In a perfect world, we’d all have enough time and funding to devote to course design so that the first time any user encounters it, the experience is flawless. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Instead, we are often faced with short deadlines and low budgets. How do we, then, make the best use of that time and money to design a course that is accessible and usable by all?

Designing an accessible course means designing where the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered. In addition to designing for people with disabilities, accessible design can also mean creating access and inclusion for all. Internet speeds of rural and urban areas, socioeconomic privileges and pitfalls can also fall under inclusion and access in accessible design.

One way we can work toward this goal of designing accessible content is to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Or, in the case of course design, click a mile with someone else’s mouse. What is it like for users with a variety of abilities to encounter our courses? How does experiences the course as they do affect the ways in which we approach our design?

In this gamified session, participants will use their personal devices to interact with augmented reality stations, where they will experience course design from the perspective of a variety of users (e.g., those with hearing and sight issues). At each station, it’s the job of the participant to identify the issue and offer a viable fix before time runs out. Each participant should leave the session with a new appreciation for how others experience online content and some tips and tricks to designing content for accessibility.

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