backward Design when developing learning experiences.
• Use Section 508 standards and WCAG 2.0 guidelines to create accessible courses.
• Determine which tools and techniques are appropriate based on course content.

You will have the opportunity to earn badges that recognize your mastery of these competencies. You will engage in thoughtful discussions, participate in peer review assignments, take short self-check quizzes, watch videos, and explore relevant readings.

Anyone may enroll and participate in the MOOC. It has been designed for faculty and staff in higher education at any type or level of institution.

Why are we recommending that you take the Access MOOC? Watch this short video: Accessibility MOOC.

Follow these steps to register and participate in the MOOC:

1. Register at Canvas Network: http://bit.ly/AccessMOOC
2. Share and follow the conversation on Twitter using #AccessMOOC
3. Follow the Access MOOC Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/accessmooc/

The course is a collaborative effort of faculty and staff from SUNY Empire State College and SUNY Buffalo State College, funded by SUNY Innovative Instruction Technology Grant.