Accessibility Boosts

This session will be of a more technical nature and focus on how to set up Brightspace for individual student accommodations on assignments and quizzes.

This session will focus on the use of colour in course content and materials. We will look at best practices for colour contrast and alternatives to using solely colour to relay key information. We will also look at tools for checking colour contrast and for creating colour blind safe themes.

This session will focus on the structure and value of crafting an accessibility statement for your course syllabus or course site. We will discuss what an accessibility statement is, why it's a value addition to your course, and how to write a clear and information accessibility statement.

This session will focus on ways of building flexibility into assessment structures to support students. We will talk about flexible deadlines and flexible weighting, and approaches to both that are sustainable for the instructor.

This session will focus on the importance of accommodated assessments and the critical role accessibility plays in supporting all students. Participants will gain valuable insights into the accommodation process for students registered at Western and its affiliate colleges, along with answers to key questions related to accessibility and accommodations.

Audience

Limited to instructors

1. Login to Western Connect using your Western username and password.
2. Go to the Centre for Teaching and Learning section. Select Event Calendar and select the event you wish to register in. Details and a description of the program will appear.
3. Select the Register for this Event button. If the event has reached capacity, you may have the option to register on the waitlist.
4. You will receive an automated confirmation email to your Western email account. 

If you have any questions or problems registering for an event, please consult our FAQs or contact ctl@uwo.ca.

Workshop run: February 29, 2024

This session will focus specifically on accessible slide design. We will discuss organization of content, the use of colours, images, and other visuals, headings, text density, and other important considerations when creating accessible slides. We will also briefly review the accessibility features offered by Microsoft Powerpoint.

Workshop run: February 15, 2024

This session will focus on the importance of simple and accessible language in content design and teaching. We will discuss barriers that complex language can pose for learners and how to mitigate these challenges in both written text and presentations.

Workshop run: February 1, 2024

This session will introduce the concept of alternative text, or image descriptions. We will discuss how and when to describe an image and the importance of context and detail. Within this session, we will review examples of alt text and have time to practice writing alt text.

Alt Text Quick Guide

Workshop run: January 18, 2024

This session will introduce participants to common assistive technologies they may be used by our students or colleagues. Demonstrations will include text-speech tools, speech-to-text tools, readability tools, and other tools. Participants will have an opportunity to use some of these features in tools available to us in the Western technology ecosystem.