Online Learning Help for Faculty

Do I have to accommodate my students in online or hybrid courses?

• Yes! Students are entitled to all of the same accommodations they have for in-person courses, as applicable to the online format.

Helpful Tips

• Utilize your DRC Online instructor access page. To learn more, please review Instructions for DRC Online Instructor Access. 
• Please be mindful, when scheduling due dates and deadlines, to consider how an online format could impact students with a variety of disabilities. Please allow time for students to demonstrate their knowledge. Reading and time management could present major barriers for students with disabilities when moving to online formats.

How do I make my online course accessible?

• Canvas Tools: Please see these resources for accessibility tools in Canvas:
  • General Accessibility Design Guideline
  • Accessibility within Canvas

• When posting and/or using PowerPoints for online classes, please use THIS POWERPOINT to guide your transition.
• Make sure your assessments are accessible. See additional information below for online assessments.
• All files loaded to Canvas need to be in accessible formats (PDF or PDF-A). If you are not sure if your file is accessible, please check for accessibility first. Colorado State University has a comprehensive online resource for how to check your materials for accessibility you may also consult with DRCTechnology@wuweicw.com
• Microsoft Teams has a feature which auto-captions remote group meetings. Please see UNC’s FAQ page for more information on Teams.
• If you are requesting a video and/or recorded lecture to be captioned, please Request Captioning Services or reach out to DRCTechnology@wuweicw.com.
• If you need an American Sign Language interpreter or transcription services for live class sessions held via video conference platform,  please Request Deaf/HOH Services.
• For more DRC information and FAQ’s, please see our Faculty FAQ page. 

Assessments:

• In-person testing will occur as normal at the DRC. 
• Giving Extra Time
  • Extended time is a frequent accommodation for students with disabilities. Below are resources on how to add extra time to quizzes in Canvas.
  • How to add extra time on a quiz
  • Change a quiz deadline for a specific student

•  The quiz question types available in Canvas are mostly accessible to assistive technology. Some exceptions include:
  • Drag & drop: This feature is completely inaccessible and should be avoided
  • Dropdown choices are not recommended unless the list of options is very long
  • Text questions: The text editor toolbar is not reachable by keyboard or a screen reader

•  Students may find barriers to online assessments. If you or your student has concerns, please contact the DRC so that we can work together to determine potential, appropriate alternative assessments. Some of these barriers may include:
  • Exams requiring paper
  • Braille or alternate format printed exams
  • Scribe/reader for exams
  • Identifying assistive technology to use on personal computer
  • Other exam accommodations which may limit access online

• If a student reports that they are unable to take a quiz or exam using their assistive technology, you can contact DRC for help and guidance.

Assistance from DRC Staff:

• Faculty and staff are encouraged to call the office phone number (970-351-2289) if they would like to speak at a staff member regarding accessibility and/or concerns. 

We look forward to working with you!