Create Your First Project
Start adding your projects to your portfolio. Click on "Manage Projects" to get started
Accessibility & Universal Design
Overview
This is a self-paced eLearning course built in Rise 360 that teaches learners how to create accessible digital materials. It covers the history and legal foundations of accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, and hands-on application across common formats including Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and infographics. The course also introduces learners to accessibility evaluation tools such as VPATs and a self-assessment rubric.
Tool Used
Rise 360 for Course Development
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Link to Accessibility & Universal Design
Audience: The course was designed for anyone looking to build practical skills in digital accessibility, with a particular focus on instructional designers and content creators who work with digital learning media. It addresses both foundational knowledge (why accessibility matters, relevant laws and guidelines) and applied skills (how to create accessible artifacts and evaluate existing ones for compliance gaps).
Process: The course was structured across multiple modules, each built around a specific content type or accessibility concept. Each section pairs instructional content with a corresponding accessible artifact, a Word document, PowerPoint, infographic, or checklist, so learners can see accessibility principles applied in real formats. Accessibility was embedded throughout the course design itself, with WCAG guidelines, POUR principles, and UDL informing decisions around captions, alt text, color contrast, heading structure, and reading order. The course underwent peer review and was checked using built-in accessibility tools in both Word and PowerPoint. Revisions were made based on instructor feedback, including improvements to descriptive link text and the incorporation of UDL principles into the self-evaluation rubric.
Outcome: The course produces learners who can explain accessibility laws and guidelines, apply Universal Design principles to their own content, evaluate digital tools using a VPAT, and assess their work against an accessibility rubric. It also models accessible design throughout, giving learners a practical reference for what compliant content looks and functions like across multiple formats.