2 Chapter 2: Creating Accessible Content with Supported Tools
2 Chapter 2: Creating Accessible Content with Supported Tools
In the digital age, post-secondary institutions heavily rely on a variety of tools and platforms to create, manage, and distribute educational content. These tools facilitate teaching and learning processes and play a crucial role in ensuring that digital content is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. This section introduces some of the most common tools supported by post-secondary institutions for accessible content creation and distribution.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Learning Management Systems, such as Brightspace, Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle, are central to the digital educational landscape. These platforms provide features for uploading lecture materials, assignments, and quizzes, as well as facilitating discussions and feedback. Most LMS providers have made significant strides in ensuring their platforms are compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and other standards. This includes keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and customizable text sizes and colours to accommodate accessibility needs.
Video Hosting Platforms
Video hosting platforms like Microsoft Stream, YouTube and Vimeo offer options for educators to upload and share video content. These platforms have integrated features to enhance accessibility, such as automatic caption generation and the ability to add manual captions and transcripts. Auto-generated captions are progressively improving and can provide a foundation that can be edited and refined. Ensuring videos are captioned accurately is crucial for deaf or hard-of-hearing students and benefits learners in noisy or sound-sensitive environments.
Audio Recording Software
Audio content, including podcasts and lectures, is another medium used in educational settings. Audio recording software, such as Audacity and GarageBand, allows creators to produce high-quality audio content. To make these audio resources accessible, it’s essential to provide accurate transcripts, which can be created manually or with the assistance of transcription services and software. Transcripts not only benefit students who are deaf or hard of hearing but also support learners who prefer reading to listening or those who use transcripts as study aids.
Compliance with Digital Accessibility Standards
The accessibility features integrated into these tools are designed to comply with digital accessibility standards, primarily WCAG. Compliance ensures that content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. Post-secondary institutions often provide training and resources to faculty and staff to promote best practices in creating accessible digital content using these tools.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Pre-recorded Content Accessible
Creating accessible pre-recorded content involves more than just hitting the record button. It requires consideration of s