Extend the Core Skills

Summary

Once you have learned the core skills, keep learning and practicing even more skills!

The University of Minnesota is committed to the idea that accessibility is everyone's everyday work. 

All you have to do is start small. For example:

Then use the Filter and Sort Options below and review what you learned, or learn even more skills!

Accessibility Skills Pages and Events

Displaying 1 - 10 of 93

A Conversation with Scott Marshall of the DRC Event on

Learn more about how the University Disability Resource Center (DRC) works with students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University to eliminate or minimize barriers and facilitate inclusion on campus. The DRC collaborates with all members of the University community to improve access for people with disabilities.

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Accessibility vs. Accommodation

Eliminating barriers for an individual upon request (accommodation) is good and important. Better is creating an inclusive environment for all (accessibility).

Accessible Documents Event on

Join the Accessibility Ambassadors for a presentation by Ben Peck of University Relations about making accessible Word and Google Docs and how to convert them to Portable Document Format (PDF).

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Accessible Documents Event on

Join the Accessibility Ambassadors for a workshop on how to create accessible documents (including PDFs), with Ben Peck from University Relations.

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Accessible Google Docs Event on

Join the Accessibility Ambassadors on Thursday, June 25th, for a presentation by Accessibility Ambassadors Amy Drayer from University Libraries and Khaled Musa of Academic Technology Support Services. 

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Accessible Online Meetings Event on

Join the Accessibility Ambassadors for a presentation by accessibility ambassador Amanda Ryan of the Institute on Community Integration within CEHD.

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Accessible Slides Event on

Accessible Social Media Event on

Join the Accessibility Ambassadors for a presentation by Susan Hagen of University Relations about making social media more accessible.

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Accessible U Committee

The Accessible U website is governed by the Accessible U Committee, established in the spring of 2021. 

Adaptive Technologies

Adaptive technologies are products, equipment, and services that help users with disabilities access digital content. They work best with materials created while following accessibility best practices.

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Authors, Designers, and Editors

When you think about accessibility laws and related University policies, you might think they apply only to course and website content.

But at the University of Minnesota, we create thousands of digital content products each day. These can be in a variety of formats, and should all be as accessible to the widest range of audiences as possible

Instructors

The more you make your course accessible, the fewer accommodation requests you may receive.

In addition, more students will be able to better learn from and navigate your course materials and classroom experiences, even if they have different learning styles and abilities.

Leaders and Managers

Leaders can communicate a clear and achievable vision for digital accessibility within the organization.

Managers can drive action by communicating a vision, establishing clear goals and expectations, and providing resources and training.

Check out Promote Digital Accessibility for ideas.

Presenters

You can make your presentations and events you host more inclusive.

For example:

  • Verbally describe your slides while presenting.
  • Include alternative text for images.
  • Provide captions, audio descriptions, and transcripts.

Students

When you produce digital assignments, apply the core skills and your instructors and the students you collaborate with will be better able to understand them, even if they use assistive technologies.

Technology Purchasers

Before a big purchase, the wise shopper gathers requirements, performs research, and reviews potential solutions.

At the University, your digital technology pre-purchase checklist must include an evaluation of the extent to which a product is accessible and how a vendor meets accessibility standards.

Web Developers

From a developer's perspective, the goal is to code a website or web application that, at minimum, meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AA standards and follows the POUR guiding principles of accessible technology.