#43129
Speaker(s)
- Emily Sulkey, Accessibility Training Specialist, University of Michigan Library
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Beginner
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
Accessibility training is often delivered through one-off workshops that are difficult to sustain or scale across institutions. This session presents a practical approach for turning existing trainings into a structured, reusable curriculum. Attendees will learn how to modularize content, organize key topics into a clear learning progression, and adapt materials for different audiences, roles, and formats to support long-term impact and consistency in accessibility practice.
Abstract
Many accessibility initiatives in higher education begin with workshops, but these efforts are often isolated, difficult to sustain, and rarely integrated into broader learning structures. While workshops can raise awareness, they frequently lack continuity, making it challenging for participants to build skills over time or apply what they’ve learned in meaningful ways. As a result, institutions often struggle to move from awareness to consistent, sustained accessibility practices.
This session presents a practical approach for shifting from ad hoc training toward a more intentional, curriculum-based model. Drawing on experience developing and delivering accessibility instruction within a higher education library, the presenter will demonstrate how to reorganize existing workshops into modular, reusable learning components that can be adapted across contexts. Emphasis will be placed on sequencing content to support progressive skill development, reinforcing key concepts across sessions, and designing materials that remain flexible for different audiences and formats.
Examples will include common accessibility topics such as captioning workflows, visual description, and accessible document practices. These examples will illustrate how discrete trainings can be transformed into a cohesive learning experience that builds knowledge over time rather than treating each session as a standalone event. The session will also address strategies for adapting content for both synchronous and asynchronous delivery, as well as approaches for extending the reach of this work through collaboration with faculty, staff, and campus partners.
Attendees will leave with a clear, adaptable framework for evaluating their existing workshops and converting them into structured, scalable curriculum components. This approach supports more consistent learning outcomes, reduces duplication of effort, and helps institutions move toward more sustainable and integrated accessibility practices.
Keypoints
- One-off accessibility workshops often fail to scale without a structured approach to curriculum design.
- Reorganizing training materials into modular units supports reuse across multiple learning contexts.
- Sequencing accessibility topics across sessions improves skill development and knowledge retention.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessible Course Design, Campus & System-wide initiatives, Faculty Development & Support, Teaching about Accessibility in Curriculum, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Emily Sulkey
I am an Accessibility Training Specialist in the Digital Scholarship and Creative Spaces department. I graduated from the University of Michigan - School of Information in 2025 with my Master of Science in Information, specializing in User Experience Research & Design. During my program, I was a Student Accessibility Specialist with Information and Technology Services.