Classroom Accessibility

Classroom Accessibility

When discussing accessibility in relation to classroom spaces, accessibility relates to a student's ability to access and participate in the in-person classroom space. Some of these considerations you may need assistance with, such as the weight of doors (if the door is heavy, you may need to help someone in and out of the classroom until Facilities can help provide a more permanent solution!); however, potential classroom issues can be mitigated through considering classroom activities and access in advance such as through a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.

For example:

• Do you have students move around the classroom? Can someone with mobility issues engage fully in that activity?

• Do you have someone with vision issues and they have trouble seeing the PowerPoint on the screen (due to glare and lack of color contrast)? You might plan to have your PowerPoints uploaded in MyClasses the morning of class so that students can follow along online. (Note: in alignment with Universal Design principles, this strategy supports ALL student needs instead of just mitigating potential issues for a single student).

• Do you need to change classrooms? For whatever reason, alert your students well in advance of changing classrooms. Some students may need to plan and/or practice their route. Some students may need to prepare for environmental sensory issues that come with being in a new space.

• Do you include natural breaks during your class session? Consider having breaks in your classes for those who need a rest from focusing or from socializing. Break-up the class session into segments to address different learning styles and cognitive functioning of the students.

• Does your course content include perspectives from various perspectives? Individuals learn by making connections to their lived experiences and knowledge. Ask yourself how you might include disability studies and culture into your curriculum. Provide visibility to these issues as part of your students’ learning.

Often, when a student is registered through the Disability Resource Center (DRC), the DRC will contact you to make you aware of the students' needs and request accommodations for that student. The DRC as well as your Instructional Designer liaison can offer strategies to support that students' needs to ensure they have the same level of access and quality educational experience that those different abilities are able to take advantage of. However, if you have designed your course with UDL strategies from the beginning, when the DRC requests accommodations, you can reply with "already in place" instead of reworking your in-class plans (if needed).

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