Making sure your course materials are user-friendly requires some considerations. However, there are ways to make sure that the content will be accessible to everyone. Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting your course materials.
The textbook should be available in accessible formats, such as a digital or Braille version. And ask yourself if there are accessibility features available for web resources. If so, make sure that the resources are compliant with the Web Content Guidelines 2.0 AA, and that the publisher has completed an up-to-date Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
If the publisher uses videos as supplemental material, make sure that they are captioned and transcribed properly, and with plenty of details.
Lastly, make sure that the digital content is functional with a wide variety of accessibility and that the content can be navigated by only using a keyboard.
It’s a huge step in the right direction for publishers to have online content, but remember that not all of the content on a publisher’s website may be accessible. It is up to you to make sure your students have access to all of the content they will need for your course.
