Summary
Accessibility should be built into higher education rather than relying on students to request accommodations. Institutions can support faculty through training, accessible LMS tools, and streamlined accommodation processes.
Accessible teaching practices in higher education are often discussed in terms of accommodations: extended testing time, accessible course materials, note-taking support, or attendance flexibility. While accommodations are important, they often place the responsibility for access on individual students. However, the efforts of disabled students alone cannot build an accessible institution. Institutions must establish accessibility from the top down. A more proactive approach is to center accessibility before a student has to ask for it.
Accessible teaching practices can benefit disabled students while also creating more flexible, responsive learning environments for all students. However, meaningful implementation requires more than encouraging individual faculty members to “be accessible.” Institutions need systems, resources, and expectations that make accessible teaching practices realistic and sustainable for faculty implementation. The following 3 strategies have been created with the intention to help institutions implement accessible faculty teaching practices.
- Expand disability, accommodation, and target-specific accessibility training and workshops for faculty members. Institutions can require annual training and workshops for faculty that focus on the practical implementation of accessible teaching strategies and provide updates on institutional policies based on individual needs. In addition, institutions can provide instructors with the accessibility tools they need to foster an inclusive learning environment.
- Accessibility default settings in the learning management systems (LMS). Institutions can implement built-in accessibility elements that are readily available. This can include accessible syllabi templates with appropriate language, heading structures formatted accordingly for technology readers, sample alt-text images, and/or assignment templates that already meet WCAG basics.
- Create a straightforward and accessible accommodation process. Implement a streamlined system from students obtaining accommodation letters to faculty members receiving said documentation. By eliminating an additional barrier that may hinder students and faculty from obtaining the necessary information about accommodations.
Ultimately, accessible teaching shouldn’t be viewed solely as a legal requirement or an accommodation issue. By proactively considering accessibility, faculty can create courses that are clearer, more flexible, and easier for students to navigate. When institutions provide faculty with the training and resources to implement those practices, accessibility becomes less dependent on individual students having the time, knowledge, and energy to advocate for themselves. Accessibility shouldn’t begin when a student asks for help. It should begin when an institution begins designing the learning environment.
To learn more about accessibility for faculty members, stay tuned for our upcoming course in September 2026.
