Accessible and inclusive teaching is a proactive approach to pedagogy and course design that considers the needs and strengths of diverse learners. These practices support all learners and create a more equitable experience for marginalized students.
The following sections include recorded webinars and other resources to get you started with ideas for incremental changes or modifications that you can implement to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in your course.
Accommodations
Disability accommodations are adjustments to how a student engages in parts of a course, program, or other aspects of the academic environment that make it possible for more equitable participation in learning and demonstrating learning. The Disability Resource office on your campus is available to consult with you about student-specific or course-specific access needs. Use the following resources to learn more about disability accommodations:
Pedagogy & Course Design
Making proactive changes to your course design and pedagogy can create greater access for all students up front and can reduce the time and additional steps for disabled students to equitably participate in your course. The following resources provide conceptual frameworks and strategies for accessibility and inclusive teaching in pedagogy and course design:
Recorded Webinars
Resources
Flexibility
Flexibility is a key component of accessible and inclusive teaching. The following resources can help you consider ways to integrate structured flexibility into your course:
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Maintaining mental health and wellbeing is important for students in and outside of the classroom. The following resources focus specifically on supporting student mental health and wellbeing in teaching which can in turn support faculty and instructor mental health and wellbeing.
Recorded webinars
Resources
Accessible Course Content & Learning Spaces
Instructors can create course sites that are both usable and accessible to the widest range of students possible by following the practices outlined in these resources:
Recorded webinars
Resources
Diversity, Equity, & Justice
Further advance accessible and inclusive teaching practices by examining the ways that systems of oppression impact our teaching and learning environments and making changes to our pedagogy and course design. Explore topics around diversity, equity, and justices through the following resources:
UMN Systems Campus Disability Resources
All campuses of the University of Minnesota have staff responsible for facilitating access to learning, working, and participating in campus life.
Find your Campus Disability Resources
Fundamentals of Disability Accommodations & Inclusive Course Design
This professional development course provides faculty and instructors with foundational knowledge on how to reduce barriers in the learning environment through disability accommodation and inclusive course design strategies.
Access this training