1. Universal Design for Web Instruction (UDI)
A learner centered approach
Provost Challenge Proposal:
Blueprint Digital Accessibility Center
Marie S. Lewandowski| Center for Online Learning (COL), Phyllis
Petteys, Disability Resource Center (DRC), Korina Poncrasz, (COL)

2. Provost Challenge:
Digital Accessibility Center Proposal
1. Introduction Overview
2. Impact & Significance
3. Approach & Strategy

3. Introduction:
Rationale for Universal Design
• Recognize the principles of Universal Advanced Design
• Discuss ADA Laws and standards
• Identify your learners
• Outline learning strategies for success
• Summarize how to implement Universal Design for Learning
• Devise a teaching blueprint
• Assess Universal Design achievements

4. “The basic idea is that if we design
Introduction: Universal Design for learning learning environments with a full and
natural range of students in mind, we
reduce the need for
accommodation.”
Set of principles for curriculum development that give all individuals equal ∼ Ron Mace, NC State University
opportunities to learn. UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals,
methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone--not a single, one-
size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be customized and
adjusted for individual needs.
Inclusive approach – flexible
Proactive design that benefits a broad range of learners
Involves planning & delivery of instruction
Evaluates learning by incorporating inclusive attributes
That meet academic standards and meets the needs of a diversity of learners & styles.
http://www.cast.org/udl/

5. Impact & Significance
ADA Laws & Standards
 United States, applicable laws include
 ADA, IDEA, 21st Century Video and Communication
Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Sections 504
and Section 508). Many international laws also
address accessibility.
 The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide
an international set of guidelines. They are
developed by the Worldwide Web Consortium
(W3C), the governing body of the web. These
guidelines are the basis of most web accessibility
laws in the world.
 21st Century Communications and Video
Accessibility Act, Obama 2010 – section 255

6. Recognition of our Learners: early in design process
The major disability categories are:
 Visual: 3 accommodations needed
 Blindness, low vision, color-blindness
 http://webaim.org/articles/visual/blind
 Hearing:
 Deafness, cochlear implant, hearing aids
 http://webaim.org/articles/auditory/auditorydisabilities
 Motor:
 Inability to use a mouse, slow response time, limited fine motor control
 http://webaim.org/articles/motor/
 Cognitive:
 Learning disabilities, distractibility, dyslexia, inability to remember or
focus on large amounts of information
 http://webaim.org/articles/cognitive/
 More details: http://webaim.org/intro

7. Universal Design
Need Student UDI
Origins for UDI Goals
UDI Needs
Building
design Increasingly To Promote
that diverse maintain student
caters to student student learning &
the demographic retention inquiry
broadest
possible
range of
users

8. 9 Principles of Universal Design for Instruction
Equitable use Instruction is designed to be useful to and accessible by
people with diverse abilities.
Flexibility use Provide choice in methods of use for all users
Simple & intuitive Eliminate unnecessary complexity. Instruction is designed in
a straightforward and predictable manner, regardless of the
student's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current
concentration level.
Perceptible Instruction is designed so that necessary information is
information communicated effectively to the student, regardless of
ambient conditions or the student's sensory abilities.
Tolerance for Instruction anticipates variation in individual student learning
error pace and prerequisite skills.
Low physical Instruction is designed to minimize nonessential physical
effort effort in order to allow maximum attention to learning.
Size and space Instruction is designed with consideration for
for approach appropriate size and space for approach, reach,
and use manipulations, and use regardless of a student's body
size, posture, mobility, and communication needs.
A community of The instructional environment promotes interaction and
learners communication among students and between students
and faculty.
Instructional Instruction is designed to be welcoming and inclusive.
climate High expectations are espoused for all students.

9. Principles of Accessible Design
Most accessibility principles can be implemented easily and will not impact the overall "look and feel" of your
web site.
 Provide appropriate alternative text
 Images need text descriptions screen readers
 Provide headings for data tables
 Tables that are used to organize tabular data should have appropriate
table headers (the <th> element)
 Ensure users can complete and submit all forms
 Ensure that every form element (text field, checkbox, dropdown list, etc.) has
a label and make sure that label is associated to the correct form element
using the <label> tag. Also make sure the user can submit the form and
recover from any errors, such as the failure to fill in all required fields.
 Ensure links make sense out of context
 Every link should make sense if the link text is read by itself. Screen reader
users may choose to read only the links on a web page. Certain phrases like
"click here" and "more" must be avoided.
 Caption and/or provide transcripts for media
 Videos and live audio must have captions and a transcript. With archived
audio, a transcription may be sufficient.

10. Advanced Course
Design Cycle Diagram
Design Process
Course
Content
Activities
Universal
Design
Online Course
Assessment
QM Review

11. Impact & Significance
Changes:
Online Learning Landscape
 Federal law mandates accessibility
 Diverse student demographics
 Global technology trends
 Global job market competition
 Student learning accountability
 Increasing tuition costs
 Diminishing budgets

12. Implementation Strategy
 Campus Outreach
 Multiple training sessions will be offered throughout the
year, which would include an overview on accessibility with
a final review dedicated to testing the course for
accessibility.
 One on one consulting sessions available for in depth course
development, Instructional Design and quality review.

13. Implementation Strategy
Tools & Resources
PDF of Accessibility guidebook for educators provided on
website www.pdx.edu/accessibility
 Team of PSU Graduate Assistants and students to help assist
with technology questions and to work on making courses
accessible via closed captioning, transcribing slides etc
Event Calendar, listing and registration for trainings,
webinars, and conferences on Accessibility.

14. Implementation Strategy
 Social Media
 Facebook & Twitter, relevant, up to date notifications of
PSU events, beginning of term, midterms, finals etc
 Memberships with National Organizations,
(Quality Matters, AHEAD, Goals, W3C)
 Broadcast webinars on campus
 Provide opportunities for staff to attend and present on
current accessibility progress at PSU.

15. Digital Accessibility Center
Thank you for consideration
of our Provost Challenge Proposal
Please contact our team for more details & information
About how we can create more support for student success