Accessibility and Inclusion in Teaching

1. Use the Accessibility Checker (Ally): Ally is a set of tools within bCourses that helps make course content more accessible by delivering  the following functionality:

• Allows students to automatically generate alternative formats of your course materials, such as tagged PDF, HTML, BeeLine Reader, Electronic Braille, ePub, Immersive Reader, MP3, and translated versions, enhancing accessibility. Watch the tutorial on Ally for students at UC Berkeley to learn about this feature. 
• Provides instructors with accessibility scores next to uploaded course documents and images so instructors can learn how to create more accessible content. Next to your uploaded course documents and images, Ally displays colored dials indicating accessibility scores. These scores help you identify and resolve barriers to accessibility. Click on a dial to view specific issues and suggestions for improvement.  Watch the tutorial for instructors using bCourses to learn about this feature.
• Reviews and remediates bCourses Page content using the WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) Instructor Feedback Tool. When editing course pages that use the Rich Content Editor, you'll see an Ally feedback indicator in the top right corner. This tool provides real-time, contextualized guidance to help you create accessible materials. Click the score icon to start enhancing specific content accessibility. Read Ally WYSIWYG Instructor Feedback Tool to learn more.
• Identifies and fixes accessibility problems in your bCourses site using the Ally Course Accessibility Report. This report gives an overall accessibility summary of your course materials, available through the course navigation. To enable this feature:
  • Go to your course “Settings” and select "Navigation."
  • Find the Ally Course Accessibility Report, select the three vertical dots, and choose "Enable."
  • Save your changes. Now, selecting the Ally Course Accessibility Report in your course navigation will open an interactive dashboard that displays accessibility scores and issues.

For any Ally related questions, You can receive customized assistance by emailing  allyhelp@berkeley.edu or by scheduling a 1:1 consultation.

2. Simplify Course Navigation for Easy Access

The Course Navigation Menu is a series of links on the left side of your course that help you and your students access different course areas. As an instructor, you can control which links appear in Course Navigation. bCourses includes a set of default Course Navigation links that are shown by default. You can adjust the navigation menu by disabling unnecessary links and moving frequently used ones to the top. This ensures students can quickly find what they need, improving accessibility and reducing confusion.

3. Walk Students Through Your bCourses Site

Each bCourses site a student sees will be different from the last. Help students navigate your bCourses site by providing a clear introduction at the start of the course. Use Student View to walk them through key features, such as the syllabus, reading materials, and assignments. Highlight how to use tools like Ally for accessible file formats, closed captions, and transcripts, and share instructions for contacting you with questions.

Engage: When curating digital content for your course, it's crucial to keep accessibility in mind. Delve into this self-paced course to familiarize yourself with accessibility basics for bCourses. This course is designed to help you develop accessible instructional materials within bCourses using best practices. As you apply the recommended changes, your course's accessibility will improve, making learning more inclusive for all students. In this course you’ll learn to:

• Add alternative text for images

• Caption your videos

• Use color effectively

• Structure content with headings

• Promote screen reader compatibility

Here are the links to acces the course: 

1.  Accesibility Basics for bCourses Direct link (Does not require CalNet authentication)

2. Accesibility Basics for bCourses Self-enrollment link (Requires CalNet authentication and the course will be added to your bCourses Dashboard.)

SensusAccess is a self-service solution that automates the conversion of documents into a range of alternative formats including mp3, e-books, Braille, and Daisy. The service can also be used to convert otherwise inaccessible documents such as image-only pdf files, scanned images, lecture notes or other educational material into more accessible formats.

SensusAccess operates through a webform that operates through most major browsers. Select the following external URL to access SensusAccess portal. By following the four easy steps on the SensusAccess page you can have your document converted into an alternative, accessible format. The result is delivered in your email inbox. You may upload one or more files, enter a URL to a file or simply type in the text you wish to have converted. The form expands as you make your selections. Watch the SensusAccess Tutorial that demonstrates how to convert course materials to accessible formats. 

Depending on the quality of the source file, conversion results may vary greatly. In order to achieve the best conversation results, read the practices outlined in Conversion Best Practices. 

If you have any questions about SensusAccess please feel free to email sensusaccess@berkeley.edu.

• Read: Review the Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Guide for University Faculty to grasp the essentials of UDL.It's designed to show you why adapting your teaching to meet diverse learning needs isn't just beneficial but necessary. Discover the fundamental principles of UDL that help all students access, engage with, and demonstrate their learning through multiple methods. This introduction sets the stage for more in-depth strategies on implementing UDL in your courses, highlighting how these approaches are backed by neuroscience to accommodate the unique ways students process information.

 If you have any questions about this guide or would like to discuss UDL with a CTL colleague, please feel free to email teaching@berkeley.edu, or schedule a consultation.

• Explore: Advancing Equity and Inclusion, Center for Teaching and Learning, UC Berkeley

This resource provides comprehensive strategies for advancing equity and inclusion in the classroom. It covers inclusive teaching practices that acknowledge diverse student identities and experiences, offering guidance on integrating social justice approaches, disability and gender justice, flexible instructional methods, reflective teaching, and fostering values affirmation and social belonging.

• Explore: Inclusive Pedagogy Initiative Fact Sheet, Center for Teaching and Learning, Boston University

This resource defines inclusive pedagogy as creating learning environments where all students feel valued, supported, and have equitable access to learning. It emphasizes understanding student diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic background, and learning styles. The guide offers strategies such as cultivating a sense of belonging, designing transparent and structured assignments, and employing flexible teaching methods to enhance inclusivity in the classroom.

• Read: Designing an Inclusive Syllabus

This resource offers strategies for creating inclusive syllabi that set a welcoming tone and provide clear guidance on course expectations. It emphasizes the importance of accessibility, adopting a welcoming tone, and transparency in course design. The guide provides specific recommendations for syllabus elements, such as including diversity statements, setting explicit student expectations, and designing assessments that accommodate diverse learning styles

• Attend: Teaching Inclusively From Day One | Jan 17

Join this workshop to explore practical strategies for fostering an inclusive learning environment using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. You will learn to integrate inclusive teaching approaches that accommodate diverse learning needs, creating a supportive classroom.

View details and register for this workshop.

• Attend: Strategies for Building a Sense of Belonging in the Classroom | Jan 24

Join this session to explore a theory for measuring classroom experiences to foster student belonging. Learn how tools like surveys and early climate indicators can help create equitable, supportive spaces that empower students to co-create inclusive learning environments.

View details and register for this session. 

• Explore: Establishing Inclusivity and Belonging, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Instructional Moves initiative

This resource outlines a seven-step pathway to establish inclusivity and belonging in the classroom. It emphasizes getting to know students, creating psychological safety, setting norms for brave spaces, modeling discussion norms, celebrating student strengths, diversifying small groups, and using consistent teams to encourage risk-taking. The guide provides practical strategies and reflection questions to help educators implement these steps.

• Listen: Fostering a Sense of Belonging, Teaching in Higher Ed

ThisTeaching in Higher Ed podcast episode features Dr. Angel Herring and KaSondra Toney discussing strategies for fostering a sense of belonging in higher education. They share personal experiences and practical insights on building student confidence, creating inclusive learning environments, and expanding students' self-belief through supportive teaching practices. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of authentic relationships between instructors and students, emphasizing the importance of time, transparency, and encouragement in fostering belonging and student success.

• Attend: Spark Talk: Addressing Social Comparison to Improve Student Engagement | Mar 18

Join this session to explore how fear of negative evaluation impacts student participation, particularly among LGBTQ+ and women/nonbinary students in large classes. Learn about recent findings on social comparison and its role in this fear, and discover strategies to create a more inclusive environment that encourages active engagement and enriches the collective learning experience.

View details and register for this session. 

Read: (To be added soon)