Schedule

Accessibility Through Visual Design

Connie Malamed

As instructional designers and developers, we must accommodate a wide range of human experiences and disabilities, including people with vision impairments. Surprisingly, improving the visual elements of your eLearning designs to assist those with low vision is not as complicated as you may think. This session will examine the best practices and guidelines to make text and graphics accessible so that more people can learn from your products.

Accommodating Neurodivergent Learners: Strategies for Inclusive Learning Design and Facilitation

Kayleen Holt

Enhance your inclusive design skills by understanding and supporting neurodivergent learners. In this session, we will clarify the distinctions between neurodiversity, neurodivergence, and cognitive disabilities, and delve into the unique characteristics and needs of neurodivergent audiences. Learn effective design strategies and facilitation techniques to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all neurotypes.

Accessible Design Doesn't Have to Be a Drag

Jared Speight

Designing for accessibility doesn't have to limit what learning activities you can include in your course, but it may require a little creativity (and a lot of triggers). In this session, we'll examine how to take inaccessible activities, such as drag-and-drops, and convert them into inclusive learning experiences.

Accessibility Through The Looking Glass: A Conversation

Perspective and accessibility underscores the importance of acknowledging the multifaceted nature of human experiences. Recognizing the inherent worth of each individual's viewpoint, and ensuring they have the means to express it, is essential in forging a society that thrives on mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration. Join our panelists Kayleen Holt, Daphne Riley, Cyndi Nagel and Chris Paxton McMillin with host Dawn Metcalf as they offer their own perspectives on accessibility and inclusivity in L&D.

Executive Persuasion: Crafting the Business Case for Accessibility

Rebecca Prejean

Accessibility can transform your business, but getting executive buy-in is crucial. This session will teach you how to present accessibility as a strategic priority, using compelling data and ROI metrics. Learn to overcome objections and develop a solid plan to implement sustainable accessibility initiatives. Gain the confidence to persuade key stakeholders and make accessibility a cornerstone within your company culture.

Empowering Instructors: Mastering Accessibility for Inclusive Learning Experiences

Michelle King

In this engaging and insightful session, Michelle King will delve into the essential strategies for training instructors to deliver accessible learning sessions. Participants will explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the use of assistive technologies and best practices for creating inclusive content.

Workplace Disability Accommodation

Toddi Norum

In this session, you'll learn how to effectively request workplace accommodations, guided by ADA regulations and best practices. We will cover what information to disclose, how to tie your disability to your request, and suggest suitable accommodations. Additionally, we will discuss your entitlements, critical dates, and steps to take if your request is denied or if you face discriminatory practices.

Designing Future-Ready Classrooms: Leveraging AI and OER to Support Diverse Learners

Chris Smith

In this dynamic session we will explore how cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and Open Educational Resources (OER) can transform educational environments to meet the diverse needs of today's learners. Join us to discover innovative strategies for creating future-ready classrooms that foster inclusivity adaptability and personalized learning experiences. Learn how to harness the power of AI and OER to develop engaging accessible and equitable educational content that supports every student's unique journey. Whether you're an educator instructional designer or educational technologist this session will provide you with practical insights and tools to revolutionize your teaching practices and empower all learners.

Auditing Online Courses for Accessibility

Nicole E'Toile

This 45-minute session demonstrates the process of auditing a course for accessibility using powerful tools such as the WAVE and axe DevTool . This session will guide you through each step of the audit process, highlighting how to identify and address accessibility issues to ensure your course is inclusive for all learners. You'll see live demonstrations of these tools in action and learn best practices for using them effectively. By the end of the session, you'll have a basic understanding of how to conduct an accessibility audit and enhance the accessibility of your online courses.

Accessible Assessment Creation

Donna Boucher

Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are a versatile tool for assessing learning outcomes if they are written well. In this session, we will explore how to create high-quality MCQs that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge accurately and assess what we actually intend to assess. Most importantly, this session will show you the science to creating assessments that are valid, fair, and accessible.

Empathy: The Secret Ingredient to Exceptional Learning Experience Design

Jennifer Yaros

Creating effective learning experiences requires balancing various components, much like baking a cake. The secret ingredient to transform any training into an exceptional learning experience is empathy, which helps designers reconnect with learners and develop more relevant, inclusive, and engaging content. This session will teach participants how to use empathy mapping in the design process, aligning training with accessibility and business goals, and provide tools to become a Master Chef of Learning Experience Design (LXD).

The Importance of #a11y-ship

Alan Natachu

Alan Natachu will lead a session on "The Importance of #a11y-ship," exploring inclusive design's impact on various disabilities and its benefits for all learners. The discussion will cover practical tips for designing inclusive learning solutions and delve into the fundamental motivations behind allyship in accessibility.

Ack! My accessible SCORM isn’t working in my LMS!

Leah Chang

You've designed an accessible eLearning course, but upon publishing it to the LMS, you discover it doesn't work as intended. This presentation will provide troubleshooting tips and workarounds to ensure LMS-delivered learning experiences remain accessible, focusing on the Implementation phase of ADDIE and the Robust principle of POUR.

Pretty is Accessible

Michelle Engstrom

Inclusive design from the perspective of an instructional designer working for a government agency with decades of graphic design experience. How knowing WHY the accessibility standards are set helps us to design with users of all abilities in mind. How we do not need to sacrifice design and flair for functionality. I'll show real examples and demonstrate real case studies of how inclusive design is possible.

Holistic Inclusive Learning Experiences: Beyond Compliance

Tejaswini Mulay

The session aims to cover the topic around holistic inclusive learning experiences by looking at additional elements that are often not a formal part of accessibility compliance. Inclusive Learning experiences stand on the shoulders of global guidelines and principles for direction and structure. However, it is often something more than compliance that takes inclusive learning experiences to another level.

Exploring Inclusion: Barriers, Burdens, and Breakthroughs

Deborah Harris

This session delves into the various barriers and burdens that hinder inclusive practices, while also celebrating the breakthroughs and innovations driving positive change. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of systemic, cultural, and operational challenges, and explore practical strategies for fostering more inclusive environments in their communities, workplaces, and beyond.

Empowering Everyone: Strategies for Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

Maureen Boland

Gain a deeper understanding of how to create PowerPoint presentations that not only comply with accessibility standards but also promote inclusivity and equal access to information. Join us in empowering everyone through accessible design and making your presentations more impactful and inclusive for all.