Presented at 9:00am in Gov Square 16 on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
#33979Speaker(s)
- Christa Miller, Associate Director of Services for Students with Disabilities, Virginia Tech
Session Details
- Length of Session: 5-6-hr
- Format: Interactive/Discussion
- Expertise Level: Intermediate
- Type of session: Pre-conference
Summary
Are you tired of giving the same old accessibility presentation time and again? Does the effort not match the gain? Join this 1-day workshop on applying universal design for learning to create powerful, memorable training.
Abstract
Resistance is a natural and recurring reaction to professional development (PD). Accessibility related PD often faces greater resistance since many institutions treat accessibility as an "extra" thing to do.
This workshop will challenge participants to use the best practices of accessibility and Universal Design for Learning to break the cycle of boring and un-engaging PD. Emphasis on which practices work well with virtual participants (fully online or hybrid) will be provided. We will explore common mistakes, preparation techniques and delivery practices including: increasing audience engagement, developing powerful slides and visuals, checking your work for accessibility, and practicing before presenting.
We will discuss throughout the critical need to challenge assumptions, ask leading questions, and take advantage of teachable moments. We recommend participants have a copy of existing training material to be redesigned or a rough outline for a new training to develop.
Keypoints
- UDL is a powerful way to design/redesign accessibility professional development.
- (Re)Designing accessibility training using UDL demonstrates best practice and improves credibility.
- Variations in online, hybrid, and in-person training can be addressed by leveraging UDL.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Accessible Course Design, Faculty Development & Support, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Christa Miller
Christa Miller is currently the Associate Director for Services for Students with Disabilities at Virginia Tech (VT). She has a BS Electrical Engineering (2008) and MS Industrial Systems Engineering (2012) both from VT. She started working in VT's Assistive Technologies group in 2006 as a student employee teaching students how to use assistive and accessible technologies. From 2010 to 2015, she transcribed STEM materials into Braille, and then transitioned into teaching instructors to create accessible educational materials by design.
For the last several years, she's helped VT grow their digital accessibility footprint by helping to establish the centralized captioning fund, building up the campus' Accessibility Network, creating training on PDF accessibility, and leading cohorts of individuals preparing for the IAAP CPACC Certification.
Christa is an active member of regional and national disability and accessibility organizations (AHEAD in VA, AHEAD, ATHEN, and Accessing Higher Ground). When she has the opportunity, her research interests include accessibility in STEM courses and Universal Design for Learning.