From the on-campus experience at Harvard University to the online environment at community colleges across the country, institutions are grappling with how to make education accessible for all learners. That’s why the QM Community came together to build the Accessibility & Usability Resource Site (AURS).
AURS is the go-to — and FREE — resource for educators to get information on how to address key accessibility and usability concerns, including:
Sign Up to Use AURS
Anyone can register for the site by logging into MyQM and selecting “Workshop - Register” in the side navigation and choosing “Register for Accessibility & Usability Resource Site”. (If you've already registered, the AURS link can be found under "My courses" in the QM Classroom after you log in.)
Don't have a MyQM account? Create one by choosing “No, I am new here” on the login page. Follow the prompts to create your account, selecting “Workshop - Register” in the side navigation and choosing “Register for Accessibility & Usability Resource Site” once logged into MyQM.
Universal Design for Learning
Alternative Text
Video Captions and Audio Descriptions
Hyperlinks
Accessible MS Office products
Readability: Color Choice and Contrast
Accessible PDFs
Accessible Design in Learning Management Systems
As Maria Fister, an instructional designer at North Carolina State University and AURS contributor, shares, the site will not only help instructional designers but faculty too. “As an instructional designer, I have struggled to find a simple, easy-to-use resource that provides accessibility guidelines in one single location,” she said. “When I learned about the AURS project, I thought it was a great opportunity to contribute to a resource for instructional designers and faculty who are getting started with creating their accessible online courses.”
Each topic features different resources to assist you with your accessibility challenges. Videos show you step-by-step changes you can make to increase the accessibility of your course. Examples highlight best practices. Articles provide you with additional information and resources. And forums allow you to connect directly with accessibility experts — peers who have expertise in designing accessible courses. There is also a General Accessibility and Usability Questions' Forum where you can ask any question that is unrelated to the listed topics.
And the site is growing! New topics and resources will be added quarterly.