Creating Accessible Teaching and Support

Inclusive course design anticipates a diversity of learning styles and abilities without lowering academic standards. Students do not occupy separate categories - has a disability, does not have a disability - so much as fall along a continuum of diversity. Good course design caters for this by providing a range of learning opportunities.

Inclusive curricula meet the learning needs of all students, not just those with disability. Curricula should be designed to be as accessible as possible, so that only minimal adjustments need to be made to respond to the needs of individual students. Core elements of the course should be clearly stated, so that it is easier to determine what adjustments can be made without compromising academic integrity.

Well designed courses provide the opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds to access, participate and succeed. They build on the life experiences and differing points of view of students to enhance the learning of all students.

Inclusive curricula demonstrate:

• flexibility and variety in teaching, learning and assessment
• learning experiences of comparable quality for all students
• course materials and online components are accessible and available on time to allow equitable participation
• capacity to adjust course components to meet the needs of students without compromising academic standards.

In designing inclusive curricula ask yourself:

• How does my stuff impact on the course design process?
  Acknowledge and challenge your own experiences, values, biases, prejudices and assumptions about the content, the learning process and the students; look at yourself as students would see you.
• Who will be delivering the course?
  Ensure that they are adequately prepared and are aware of power relationships, gender and diversity issues and inclusive teaching strategies.
• Who will be taking the course?
  Get to know your students and their backgrounds and monitor their progress, anticipate any disability-related needs in the course design.
• When and where will the program be delivered?
  Ensure that groups of students are not excluded, all students can seek assistance if needed and learning management systems are accessible.
• What do you want students to learn?
  Include multiple perspectives on the topic, include the voices of the people concerned, choose a variety of examples and case studies, use inclusive language and ensure that course requirements are clearly stated.
• How you will know they are learning it?
  Ensure that the formative and summative assessment built into the programme are equitably implemented and recognise the impacts of cultural differences on understanding.
• Which activities will facilitate these students in their learning?
  Include a variety of teaching methods, and ensure that course materials are accessible to all students.
• How will we evaluate the course?
  Ensure that diverse students have the opportunity to input into the evaluation and redesign of the course. Do particular groups of students drop out early or perform poorly?

Ensure that the core requirements of the course/program are reasonable and are clearly stated. This makes it easier to determine the reasonableness of any accommodations that may be required.  You should not lower academic standards of the course/unit in order to accommodate the needs of any student but you may need to be flexible in relation to the way in which the program is delivered or assessed.

In course outlines, be explicit about:

• attendance requirements
• practical classes, field trips or work experience
• physical or sensory requirements
• online or software-specific course components
• assessment criteria.