DO-IT - Lecture

What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

wendy479 — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 22:44:29 +0000

Students share information about what the wish their faculty knew about students with disabilities.

What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

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Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation

eol — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 01:39:15 +0000

EA_UD_Presentations.pdf

By:

Sheryl Bugstahler, Ph.D.

A checklist for making your presentation welcoming and accessible to everyone

Increasing numbers of people with disabilities attend professional conferences and meetings. Most presenters have the goal that everyone who attends their presentation is able to fully participate and access information. Reaching this goal involves efforts at many levels. To begin with, think about the diverse characteristics that may be present in your audience. Potential attendees may have different learning styles, may not be fluent in the language in which you are presenting, and/or may have difficulty

seeing,
hearing,
moving,
speaking, and/or
understanding common phrases and jokes in your culture.

Universal Design (UD)

A proactive approach to making facilities, information resources, and instruction welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by everyone is called universal design (UD). Universal design means that rather than designing something for the average user, you design it for people with a broad range of characteristics such as native language, gender, race, ethnic background, age, sexual orientation, learning style, and ability. To apply UD to your presentation, it is important that you know how to present your material effectively to people with a variety of disabilities and respond to requests for specific accommodations. Ensure that everyone feels welcome, and can

get to the facility and maneuver within it,
access the content presented,
access printed materials and electronic resources, and
fully participate in presentation activities.

For example, the author of this publication regularly employs UD when she delivers on-site presentations by taking the steps described below.

All presentation videos are captioned, website resources are universally designed, handouts are provided in alternate formats, presentation visuals use large bold fonts and are uncluttered, a microphone is used by the presenter, and, before the audience arrives, chairs are moved so that any wheelchair-users who might attend have multiple options for positioning themselves in the room. Efforts are also made to speak slowly and clearly, describe orally all content that is presented visually, avoid unnecessary jargon, define terms that might be unfamiliar to some attendees, make eye contact with and engage many members of the audience, and repeat questions asked by attendees before answering them. These proactive steps on the presenter’s part minimize the need for special accommodations. Typically, the only disability-related accommodation requested in these presentations is a sign language interpreter or real-time captioner by an individual who is deaf; such arrangements would be requested ahead of time by the participant from the event sponsor. Particularly positive feedback given by attendees includes appreciation for the flexibility of the seating arrangement by individuals who use wheelchairs, for video captions by attendees who are deaf and by those whose first language is not English, for orally describing visual content by individuals who are blind, and for providing materials in multiple formats by many. (Taken from Burgstahler, S. [2011]. Universal design: Implications for computing education. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 11[3], 19-1–19-17.)

To be prepared for any situation, universally design your presentation as suggested in the paragraphs that follow. These tips provide a good starting point for making your conference presentations accessible to anyone who might be in the audience. Some apply to on-site meetings, some apply to online presentations, and many apply to both.

Presentation Facilities

Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety.

Be sure that the presentation location is wheelchair-accessible.
Keep aisles wide and clear of obstructions.
Arrange chairs in the presentation room so that a wheelchair-user has multiple options for locations to sit.
Arrange furniture so that everyone has a clear line of site to the presentation area.

If your presentation includes hands-on computer activities, place at least one computer on an adjustable-height table. Be prepared to respond to requests for assistive technology. In most cases, it would be reasonable that such requests be made before the event; make the process for requesting technology-related accommodations clear in promotional materials and adopt a procedure to respond in a timely manner.

Preparation

Prepare for a diverse audience.

Consider the target audience and the wide variety of characteristics within that audience, especially with respect to the ability to hear, see, speak, understand the language you are speaking in, and move about.
Create an accurate and inviting description of your presentation for promotional purposes. Include pictures of participants with diverse characteristics with respect to disabilities, race, ethnicity, gender to make members of these groups feel welcome at your presentation.
Include a statement in promotional materials that tells how to request disability-related accommodations for the presentation. For example, the presentation organizer could include “Our goal is to make presentations and related materials accessible to everyone. Please inform staff of accessibility barriers you encounter and request accommodations that will make our presentations and materials accessible to you.”
Be aware of issues related to communicating with participants who have disabilities. See Presentation and Other Communication Hints at the end of this publication for specific guidelines. For further suggestions, consult Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities.
Know how to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations (e.g., presentation materials in alternate formats, sign language interpreters).

Presentation Materials

Universally design presentation materials for attendees so that they are accessible to everyone.

Use multimedia such as videos, overhead slides, visual aids, props, and handouts.
On visuals (e.g., projected slides):
- use large (at least 24 point), simple, san serif fonts (e.g., Helvetica) that can be easily read by most individuals from the back of a large room.
- use background and text colors that are high in contrast and avoid combinations difficult for people who are color blind to read. Do not use color as the only method for conveying information.
- make sure that backgrounds are not cluttered and leave plenty of “white space.”
- use large, simple charts and tables.
- avoid presenting images of complex charts or tables.
- present your content in a well-organized manner; allow flexibility to adjust to your audience as appropriate.
- use clear, simple language and keywords and phrases rather than full sentences.
- spell out abbreviations and acronyms when first used.
If you demonstrate web pages, present them in enlarged print that can be read by participants in the back or the room or who have visual impairments.
Make sure that videos used in your presentation are captioned. It is also a good idea to have them audio described (where additional visual content is verbalized for someone who is blind) or have a transcription available in a text format.
If appropriate, provide materials ahead of time for sign language interpreters and/or Computer Assisted Real-time Translation (CART) writers so that they can prepare for their translation for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you distribute printed handouts, have a few available in large print and on disks in an accessible format.
If materials are provided to attendees online, make sure that they are accessibility designed (e.g., format in text, provide a text-based description of the content of images; use a heading structure).

For guidance on how to prepare accessible Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents, PDFs, and web pages, consult Accessible Technology at UW.

Delivery

Make your presentation welcoming, accessible, and inclusive.

Promote a welcome and nonjudgmental learning environment.
Warmly welcome participants as they enter the room, making eye contact with each person.
Let participants know if you will field questions during or after your presentation.
Speak clearly and in well-modulated tones. Avoid speaking too rapidly or softly. This is particularly important for participants whose first language is not yours and for individuals with hearing impairments and when sign language interpreters or CART transcribers are in the room.
Use a microphone.
Face the audience and maintain eye contact.
Address different learning styles by incorporating a variety of instructional methods that use a variety of senses.
Speak key content that is presented visually. For example, don’t say, “As you can see on this slide” because some may not be able to see the slide. A good idea is to pretend you are presenting your talk as a phone conference and describe your content in the way you would describe it in that situation. Define all terms and acronyms that might not be known by someone.
Illustrate key points with a variety of examples, real-life experiences, or stories that appeal to multiple demographic groups.
Repeat questions participants pose to ensure that everyone in the audience understands them.
Summarize key points.
Redirect discussion that wanders from the topic at hand.
Address accessibility issues for activities such as small group discussions.
If you are using conferencing software, turn on the captioning feature, if available.

Checklist Updates

To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggested updates to doit@uw.edu.

Communication Hints

Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration with which you treat others. Here are some helpful hints when it comes to delivering a presentation, hosting an exhibit, and otherwise relating to people with disabilities.

General

Ask a person with a disability if that person needs help before providing assistance.
Talk directly to the person with a disability, not through their companion or interpreter.
Refer to a person’s disability only if it is relevant to the conversation.
Avoid derogatory slang or negative descriptions of a person’s disability. For example, “a person who uses a wheelchair” is more appropriate than “a person confined to a wheelchair.” A wheelchair is not confining—it’s liberating!
Provide information in alternate means (e.g., written, spoken, diagrams).
Do not interact with a person’s guide dog or service dog unless you have received permission to do so.
Do not be afraid to use common terms and phrases, like “see you later” or “let’s go for a walk” around people with disabilities.
Do not touch mobility devices or assistive technology without the owner’s consent.
Do not assume physical contact—like handshakes, high-fives, or hugs—is okay.
Understand that not everyone uses eye contact.

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, “The computer is about three feet to your left,” rather than “The computer is over there.”
Speak all of the projected content when presenting and describe the content of charts, graphs, and pictures.
When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Consider carrying on a long conversation with an individual who has a mobility impairment from a seated position.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Face people with hearing impairments, and avoid covering your mouth, so they can see your lips. Avoid talking while chewing gum or eating.
Speak clearly at a normal volume. Speak louder only if requested.
Repeat questions from audience members.
Use paper and pencil, or type things out on your cell phone, if the person who is deaf does not read lips or if more accurate communication is needed.
When using an interpreter, speak directly to the person who is deaf; when an interpreter voices what a person who is deaf signs, look at the person who is deaf, not the interpreter.

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.
Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

Additional Resources

For more detailed content online consult:

Removing Barriers: Planning Meetings That Are Accessible To All Participants
http://fpg.unc.edu/sites/fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/other-resources/NCO...
How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All
https://www.w3.org/WAI/teach-advocate/accessible-presentations/
Accessible Presentation Guide
https://www.sigaccess.org/welcome-to-sigaccess/resources/accessible-pres...

For more information about applications of universal design, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education. The book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, Second Edition published by Harvard Education Press shares perspectives of UD leaders nationwide. Learn more or order online here.

��ԭ�� DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of ��ԭ��, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the ��ԭ��.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, ��ԭ��, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the ��ԭ�� is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of ��ԭ��. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to freely view videos online, consult the DO-IT Videos page to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

DO-IT
��ԭ��
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
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206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
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Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

Learn more about DO-IT Funding and Partners here.

Acknowledgment

This publication is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant# 61-7821). Any questions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

2015

Captions: Improving Access to Postsecondary Education

Terrill — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:51:51 +0000

Professors, students, and IT administrators share the benefits of using captions on videos in postsecondary courses.

Project:

AccessComputing

AccessCyberlearning

AccessERC

Year:

2014

Captions: Improving Access to Postsecondary Education

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UD Topic:

Technology-Environement

Video and Multimedia

Accommodation Resources: Lectures

kcl — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 22:01:08 +0000

Veterans with Disabilities in Higher Education

daniel — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 23:56:40 +0000

Veterans with Disabilities in Higher Education

The purpose of this SIG is to bring awareness of the unique skills and knowledge required to work effectively with veterans with disabilities in higher education

Room Type:

Veterans Center

External Resource Topic:

Veterans with Disabilities

Academic Activity:

Lecture

Building the Team: Faculty, Staff, and Students Working Together

daniel — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:30:49 +0000

Students with disabilities, faculty and staff share how to create an inclusive postsecondary learning environment.

Year:

2001

http://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=3

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Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction

daniel — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:02:36 +0000

The application of universal design strategies can make instruction in a classroom, online, or in a tutoring center accessible to all students.

Project:

AccessCyberlearning

AccessISL

ITEST NNL

Year:

2015, 2006

http://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=13

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Lists:

Veteran Resource

Communication Access Realtime Translation: CART Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

daniel — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 18:43:59 +0000

Educators tell how Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) provides access to auditory communication for individuals who are deaf.

Project:

Year:

2014

Communication Access Realtime Translation: CART Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

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UD Topic:

Student Services

Lectures

kcl — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 02:28:31 +0000

Some students with disabilities face challenges in large lectures. Needs vary greatly among individuals. Students are the best source of information about their needs.

General teaching strategies beneficial for all students include:

outlines and other scaffolding tools
large, bold fonts on uncluttered overhead displays
speaking aloud all visual content presented
course materials available in accessible electronic formats
repeating student questions before answering them
minimizing distractions

Accommodations for Specific Disabilities

The following strategies can be used to facilitate participation of students with specific disabilities in lectures.

Blindness

Students who are blind cannot see visual aids, class outlines, nor demonstrations.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students who are blind include:

recorded class sessions
student use of a Brailler for note taking
outlines and course materials in accessible electronic formats so that they can be converted to speech output and/or Braille
speaking aloud all visual content presented

Health Impairments

Students with various health conditions may have difficulty attending class regularly. They may fatigue easily or have difficulty taking notes. Medication side effects may impact endurance, memory, and attention.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with health impairments include:

note takers
recorded class sessions
use of a laptop computer for note taking
flexible attendance requirements

Hearing Impairments

Students with hearing impairments or deafness may have difficulty understanding content presented orally. Students with residual hearing or a hearing aid may require amplification. Other students may need to lip read or use a sign language interpreter. Certain environmental conditions may also impact a student's ability to hear or read lips effectively. For example, hearing aids may pick up extraneous background noise and interfere with the clarity of sound. Poor lighting may make it more difficult to lip read. Likewise, background lighting from a window can cast shadows on a speaker's face.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with hearing impairments include:

sign language interpreters
real-time captioning
captioned presentations
sound amplification systems
preferential seating for optimal listening or lip reading
providing essential course information in written format (e.g., on visual display or handout)

Learning Disabilities

Some students with learning disabilities may have difficulty processing, organizing, and remembering large amounts of spoken information. Taking effective notes may also be challenging due to poor organizational or writing skills.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with learning disabilities include:

note takers
recorded class sessions
use of a laptop computer in class for note taking

Low Vision

Students with low vision may have difficulty seeing visual aids, handouts, and demonstrations.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with low vision include:

note takers
recorded class sessions
preferential seating
large-print handouts and visual aids
large, bold fonts on uncluttered overhead displays
speaking aloud all visual content presented

Mobility Impairments

Physical access to the lecture location may be challenging for a student with a mobility impairment. A student who has difficulty using her hands will have difficulty taking written notes.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with mobility impairments include:

preferential, accessible seating
note takers
recorded class sessions
use of a laptop computer for note taking

Psychiatric Impairments

Students with various psychiatric conditions may have difficulty attending class regularly. They may fatigue easily or have difficulty taking notes. Medication side effects may impact endurance, memory, and attention.

Typical accommodations in lectures for students with psychiatric impairments include:

note takers
recorded class sessions
use of a laptop computer for note taking
flexible attendance requirements

Speech Impairments

Students with speech impairments may have difficulty asking questions in a large lecture. Some students with speech impairments use augmentative communication systems.

Typical accommodations in lectures that can be used for students with speech impairments include:

opportunities to ask questions via email
providing adequate time to allow the student to speak

Check Your Understanding

Consider the following situation. You teach a large biology class and a student with low vision has enrolled in your course. You use many visual aids and slides in your lecture. How can you make sure the student benefits from these materials? Choose a response.

Provide preferential seating.
Use clear verbal descriptions of the visual aids used throughout your lecture.
Provide enlarged photocopies of the slides for the student to review.
Provide a tactile diagram of the slides.

Responses:

Provide preferential seating.
Preferential seating may work for some students with low vision. It would be important to talk with the student and determine the best seating location and to assure that he can see the materials adequately.
Use clear verbal descriptions of the visual aids used throughout your lecture.
This is a teaching strategy that all students may benefit from. However, it may not be enough if the visual content is essential information for the course and the student can't see the material adequately.
Provide enlarged photocopies of the slides for the student to review.
The use of enlarged photocopies can help a student with low vision access slides or other images if they are unable to view them from a large screen. Copies for review during or after class can help the student adjust the image to their optimal viewing conditions. For example, they can adjust the lighting, distance and position of the image, or view them for longer periods of time. The disability services counselor can help with these arrangements if they are needed.
Provide a tactile diagram of the slides.
Tactile diagrams may be helpful for students who are blind. A student with low vision would not likely need this type of accommodation.

More Information

Explore DO-IT Publications, Knowledge Base articles, and websites on this topic at Accommodation Resources: Lectures. To learn about accommodations for a specific disability, select from the list below.

Learning Ally: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

marihs — Thu, 08 May 2014 23:41:26 +0000

Learning Ally: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

Learning Ally: RFB&D provides materials for people who are blind, low vision, or have a learning disability.

Academic Activity:

Group

Lecture

DO-IT - Lecture

What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation

Universal Design (UD)

Presentation Facilities

Preparation

Presentation Materials

Delivery

Checklist Updates

Communication Hints

General

Blind or Low Vision

Learning Disabilities

Mobility Impairments

Speech Impairments

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Psychiatric Impairments

Additional Resources

����ԭ�� DO-IT

Acknowledgment

Captions: Improving Access to Postsecondary Education

Accommodation Resources: Lectures

Veterans with Disabilities in Higher Education

Building the Team: Faculty, Staff, and Students Working Together

Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction

Communication Access Realtime Translation: CART Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

Lectures

Accommodations for Specific Disabilities

Blindness

Health Impairments

Hearing Impairments

Learning Disabilities

Low Vision

Mobility Impairments

Psychiatric Impairments

Speech Impairments

Check Your Understanding

More Information

Learning Ally: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

��ԭ�� DO-IT