Designing for Impact: A Project-Based Accessibility Course in D2L Brightspace

Handouts

Presented at 9:00 am in Denver 1-3 on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Speaker(s)

• Nicole L'Etoile, Accessibility Consultant, Learning Experience Designer, L'Etoile Education, LLC

Session Details

• Length of Session: 2-hr
• Format: Lab
• Expertise Level: Intermediate
• Type of session: General Conference

Summary

Learn how to design and deliver effective accessibility training in D2L Brightspace through project-based learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This session offers practical strategies for building participants' applied skills in digital accessibility through WCAG-aligned audits, tools, and inclusive instructional design practices.

Abstract

Accessibility training often stops at compliance checklists, but real impact requires practical application. This session takes participants inside the design of Making Online Content Accessible for All, a six-week professional development course delivered in D2L Brightspace. The course is structured to build capacity in applying digital accessibility through active engagement, peer learning, and scaffolded feedback. Geared toward educators, instructional designers, and L&D professionals who already have a foundational understanding of accessibility, this session focuses on the “how” of designing and facilitating a course that equips learners to confidently audit and redesign content for inclusion. Attendees will:

• Explore how D2L Creator+ tools were used to build accessible modules. Learn how accessibility mini audits were integrated into the learning path.
• See how feedback from users shaped course improvements.
• Understand how structured collaboration and asynchronous components were balanced to support learning.

Participants will leave with a scalable course blueprint, examples of project-based assessments, and a framework to integrate accessibility into their own trainings. Learning Outcomes: By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Apply a project-based framework to design accessibility-focused professional development.
• Incorporate UDL strategies, peer-learning, and user feedback to improve accessibility. Design assessments that demonstrate applied understanding of accessibility principles.

Keypoints

1. Project-based and peer-learning drives authentic accessibility practice.
2. Training must be designed with people with disabilities to improve outcomes for everyone.
3. Real-world application and user feedback create meaningful, lasting change in accessibility capacity.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Accessible Course Design, Faculty Development & Support, Teaching about Accessibility in Curriculum, Uncategorized

Speaker Bio(s)

Nicole L'Etoile

Dr. Nicole L’Etoile, is an Accessibility Consultant specializing in Learning Management Systems (LMS), online courses, and e-Learning. She helps organizations to improve the accessibility of their digital learning environments through training, audits, and implementation support. She holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC).

Handout(s)

• Designing for Impact: A Project-Based Accessibility Course in D2L Brightspace