The demands around eLearning have grown and changed rapidly across sectors. The need to move online during a global pandemic coupled with evolving technology and an increasingly global marketplace are among factors driving this change. ADA, 508, and W3C guidelines (WCAG) provide good starting points to ensure compliance with disability access standards. But what about the accessibility and inclusion needs of non-US, FLNE (first language not English), or historically marginalized audiences, as well as those with resource constraints in time, budget, connectivity, or technological skills? Additional consideration and planning are necessary for effective, inclusive, and ethically responsive online learning.

In this session, find out how CVT’s Online Learning and Engagement Team took a holistic approach to accessibility and inclusion in two complex training programs serving a global network of civil society organizations. You’ll explore how a similar approach can benefit corporate, public sector, and community training efforts with diverse audiences, inside or outside the US. You’ll learn about key dimensions of accessibility that are not addressed by many accessibility guidelines but that affect the success of your training with adult learners. You’ll then hear about frameworks you can use to help analyze the accessibility and inclusion needs of your audiences. Finally, we’ll discuss how eLearning leaders and creators can help champion a culture of accessibility and inclusion to help meet organizational strategy, enhance training effectiveness, and help bolster credibility in the emerging global landscape.

In this session you will learn:

• Four dimensions of accessibility to consider to enhance your accessibility and inclusion strategy beyond basic ADA compliance
• The implications each of those dimensions have for effective learning and how your eLearning approach can help
• Why contextualization is essential for effective learning
• Approaches you can take to better understand your unique audiences’ needs, and plan solutions that are realistic in scope
• Why accessibility is everyone’s responsibility, and the roles of eLearning leaders and staff in building a greater accessibility and inclusion culture in your organization
• How to build a case for the holistic accessibility approach, including the benefits and potential risks

Technology discussed:

Mobile devices/mobile usability, video and eLearning authoring tools, LMS and website access, standard office content creation platforms (e.g. Word, PowerPoint), accessibility checkers, tools that help address non-physical/sensory accessibility