“Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” Attributed to Alan Turing, as depicted in the film The Imitation Game (2014) When I first became a teacher of record at a university for entry-level writing composition courses in 2018, the teaching environment looked entirely different from the world we see now. Before the days of obsessive hand washing, mask-wearing,[…]
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The Training Manager’s Guide to Accessible Elearning
Inclusion and diversity are imperatives in today’s workplace. For those who create training or administer training programs, that means considering and meeting the needs of learners with disabilities. This “Training Manager’s Guide to Accessible Elearning” provides practical steps for ensuring your online training fosters a welcoming experience for all of your learners, whether they are team members, clients, or the public. A Guide for Creating and Buying Accessible Online Training[…]
READ MORE about The Training Manager’s Guide to Accessible ElearningThe Accessible “Zoomversity”
Is your virtual training accessible? Many of us, by now, have mastered the art of virtual in-person training (sometimes known as “Zoomversity.”) But now we need to consider—is our virtual training accessible? Can it be used by people who have disabilities, such as those related to vision, hearing, mobility, or cognition? I recently presented on the idea that online training needs to be accessible—whether “live” virtual in-person training or training[…]
READ MORE about The Accessible “Zoomversity”Elearning & Online Accessibility Tools for Training & HR Leaders
How to engage all your learners when faced with moving training online? Training Managers have a lot to do – especially as you have team members moving to working remote, that were in-office last week. How do you continue to address accessibility for your organization’s training program as you move more elements online? There are things that you’ll be able to do that are not difficult. Ensuring that designers check[…]
READ MORE about Elearning & Online Accessibility Tools for Training & HR LeadersTakeaways from the 2020 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference
Last week I was at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference, presenting a workshop (with Jennifer Chadwick of SiteImprove) on accessible elearning (the resources are available on Microassist’s website.) This year’s CSUN was somewhat lightly attended, due to cautions regarding COVID-19 (and I found I needed to leave earlier than expected). Still, even with the reduced number of sessions and the lighter attendance, the dedication that people have for ensuring that all experiences[…]
READ MORE about Takeaways from the 2020 CSUN Assistive Technology ConferenceMoving Elearning Beyond Interactive to Accessible
I recently talked with a colleague about a recent workshop on accessible elearning that a few colleagues and I held at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference. He said that it was rare that people think about accessibility (that is, ensuring that content is usable by those with disabilities) when creating online training. Sadly, he’s right, and that’s just wrong. Instructional designers are often focused on things other than accessibility when creating[…]
READ MORE about Moving Elearning Beyond Interactive to AccessibleAccessibility Lessons from CSUN
Three Key Accessibility Lessons This was my third year at CSUN, the premier conference on assistive technology. If you’re interested in accessibility, it’s the place to be. I presented (or was part of presenting) three sessions. (You can see more at my conference resource page.) This year there wasn’t a single big theme that I took away (like I did when I was thinking about making elearning accessible in 2017 and using pattern libraries[…]
READ MORE about Accessibility Lessons from CSUNAccessible Elearning Insights Gleaned from Dutch Municipality Website Audits
What can training program managers learn from a study of Dutch government websites? Their website audits reveal five insights (at least) to consider when building accessible elearning. Accessible Elearning Insights Gleaned from Dutch Municipality Website Audits I just finished Eric Velleman’s 2018 dissertation, “The Implementation of Web Accessibility Standards by Dutch Municipalities” (discovered through Laura Carlson’s excellent weekly newsletter, Web Design Update). How does this relate to elearning, you might[…]
READ MORE about Accessible Elearning Insights Gleaned from Dutch Municipality Website AuditsThe Training Manager’s Introduction to Accessible Elearning [Infographic]
This “Training Manager’s Introduction to Accessible Elearning” infographic explains why accessible elearning—online training that provides a welcoming (rather than frustrating) experience for all—is an important piece of raising training quality, availability, and effectiveness for learners, and for the moving your organization forward. [Skip to infographic transcript] The Training Manager’s Introduction to Accessible Elearning [Transcript] Elearning Generally, elearning is any form of training delivered electronically. Elearning can include PDF files, web pages,[…]
READ MORE about The Training Manager’s Introduction to Accessible Elearning [Infographic]Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Few fields fully embrace the need to address people with disabilities—learning included. But why is meeting the needs of diverse learners important, anyway? Need to make sure you’re meeting the needs of all your learners? Contact us to talk about how your next elearning project can be developed with accessibility in mind. A Call for Raising the Bar for Meeting Learners’ Needs I recently returned from the 33rd CSUN Assistive[…]
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