The following videos are provided by TechSmith.   You can add captions by... 1. Adding captions manually. 2. Syncing captions with a script. 3. Using speech-to-text. Adding Captions Manually Sync Captions with a Script Using Speech-to-Text

It is required that all videos (online or face-to-face usage) have closed captioning.  YouTube does provide an autocaptioning service is the video you have recorded was not scripted and you cannot easily add captions on your own.  The first video explains how to add automatic closed captioning to a YouTube video, while the second video explains how to edit automatic closed captioning. Thank you to the Wichita State University Instructional Design and Technology department for their Creative Commons licensing of these videos. Please visit https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6373554?hl=en to learn more about how to use YouTube's autocaptioning services.

"Accessible design is good design - it benefits people who don't have disabilities as well as people who do.  Accessibility is all about removing barriers and providing the benefits of technology for everyone. - Steve Ballmer Create Content that is Accessible Use the Accessibility Checker within D2L

Faculty - How2 Use the Accessibility Checker within D2L By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to... Use the Accessibility Checker within D2L. 1. Create some piece of content in D2L. You could use it on the content within a widget, assignment, quiz, etc.  It will NOT check the accessibility of files that you have made in Word, Google Docs, PDFs, PowerPoint... that you have uploaded to D2L.  For this example, we will use it on a file/course page we created in D2L. 2. Click the "Check Accessibility" Icon. If you forget what the icon looks like, just hover over the icons at the bottom of the page.  When you hover, the name of the icons will pop-up. 3. Fix the issues that pop-up after the check. You can fix the issues directly in the checker!  It doesn't get much easier than that!

We understand that the terms ADA, accessibility, usability, and universal design are used interchangeably.  The table below is our attempt to compare the terms.  You will often hear campus personnel discussing ADA and accessibility as those terms are part of important legislation we have to consider on a daily basis.  Usability and universal design are often referred to as "Best Practices". Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility (accessible, accessible design) Usability (usable, usable design) Universal Design for Learning (UDL, Design-for-All) Definition This law “prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life…”.  Protection requires the person to have a disability, which is defined “as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one of more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by other as having such an impairment.” Accessibility is related to a design process where the needs of all people, including those with disabilities, are considered.  Products created with accessibility in mind can be used independently by any person, regardless of disability. Usability considers “the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with products or systems, including websites, software, devices, or applications.”  Usability also looks at intuitive design, ease of learning, efficiency of use, memorability, error frequency and severity, and subjective satisfaction. UD is a framework that explains the best practices for designing for the widest range of situations and abilities.  The framework uses seven principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. History This law was modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The term “accessibility” or “accessible” became more common after ADA became a law. Usability is a more recent term and is not a part of ADA, although some of the areas evaluated in usability evaluations are also covered in ADA legislation. Beginning in the 1950s, design began to consider those with physical disabilities.  With the passage of ADA, UDL interest grew. Examples Including the information in your syllabus regarding ADA and how to request disability services.  Referring students with ADA concerns to the disability services. Using the accessibility checker in D2L checks the page using the revised standards. A visit to a webpage may trigger a survey to pop-up asking you your opinions regarding the usability of the website. A ramp at the end of a curb can be used by nearly all types of people, thus appealing to the widest range of abilities. Legislation and Law Became a law on July 26, 1990 under President George H.W. Bush. The Access Board revised Section 508 in 1998 to include various technologies.  The amendment requires informational technology and media used in federally funded entities to meet accessibility standards. Usability is not a legal term, and therefore is not as commonly used by the public. UDL is not a legal requirement, but is often mentioned as a “best practice”. Information Compiled From: "Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act." Introduction to the ADA. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2017. . "Universal Design." Universal Design | Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD). N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2017. . "Usability Evaluation Basics." Usability.gov. Department of Health and Human Services, 08 Oct. 2013. Web. 31 May 2017. . "What Is the Difference between Accessible, Usable, and Universal Design?" What Is the Difference between Accessible, Usable, and Universal Design? | DO-IT. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2017. .

As of February 2021, there are 2 ways to grant special access to users for quizzes in D2L Brightspace. One of the options, allows you to set accommodations special access per quiz and the other lets you set accommodations for all quizzes in a course for a particular learner.  Setting Special Access At The Quiz Level Click on Toolbox > Quizzes. Click on the quiz name you wish to edit.  Click on the Restrictions tab.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the Special Access area.  Leave the dot on "Allow selected users special access to this quiz". Click on the "Add Users to Special Access". In this screen you can select the area you are providing accommodations for. For example, if you are giving the student additional time, click on the "Enforced time limit" radio button and type the time limit in the Time Limit box. Scroll down and select the student(s) who should receive this additional time limit.  Click the "Add Special Access" button at the bottom of the page.  If you need to make changes to a specific user's special access, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and click the edit button next to the specific user you need to edit.  Setting Special Access At The User Level Note: This will only allow you set extended time and/or allow right click. If you need to set additional special access options, you will need to use the steps listed above.  From your course, go to Communications > Classlist.  Locate the student who is to receive special access and click on the "more actions" arrow next to their name.  Click on Edit Accommodations.  Set the accommodations for this student and click Save.  If you need to add accommodations for another student, repeat steps 2-4. 

The information in this tutorial is from the Help section of Microsoft Word 2016. Add alternative text to a picture, shape, chart, SmartArt graphic, or table      Adding alternative text (also known as alt text or Alt Text) requires several steps and a little patience. The key to adding alt text in most cases is getting to the Size & Properties tab (Layout & Properties in Word and Outlook) in the Format  pane. You can add alt text to a variety of objects, such as charts, pictures, SmartArt, shapes, and tables. Note: Alt text is different from labels or captions. For information about adding data or axis labels to charts, or text tables to other objects, see the articles listed below.     Add alt text to a chart, picture, SmartArt, or shape Right-click the item and click Format Chart Area, Format Picture, Format Object, or Format Shape. The menu item will vary  depending on which app you’re using.         Click Size & Properties (Layout & Properties in Word and Outlook) and click Alt Text.           In the Description box, enter an explanation of chart. This box should always be filled in.         If you want, enter a brief summary in the Title box. This box should only be filled in if you are entering a detailed or long explanation in the Description box. By using the Title box, people won’t need to read the full description unless they want to.          Add alt text to a table For tables in Excel Right-click the table, click Table, and then click Alternative Text.           In the Description box, enter an explanation of chart. This box should always be filled in.         If you want, enter a brief summary in the Title box. This box should only be filled in if you are entering a detailed or long explanation in the Description box. By using the Title box, people won’t need to read the full description unless they want to.         For tables in PowerPoint and Project Right-click the shape and click Format Shape.         Click Size & Properties and click Alt Text.           In the Description box, enter an explanation of chart. This box should always be filled in.         If you want, enter a brief summary in the Title box. This box should only be filled in if you are entering a detailed or long explanation in the Description box. By using the Title box, people won’t need to read the full description unless they want to.          For Outlook and Word Right-click the table, and click Table Properties.         Click the Alt Text tab.           In the Description box, enter an explanation of chart. This box should always be filled in.         If you want, enter a brief summary in the Title box. This box should only be filled in if you are entering a detailed or long explanation in the Description box. By using the Title box, people won’t need to read the full description unless they want to.             More about alt text Alternative text helps people with screen readers understand the content of pictures. When you use a screen reader to view your document, or save it to a file format such as HTML or DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System), alternative text appears in most browsers when the picture doesn’t display. When writing alt text, it’s a good idea to start with the general and then get more specific. For example, possible alt text for this picture could be:         “Gingerbread house with a roof decorated with candy” or "Gingerbread house with red candy trim and a tree outside”. It sometimes helps to imagine describing the picture to someone who has their eyes closed. What would you say? That’s your alt text.  And if you’re adding alt text to a chart or table, you’ll probably want to describe what the chart or table is showing. For example, “Chart showing quarterly sales with a dip in Quarter 3”. Tip:  If you frequently add alternative text to shapes, pictures, charts, tables, SmartArt graphics, or other objects, you can add the Alt Text command to the Quick Access Toolbar to create a shortcut to it. For instructions on how to do this, see Add commands to Quick Access Toolbar.

We proactively design our courses for accessibility for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).   You can design using the following methods: Instructor Widget: Ensure that your instructor widget is updated with relevant information and a note encouraging students to contact you.  You are likely the first person that will be notified when students request accommodations. Redundancy: Build your content similarly, as it will be easier to navigate.  Students can focus on learning the content rather than learning the system. Screen Readers: Design for screen readers by using enumerations for headings.  Please test that your content can be accessed by the built in ReadSpeaker. Alternative Learning Materials: If your content is only available as a narrative, type up a transcript.  You could even offer transcribing as an extra credit option for one of your students. Visual Aids: Balance the use of visual aids, such as images, tables, graphics, or videos, with text.  Please make your content easy to print for students that need to do so. Closed Captioning: All videos used must have transcripts or closed captioning. Alternate Text: Images need to have alternate text or screen readers will skip over the image.  Please limit the amount of decorative text used. Assessment of Learning: Allow students to demonstrate their learning through a wide variety of assignments.   PowerPoints: PowerPoints and slideshows should be narrated and uploaded as an MP4, or should have the speaker notes attached to each slide.  Learning can be difficult if the students are having to look at the speaker notes on one page and the PowerPoint on another.   Be Specific: Be careful in telling people to click here, or look there.  Be very specific and descriptive with directions.  Not only will it help the visually impaired, it is good design.

Please Note: Content that is tagged correctly can be read by the ReadSpeaker.  When creating content, it is best to "Create a File" instead of uploading Word, PDF, and other documents.  The ReadSpeaker works best with HTML content.