DO-IT - Group

Supporting Neurodivergent Learners on Campus

lymeg000 — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:45:58 +0000

High School and College students, as well as staff at higher education institutions, share perspectives about effective teaching strategies for neurodivergent learners.

Year:

2024

Supporting Neurodivergent Learners on Campus

Featured:

off

Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation

eol — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 01:39:15 +0000

EA_UD_Presentations.pdf

By:

Sheryl Bugstahler, Ph.D.

A checklist for making your presentation welcoming and accessible to everyone

Increasing numbers of people with disabilities attend professional conferences and meetings. Most presenters have the goal that everyone who attends their presentation is able to fully participate and access information. Reaching this goal involves efforts at many levels. To begin with, think about the diverse characteristics that may be present in your audience. Potential attendees may have different learning styles, may not be fluent in the language in which you are presenting, and/or may have difficulty

seeing,
hearing,
moving,
speaking, and/or
understanding common phrases and jokes in your culture.

Universal Design (UD)

A proactive approach to making facilities, information resources, and instruction welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by everyone is called universal design (UD). Universal design means that rather than designing something for the average user, you design it for people with a broad range of characteristics such as native language, gender, race, ethnic background, age, sexual orientation, learning style, and ability. To apply UD to your presentation, it is important that you know how to present your material effectively to people with a variety of disabilities and respond to requests for specific accommodations. Ensure that everyone feels welcome, and can

get to the facility and maneuver within it,
access the content presented,
access printed materials and electronic resources, and
fully participate in presentation activities.

For example, the author of this publication regularly employs UD when she delivers on-site presentations by taking the steps described below.

All presentation videos are captioned, website resources are universally designed, handouts are provided in alternate formats, presentation visuals use large bold fonts and are uncluttered, a microphone is used by the presenter, and, before the audience arrives, chairs are moved so that any wheelchair-users who might attend have multiple options for positioning themselves in the room. Efforts are also made to speak slowly and clearly, describe orally all content that is presented visually, avoid unnecessary jargon, define terms that might be unfamiliar to some attendees, make eye contact with and engage many members of the audience, and repeat questions asked by attendees before answering them. These proactive steps on the presenter’s part minimize the need for special accommodations. Typically, the only disability-related accommodation requested in these presentations is a sign language interpreter or real-time captioner by an individual who is deaf; such arrangements would be requested ahead of time by the participant from the event sponsor. Particularly positive feedback given by attendees includes appreciation for the flexibility of the seating arrangement by individuals who use wheelchairs, for video captions by attendees who are deaf and by those whose first language is not English, for orally describing visual content by individuals who are blind, and for providing materials in multiple formats by many. (Taken from Burgstahler, S. [2011]. Universal design: Implications for computing education. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 11[3], 19-1–19-17.)

To be prepared for any situation, universally design your presentation as suggested in the paragraphs that follow. These tips provide a good starting point for making your conference presentations accessible to anyone who might be in the audience. Some apply to on-site meetings, some apply to online presentations, and many apply to both.

Presentation Facilities

Ensure physical access, comfort, and safety.

Be sure that the presentation location is wheelchair-accessible.
Keep aisles wide and clear of obstructions.
Arrange chairs in the presentation room so that a wheelchair-user has multiple options for locations to sit.
Arrange furniture so that everyone has a clear line of site to the presentation area.

If your presentation includes hands-on computer activities, place at least one computer on an adjustable-height table. Be prepared to respond to requests for assistive technology. In most cases, it would be reasonable that such requests be made before the event; make the process for requesting technology-related accommodations clear in promotional materials and adopt a procedure to respond in a timely manner.

Preparation

Prepare for a diverse audience.

Consider the target audience and the wide variety of characteristics within that audience, especially with respect to the ability to hear, see, speak, understand the language you are speaking in, and move about.
Create an accurate and inviting description of your presentation for promotional purposes. Include pictures of participants with diverse characteristics with respect to disabilities, race, ethnicity, gender to make members of these groups feel welcome at your presentation.
Include a statement in promotional materials that tells how to request disability-related accommodations for the presentation. For example, the presentation organizer could include “Our goal is to make presentations and related materials accessible to everyone. Please inform staff of accessibility barriers you encounter and request accommodations that will make our presentations and materials accessible to you.”
Be aware of issues related to communicating with participants who have disabilities. See Presentation and Other Communication Hints at the end of this publication for specific guidelines. For further suggestions, consult Effective Communication: Faculty and Students with Disabilities.
Know how to respond to requests for disability-related accommodations (e.g., presentation materials in alternate formats, sign language interpreters).

Presentation Materials

Universally design presentation materials for attendees so that they are accessible to everyone.

Use multimedia such as videos, overhead slides, visual aids, props, and handouts.
On visuals (e.g., projected slides):
- use large (at least 24 point), simple, san serif fonts (e.g., Helvetica) that can be easily read by most individuals from the back of a large room.
- use background and text colors that are high in contrast and avoid combinations difficult for people who are color blind to read. Do not use color as the only method for conveying information.
- make sure that backgrounds are not cluttered and leave plenty of “white space.”
- use large, simple charts and tables.
- avoid presenting images of complex charts or tables.
- present your content in a well-organized manner; allow flexibility to adjust to your audience as appropriate.
- use clear, simple language and keywords and phrases rather than full sentences.
- spell out abbreviations and acronyms when first used.
If you demonstrate web pages, present them in enlarged print that can be read by participants in the back or the room or who have visual impairments.
Make sure that videos used in your presentation are captioned. It is also a good idea to have them audio described (where additional visual content is verbalized for someone who is blind) or have a transcription available in a text format.
If appropriate, provide materials ahead of time for sign language interpreters and/or Computer Assisted Real-time Translation (CART) writers so that they can prepare for their translation for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you distribute printed handouts, have a few available in large print and on disks in an accessible format.
If materials are provided to attendees online, make sure that they are accessibility designed (e.g., format in text, provide a text-based description of the content of images; use a heading structure).

For guidance on how to prepare accessible Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents, PDFs, and web pages, consult Accessible Technology at UW.

Delivery

Make your presentation welcoming, accessible, and inclusive.

Promote a welcome and nonjudgmental learning environment.
Warmly welcome participants as they enter the room, making eye contact with each person.
Let participants know if you will field questions during or after your presentation.
Speak clearly and in well-modulated tones. Avoid speaking too rapidly or softly. This is particularly important for participants whose first language is not yours and for individuals with hearing impairments and when sign language interpreters or CART transcribers are in the room.
Use a microphone.
Face the audience and maintain eye contact.
Address different learning styles by incorporating a variety of instructional methods that use a variety of senses.
Speak key content that is presented visually. For example, don’t say, “As you can see on this slide” because some may not be able to see the slide. A good idea is to pretend you are presenting your talk as a phone conference and describe your content in the way you would describe it in that situation. Define all terms and acronyms that might not be known by someone.
Illustrate key points with a variety of examples, real-life experiences, or stories that appeal to multiple demographic groups.
Repeat questions participants pose to ensure that everyone in the audience understands them.
Summarize key points.
Redirect discussion that wanders from the topic at hand.
Address accessibility issues for activities such as small group discussions.
If you are using conferencing software, turn on the captioning feature, if available.

Checklist Updates

To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggested updates to doit@uw.edu.

Communication Hints

Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration with which you treat others. Here are some helpful hints when it comes to delivering a presentation, hosting an exhibit, and otherwise relating to people with disabilities.

General

Ask a person with a disability if that person needs help before providing assistance.
Talk directly to the person with a disability, not through their companion or interpreter.
Refer to a person’s disability only if it is relevant to the conversation.
Avoid derogatory slang or negative descriptions of a person’s disability. For example, “a person who uses a wheelchair” is more appropriate than “a person confined to a wheelchair.” A wheelchair is not confining—it’s liberating!
Provide information in alternate means (e.g., written, spoken, diagrams).
Do not interact with a person’s guide dog or service dog unless you have received permission to do so.
Do not be afraid to use common terms and phrases, like “see you later” or “let’s go for a walk” around people with disabilities.
Do not touch mobility devices or assistive technology without the owner’s consent.
Do not assume physical contact—like handshakes, high-fives, or hugs—is okay.
Understand that not everyone uses eye contact.

Blind or Low Vision

Be descriptive. Say, “The computer is about three feet to your left,” rather than “The computer is over there.”
Speak all of the projected content when presenting and describe the content of charts, graphs, and pictures.
When guiding people with visual impairments, offer them your arm rather than grabbing or pushing them.

Learning Disabilities

Offer directions or instructions both orally and in writing. If asked, read instructions to individuals who have specific learning disabilities.

Mobility Impairments

Consider carrying on a long conversation with an individual who has a mobility impairment from a seated position.

Speech Impairments

Listen carefully. Repeat what you think you understand and then ask the person with a speech impairment to clarify or repeat the portion that you did not understand.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Face people with hearing impairments, and avoid covering your mouth, so they can see your lips. Avoid talking while chewing gum or eating.
Speak clearly at a normal volume. Speak louder only if requested.
Repeat questions from audience members.
Use paper and pencil, or type things out on your cell phone, if the person who is deaf does not read lips or if more accurate communication is needed.
When using an interpreter, speak directly to the person who is deaf; when an interpreter voices what a person who is deaf signs, look at the person who is deaf, not the interpreter.

Psychiatric Impairments

Provide information in clear, calm, respectful tones.
Allow opportunities for addressing specific questions.

Additional Resources

For more detailed content online consult:

Removing Barriers: Planning Meetings That Are Accessible To All Participants
http://fpg.unc.edu/sites/fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/other-resources/NCO...
How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All
https://www.w3.org/WAI/teach-advocate/accessible-presentations/
Accessible Presentation Guide
https://www.sigaccess.org/welcome-to-sigaccess/resources/accessible-pres...

For more information about applications of universal design, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education. The book Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice, Second Edition published by Harvard Education Press shares perspectives of UD leaders nationwide. Learn more or order online here.

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of �󷢿��, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the �󷢿��.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, �󷢿��, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the �󷢿�� is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of �󷢿��. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to freely view videos online, consult the DO-IT Videos page to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

DO-IT
�󷢿��
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
www.washington.edu/doit/
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
206-221-4171 (fax)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane
Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

Learn more about DO-IT Funding and Partners here.

Acknowledgment

This publication is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant# 61-7821). Any questions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

2015

Accommodation Resources: Group Work/Discussions

kcl — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 22:13:28 +0000

Building the Team: Faculty, Staff, and Students Working Together

daniel — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:30:49 +0000

Students with disabilities, faculty and staff share how to create an inclusive postsecondary learning environment.

Year:

2001

http://www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=3

Featured:

off

Communication Access Realtime Translation: CART Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

daniel — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 18:43:59 +0000

Educators tell how Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) provides access to auditory communication for individuals who are deaf.

Project:

Year:

2014

Communication Access Realtime Translation: CART Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

Featured:

off

UD Topic:

Student Services

Group Work/Discussions

kcl — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 02:20:40 +0000

Some students with disabilities face challenges participating in small group discussions and other interactive activities. Specific needs vary greatly. However, some general teaching strategies that benefit all students include:

Establish clear ground rules for discussion.
Provide electronic supplementary course/discussion materials.
Give clear descriptions of visual materials.
Paraphrase questions and answers and highlight key points throughout discussions.
Create options for electronic discussions.

Accommodations for Specific Disabilities

The following strategies can be used to facilitate participation of students with specific disabilities in discussions and other interactive group work.

Blindness

Students who are blind cannot see presenters, visual aids, printed materials, and demonstrations.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with blindness are:

recorded sessions
Brailler or computer for note taking
having participants state their names prior to speaking during discussions
verbal descriptions of visual aids and demonstrations
handouts in Braille, on tape, or in electronic format that can be read before the discussion or work group meeting

Health Impairments

Students with some health conditions may have difficulty attending class regularly. They may fatigue easily and/or have difficulty taking notes due to fatigue or other physical limitations. Medication side effects may impact endurance, memory, and attention.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize participation of students with health impairments are:

note takers
recorded sessions
laptop computer for note taking
options for electronic discussion
flexible attendance requirements

Hearing Impairments

Students with hearing impairments or deafness are challenged by verbal discussions. Students with residual hearing or who use hearing aids may require amplification. Other students may need to lip read or use sign language interpreters. Certain environmental conditions may also impact a student's ability to hear or read lips effectively. For example, hearing aids may pick up extraneous background noise and interfere with the clarity of sound. Poor lighting may make it more difficult to lip read. Likewise, background lighting from a window can cast shadows on a speaker's face. Keep in mind that some students with hearing impairments may also have speech impairment.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with hearing impairments are:

sign language interpreters
real-time captioning where words are immediately transcripted and presented on a computer screen
captioned video presentations
assistive listening devices (ALDs) which combined with a student's personal hearing aid can augment and amplify sound in a group setting. Microphones for these devices can then be accessed by the person who is speaking
preferential seating during the discussion for optimal listening and/or lip reading
options for electronic discussion

Communication strategies that can facilitate access for students with hearing impairments include:

When speaking, face the student directly.
When speaking, avoid obscuring lips or face with hands, books, or other objects.
Repeat discussion questions and statements made by other students.
Write discussion key points, questions, and answers on a white board or overhead projection system.
Speak clearly and at a normal rate.
If the student uses an interpreter, speak directly to the student, not the interpreter.
Indicate who is speaking by gesturing or pointing.

Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities may have difficulty processing, organizing, and remembering large amounts of spoken information. Taking effective notes may also be challenging due to poor writing and/or organizational skills. Some students may also have difficulty communicating verbally.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with learning disabilities include:

recorded sessions
note takers
a laptop computer in class for note taking
options for electronic discussion via email where there is sufficient time to formulate responses

Low Vision

Individuals with low vision may have difficulty seeing visual aids, handouts, and demonstrations.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with low vision are:

note takers
recorded class sessions
preferential seating
large-print handouts and visual aids

Mobility Impairments

Physical access to the discussion location may pose a challenge for a student with a mobility impairment. A student who has difficulty using their hands will have difficulty taking written notes.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with mobility impairments are:

preferential and accessible seating
note takers
recorded sessions
laptop computer for note taking

Psychiatric Impairments

Students with some psychiatric conditions may have difficulty attending class regularly. They may fatigue easily. Medication side effects may impact endurance, memory, and attention for learning. They may have difficulty taking notes.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with psychiatric impairments are:

note takers
recorded sessions
laptop computer for note taking
options for electronic discussion
flexible attendance requirements

Speech Impairments

Students with speech impairments may have difficulty speaking in discussions. Some students with speech impairments use augmentative communication. Many of these devices are computer-based and can be programmed to provide speech output.

Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with speech impairments are:

adequate wait time to allow the student to speak
options for electronic discussion

Check Your Understanding

Consider the following example. A student with a hearing impairment has enrolled in your course which includes a weekly discussion section. The student has a hearing aid and speaks without difficulty. What would be the best way to ensure the student can fully participate in the interactive discussions? Choose a response.

Provide preferential seating near the instructor to reduce environmental distractions.
Use an assistive listening system with multiple microphones for the student and instructor.
Use a note taker during the discussion.
Use real-time captioning.

Responses:

Provide preferential seating near the instructor to reduce environmental distractions.
Preferential seating in a discussion section may be helpful. However, if there is a high level of student participation and interaction it may be difficult for the student with a hearing impairment to follow the conversation. Assessing and adjusting environmental conditions such as lighting and background noise that may interfere with lip reading or hearing is important. Talk to the student about the best way to meet her needs. The disabled student services staff may be able to assist with this prior to the course.
Use an assistive listening system with multiple microphones for the student and instructor.
Personal and group FM systems which amplify sounds can be used successfully to clarify sounds in a group setting for some students with hearing impairments. With these systems, there is a direct input of sound from the speaker into a microphone that is then transmitted to the student's hearing aid. A central microphone can be used when the group is small. Multiple microphones are more effective with a larger group and can be passed from person to person as they speak. Talk to the student about options that will be most effective. The disabled student services office may have FM systems available for student use.
Use a note taker during the discussion.
A note taker can provide a summary record of the discussion content. However, this strategy is not ideal because it does not enhance the active participation of the student during the group interaction if the student cannot adequately hear or lip read to follow the conversation.
Use real-time captioning.
The use of real-time captioning may be an effective accommodation in this situation. In this case, a transcriptionist types the discussion comments on computer-based transcription equipment. The speaker's words are typed into the computer and then immediately relayed to the student's laptop or projected onto a larger screen. The captioning also provides a transcript for later use. Real-time captioning tends to be less effective in small groups or interactive discussions than in lectures.

More Information

Explore DO-IT Publications, Knowledge Base articles, and websites on this topic at Accommodation Resources: Group Work / Discussions. To learn about accommodations for a specific disability, select from the list below.

Learning Ally: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

marihs — Thu, 08 May 2014 23:41:26 +0000

Learning Ally: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)

Learning Ally: RFB&D provides materials for people who are blind, low vision, or have a learning disability.

Academic Activity:

Group

Lecture

National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)

marihs — Thu, 08 May 2014 23:37:32 +0000

National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)

Through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS administers a free library program of Braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail.

Academic Activity:

Group

Lecture

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

marihs — Thu, 08 May 2014 23:31:42 +0000

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

A national nonprofit whose mission is to ensure that the ten million Americans who are blind or visually impaired enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other citizens.

Academic Activity:

Group

Lecture

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI)

marihs — Tue, 06 May 2014 22:56:40 +0000

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI Access)

Offers online training on accessible information technology for persons with disabilities.

Issue:

Accessible Technology

External Resource Topic:

Students with Disabilities

Academic Activity: