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University of Florida

Getting Started

Getting Started with Accessibility

Accessibility ensures equitable access to education for a diverse population by providing multiple avenues to the same information. Creating websites, documents, and materials that are accessible by all people is a necessary skill for everyone, including instructors. Creating accessible content proactively removes barriers for users with disabilities and helps all users engage with content. In addition to being legally mandated, keeping accessibility in mind will improve teaching and learning by helping instructors focus on the student experience.

The following tools and resources are a quick way to get started with the basics of accessibility. Check out Accessibility Resources and Services to get connected with people who can help you learn more.

 

Tools for Creating Accessible Content

  • Ally
    • Ally identifies common accessibility issues in e-Learning courses and allows learners to generate alternative formats for course files. Feedback from Ally’s course accessibility report can improve how course content in e-Learning works on all devices and with assistive technologies. To learn more about Ally and how to address common accessibility issues, visit Ally's Adoption Toolkit or UFIT Training's short Ally video tutorials.
  • SensusAccess
    • SensusAccess is self-service document conversion system available to UF students, faculty, and staff.
  • SiteImprove
    • Siteimprove is software that identifies EITCA issues on websites and assists in improving web accessibility.
    • UDOIT enables instructors to identify common accessibility issues in e-Learning courses by scanning a course, generating a report, and providing resources on addressing identified issues.
  • Universal Design Online content Inspection Tool (UDOIT)

 

Accessibility Resources and Services

  • Accessible UF
    • UF’s central resource for accessibility efforts, Accessible UF features services and resources such as SensusAccess, SiteImprove, and captioning request forms.
  • Accessible Online Environments
    • This asynchronous online course introduces strategies for making online materials more accessible.
  • Website Accessibility
    • Web accessibility guidelines for online content.
  • UFIT Center for Instructional Technology and Training
    • UFIT’s Center for Instructional Technology and Training utilizes educational technology and evidence-based pedagogy to provide faculty support for all elements of the course development process. Instructional designers are available to consult with instructors on document and course accessibility processes, resources, and best practices.
  • Center for Teaching Excellence
    • The Center for Teaching Excellence is dedicated to keeping faculty, staff, and teaching assistants connected and informed through workshops and learning communities. Explore CTE's accessibility resources.
  • e-Learning Support
    • eLS can provide assistance accessing and interpreting accessibility reports from Ally and UDOIT tools.
  • UF Captioning
    • Video courses recorded in Mediasite or YouTube are eligible for UFIT captioning. Requests should be submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
  • Disability Resource Center
    • DRC staff work with students to discuss access barriers in courses and determine reasonable course accommodations to remove barriers. DRC staff also works with faculty to determine how to facilitate accommodations in courses and consult on ways to make courses more inclusive.
  • LinkedIn Learning