Accessible course design

Consider how to incorporate UDL strategies in your course design, such as: 

Begin planning your course early; consult the Teaching Checklist.  

Leaving time for planning allows you to make strategic course design decisions, including those that are relevant to accessibility. 

Create meaningful, relevant, specific, measurable, and achievable learning outcomes.  

A key step in designing a well-aligned and accessible course is identifying what you want students to learn from it. 

Contact the McGill library to reserve course materials. Send course reserve information to students as early as possible to allow time for them to request alternate formats if necessary. (NB: Producing alternate formats can take from 2-6 weeks.) 

Early notice about course reserves ensures that students who are blind, have low vision, or who have reading disabilities can acquire materials in an accessible format in time to keep up with course readings. 

Determine how student participation will be defined and assessed (if at all) in the course and ensure this information is clearly communicated to your students. 

Since students communicate and participate in different ways, transparent participation expectations are necessary to ensure equity. 

Consider implementing different assessment schemes. 

Different assessment schemes allow students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.  

Check for alignment among learning outcomes, assessment tasks, and teaching strategies.  

Alignment in course design can reduce construct irrelevant factors, which can negatively impact student performance. 

Evaluate how much work is expected of students by using a Workload Estimator (and adjust your course design accordingly).

Overly heavy workloads may negatively impact student success by increasing anxiety and decreasing time to process course material. These negative impacts may be more significant for students with disabilities. Overly light workloads might not provide students with the appropriate academic rigor.

Consider how to incorporate UDL strategies in your course outline, such as:  

Include a cover page with the most important information (such as assessment types and due dates) and/or a table of contents on the first page of the course outline.

A cover page and table of contents can help to focus students’ attention on key points and act as an advance organizer to help students understand how to engage with the class and course materials.

When indicating the room and building that the class will be in, include a hyperlink to its location in McGill’s Interactive Access Network (IAN) Map and/or a Campus Access Guide.

This information can help students with mobility disabilities navigate the campus more easily.

Find out if your class is in a building with a physically accessible entrance and washroom and gender-inclusive washrooms. Include this information in the course outline and/or in myCourses.

Sharing this information can help students feel more included and facilitate their physical navigation of the campus.

Include an EDI statement.

A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion that is communicated through a statement on your course outline can help students feel valued and included.

Specify how and when students can contact you and their TA(s) and consider providing communication options (such as in-person office hours, email, or Zoom/Teams).

Providing multiple means of seeking your/the TA’s support reduces potential communication and scheduling barriers. 

In the Additional Statements section, share important learning, wellness, and other student support services available at the University (see Additional Statements in the Course Outline Template and Guide).

Including this information normalizes conversations about mental health, disability, and related experiences, and reminds students of the resources that are available to them at the University.