Introduction: What is Accessibility?
Accessibility is about creating inclusive learning environments that support the participation of all students, including those with visible and invisible disabilities. Accessibility ensures that everyone can engage equitably in learning experiences, regardless of how they access content, navigate physical or digital spaces, or interact with technology and information.
At the University of Toronto, we are committed to meeting the standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and promoting inclusive education. These guidelines are designed to help instructors and staff make course content and learning activities accessible and inclusive.
Legal Obligations: AODA and Your Responsibilities
As an instructor or staff member, you are required to follow AODA’s Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), which includes ensuring that all publicly accessible online educational content meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards.
In practice, this means that instructors and staff are encouraged to consider the following principles when designing and delivering course content:
- Ensuring that all students can access and understand course materials, regardless of how they engage with content
- Designing with assistive technologies in mind—such as screen readers or voice input—so materials are usable by a wide range of learners
- Recognizing and accommodating students with disabilities as part of creating an inclusive and legally compliant learning environment
For more information and advise, connect with the University of Toronto’s AODA Office.
Understanding Accessibility: A Holistic Approach
Accessibility is not just about complying with technical standards—it’s about creating environments where all learners can participate fully. This means anticipating and removing barriers across a wide range of human diversity, including differences in mobility, sensory perception, cognition, communication, and emotion.
Accessibility Dimensions
There are multiple dimensions of accessibility to consider:
- Digital Accessibility: Are online materials and tools compatible with assistive technologies like screen readers or keyboard navigation?
- Physical Accessibility: Are classrooms, labs, and learning materials usable by students with physical, sensory, or mobility-related disabilities?
- Cognitive Accessibility: Is information structured in a way that supports understanding, memory, and focus for all learners, including those who are neurodivergent (e.g., ADHD, autism, dyslexia) or who have learning disabilities or other cognitive differences?
- Social and Emotional Accessibility: Is the learning environment designed to promote respect, inclusion, belonging, and psychological safety for all students?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a complementary framework that encourages flexible, inclusive course design from the outset. While accessibility often focuses on removing barriers for students with disabilities, UDL expands this approach by anticipating diverse learning needs across the student population.
Applying UDL principles—such as offering multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression—can help create learning environments that benefit all students, not just those with formal accommodations. Visit Teaching with Universal Design for Learning at U of T to learn more about the UDL framework, apply inclusive course design strategies, and engage with initiatives and programming that advance accessible and inclusive teaching and learning at U of T.
Designing for Accessibility: The POUR Principles
One practical way to approach accessible course design is by considering the POUR principles—a framework developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to support inclusive and usable content. These principles are widely used in accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.0, and can guide decisions across course materials, tools, and technologies.
- Perceivable: Content is presented in ways that can be understood by all users. This may include using text alternatives for images, providing captions for videos, and ensuring strong colour contrast.
- Operable: Navigation and interaction can be completed using a variety of input methods, such as a keyboard, mouse, or voice commands.
- Understandable: Content and interfaces are clear, consistent, and easy to follow. This might include using plain language, predictable layouts, and familiar navigation patterns.
- Robust: Content is designed to function well across current and evolving technologies, including various browsers, devices, and assistive tools.
Accessible Course Content
Building on the POUR principles, this section offers practical suggestions for making course materials more accessible to all learners. These approaches align with AODA standards and contribute to clearer, more inclusive learning design.
Documents (Word, PDF, etc.)
- Use built-in heading styles and structured layouts to help screen readers and all users navigate documents more easily.
- Add descriptive alt text for all images to support non-visual access to visuals.
- Where possible, ensure PDFs contain selectable text and a proper reading order. Avoid PDFs that consist of scanned text as images, which are typically unreadable by assistive technologies.
Multimedia (Video, Audio)
- Include captions for all videos and transcripts for audio recordings.
- Describe key visual information either in the narration or as accompanying text, so content is accessible for learners who cannot access visual elements.
Formatting and Layout
- Use clear, readable fonts in a size that supports legibility.
- Avoid using colour alone to convey meaning (e.g., instead of saying “assignments in red are due,” consider adding a label like [Due] next to the assignment title).
- Chunk information using paragraphs, headings, and subheadings—this helps reduce cognitive load and improves scanability.
- Organize content using lists and bullet points where appropriate.
Hyperlinks
- Use descriptive link text that conveys meaning even when read out of context (e.g., “Read the assignment guidelines” instead of “click here”).
Accessibility in Quercus
Use the Accessibility Checker
The Rich Content Editor in Quercus includes an Accessibility Checker, which can help identify and fix common issues—such as missing alt text, low colour contrast, or improper heading structure. This tool is available when editing Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, and more.
Enable Multiple Ways of Engaging with Content
The Immersive Reader feature—available in most Assignments and Pages—offers students an alternative way to engage with written content by reading the text aloud. However, it’s important to note that the Immersive Reader will not play embedded videos or read all non-text content. Students will still need to engage with those materials directly.
Name Files, Modules, and Pages Clearly
Clear, consistent naming conventions can make navigation easier for all students, especially those using screen readers or text-to-speech tools. For example:
- Name files descriptively (e.g., “Week_3_Readings.pdf” instead of “document1.pdf”)
- Use concise, meaningful titles for Pages and Modules
- Avoid vague or duplicated names across course items
Preview Your Course with Student View
The Student View feature allows you to experience your course from a student’s perspective. This is a helpful way to check whether content appears as intended and whether navigation is intuitive and accessible.
Accessible Assessments
Methods: Instructions and Supports
- Provide clear instructions for all assessments. This supports learners who may experience cognitive load or anxiety.
- Share expectations and logistics in advance (e.g., time limits, number of questions, permitted resources, submission formats).
- Offer a rubric or marking guide to clarify how students will be assessed.
- Some students may be approved for academic accommodations through Accessibility Services, such as:
- Extended time
- Alternative formats (e.g., Braille version)
- Breaks during tests and exams
- Use of assistive technologies (screen readers, speech-to-text, etc.)
- For more information or support about accommodations, connect with Accessibility Services (St. George) / Accessibility Services (UTM) / AccessAbility Services (UTSC).
Materials: Files and Resources
- Ensure that any documents provided for assessments—such as instructions, rubrics, or templates—are formatted accessibly. This includes using:
- Using structured headings (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) to organize content.
- Choosing clear, readable fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Verdana) and maintaining strong contrast between text and background (e.g., dark text on a light background).
- Adding descriptive alt text for any images that convey meaning.
- Avoid placing key information in images, scanned documents, or decorative graphics unless a text equivalent is provided alongside or within the document.
- Make sure downloadable resources—such as worksheets, case studies, or data sets—are compatible with screen readers and navigable using a keyboard alone. This includes using real text (not image-based text), avoiding overly complex table layouts, and testing for logical reading order.
Environments: Physical, Digital, and Social Contexts
- For in-person assessments, let students know in advance how the physical space will be used. This may include what to bring, seating arrangements, or any restrictions (e.g., no smartwatches or wearable tech).
- Use Student View in Quercus to preview how online assessments appear to students. This can help you identify inconsistencies, unclear formatting, or missing instructions.
- Be aware that some screen readers may have difficulty with complex online question types, such as drag-and-drop, hotspot, or image-based matching questions. When feasible, consider offering an alternative version or consult with Accessibility Services.
- In social assessment environments—such as group projects or peer review—clearly define roles, expectations, and communication channels. This helps ensure all students can participate equitably.
Accessibility Supports and Resources
U of T Supports
- AODA Office: Learn about the University’s accessibility commitments, your responsibilities under Ontario legislation, and where to find institutional supports to help you meet them.
- CTSI Consultation Request Form: Request a one-on-one consultation to get personalized support for designing accessible course materials and building inclusive teaching practices in your courses.
External Resources
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: The global authority on accessibility standards (like WCAG 2.0), with practical guidance on making your content accessible across formats and platforms.
- WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind): How-tos and advice for creating accessible web and document content.
- eCampusOntario Digital Accessibility Toolkit: A practical guide for Ontario educators with tools and direction on how to create, select, and use accessible digital content and educational technologies.
- Council of Ontario Universities (COU) Accessibility Resources: Curated accessibility resources and strategies designed specifically for Ontario’s postsecondary teaching community.
- Postsecondary Course Accessibility Guide: A checklist to help instructors identify how a course currently supports accessibility, where improvements can be made, and where institutional support may be needed.