In a virtual setting, it is even more important for a syllabus to provide students with a clear outline of the course, assignment instructions, and student performance expectations. It is also helpful to provide information on requesting disability accommodations and contact information for technical assistance and the relevant accessibility office on campus.
When using videos: provide detailed descriptions of images and charts, record lectures so students without reliable internet access can view them when needed, and provide captions of all video materials.
Try to provide class materials in several formats (PDFs, docs, PowerPoints) and design them in an accessible format (see #10 for more details).
Classroom discussions may not translate well in an online setting. Consider breaking students up into small groups or allowing for text-based discussions.
Well-established technologies and platforms such as Zoom and Canvas are more likely to have been checked for accessibility.
If you are trying new features in Zoom or incorporating an interpreter or live transcription into your classes, be sure to test that these accommodations are working properly beforehand.
Make students aware of how they should participate in class discussions and ask questions. For example, will your class be using the raise hand feature? Should students only ask questions through chat? Should students identify themselves before speaking?
Additionally, consider asking students to keep their video and sound off unless speaking as it can increase video quality and reduce background noise.
Be sure your class materials are accessible by:
Make students aware of the rename function in Zoom if they’d like to add their pronouns to their name. Include your own pronouns in Zoom and other class materials to provide an example and make students more comfortable.
Be flexible with extended time (for accommodations), office hours (across time zones), homework and grading turnaround time, requests for alternative formats, class discussions and class presentation requirements.
Using captions or providing transcripts of lectures makes virtual classes more accessible to students. Auto-generated captions are very accurate so avoid relying on these whenever possible.
Ask students to notify you if they require any accommodations or if they’re having trouble with the transition to online learning and modify your virtual teaching practices accordingly. Virtual teaching practices will often require alterations from in-person methods, especially when considering accessibility.