Presented at 4:15 pm in Mattie Silks on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
#41252Speaker(s)
- Ann Knettler, Vice President, Consulting, GrackleDocs
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Beginner
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
This session explores how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and digital accessibility intersect to create inclusive, equitable learning environments in higher education. Attendees will learn practical strategies to reduce barriers for students with disabilities, understand recent legal updates, and shift from reactive accommodations to proactive design grounded in civil rights and educational best practices.
Abstract
As technology rapidly reshapes the educational landscape, higher education professionals must proactively ensure that digital environments and learning experiences are designed for full inclusion. This session explores the vital intersection of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and digital accessibility, emphasizing how both frameworks support equity, foster inclusive learning environments, and comply with current legal mandates.
Participants will examine how UDL and digital accessibility strategies reduce barriers for all students, particularly those with disabilities—most of whom experience invisible or print-related challenges. We will review recent updates to the ADA Title II rule and proposed Section 504 revisions, and discuss their implications for digital compliance in colleges and universities. Attendees will leave with actionable practices to embed UDL principles into digital course content, assessments, and communication strategies.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain the relationship between UDL, digital accessibility, and disability equity in higher education.
- Identify at least four strategies to enhance UDL through accessible digital content and technology.
- Recognize legal requirements, including WCAG 2.1 standards, and understand how new and proposed laws impact higher ed institutions.
- Apply UDL and accessibility principles to support diverse learner populations, including veterans, first-gen students, and students with invisible disabilities.
Keypoints
- True UDL practice is not possible without digital accessibility.
- 2025 requires a cultural shift in institutions—from accommodations to inclusive design from the start
- What if we added an assessment of access when creating a model for student success?
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessibility and Accommodation in the Current Political/Legal Environment, Accessible Course Design, Faculty Development & Support, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Ann Knettler
Dr. Ann Knettler currently serves as the Vice President of Consulting for GrackleDocs, a world leader in digital accessibility. An accessibility strategist with over 19 years of experience as an ADA and 504 Compliance Officer, Director of Disability Resources offices, and global corporate policy advisor; Ann is a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant.
As a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Ann currently represents the Association as a member of the Council of Representatives for the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) where she has co-authored and updated policy and standards for the entire field of higher education and currently sits on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. A published researcher, Ann regularly presents and consults globally on topics such as the depth and breadth of digital accessibility, disability rights, assessment and the use of data as an advocacy tool, disability policy and policy reform, strategic planning for organization-wide access, creating and using policy and accessibility standards, program review, ableism, and the social justice model of disability.
Ann is an active faculty member in the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Master of Public Administration Programs at Delaware State University. She received a Masters of Arts in Counseling in Higher Education with an emphasis in Mental Health from the University of Delaware and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Delaware State University. Her dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of ableism and able-body privilege by students with disabilities in higher education and the impact that experience has on their receipt of an accessible and equitable education.