University of Minnesota
Accessibility Website
http://accessibility.umn.edu
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Accessibility > Multimedia
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Multimedia

By supplementing information with multimedia, such as animation, video or audio clips, the information presentation and the learning process can be greatly enhanced. It is essential that e-learning resources be designed and created to be viewed using a variety of devices and access applications, and be flexible in order to meet the learning styles, preferences, and access needs of the consumer.

When it is not possible to make a form of multimedia accessible to specific audiences — large files can be inaccessible using smart phones and other hand-held devices; photos without alternative text are inaccessible to screen reader users; videos without captions are inaccessible when the access device does not support or the environment is not conducive to audio output, or the consumer is deaf or hard-of-hearing — consider providing an equivalent accessible alternative rather than discarding the multimedia. This approach should not be construed as promoting segregation by providing a separate, often inferior, resource to accommodate an individual with a disability. Rather, it advocates using the power of multimedia to enhance learning to its full potential.