Accessibility and online learning

The University is committed to ensuring that teaching meets the needs of our diverse student population. Find out more about the support available to make online teaching and learning accessible for all.

Make learning easier to access

You can install accessibility software to help you access documents and websites. There are also assistive technologies that can help you to organise and manage your time, plan your work and take notes, as well as support with reading and writing. Find out more about the assistive technology that is available and visit Disability Services to find out about the support and adjustments you may be eligible for.
Skills@Library also provides guidance on how screen readers, filters and magnifiers can help you to navigate and read documents online. Find out more about the technologies that are available to you.
For Minerva, remember that there is a feature called Blackboard Ally, which allows you to access some documents in different formats, including as a webpage (html), multicoloured text, or an audio file.

Accessibility and virtual classroom platforms

If you are using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or Microsoft Teams for your teaching and learning activities, there is specific guidance available on how to maximise the accessibility of these platforms. Find out more about how to set up Collaborate Ultra and Microsoft Teams to enhance accessibility. 

Captions for video materials

Recorded materials on Mediasite are automatically captioned to help you with your learning. Please be advised that captions will not be 100% accurate and you should use them alongside other teaching and learning materials for your module. You should speak to your tutor if captions do not appear on the Mediasite recordings you are using for your learning. You should speak with your tutor, or with Disability Services, if, due to a disability, the automatic captions do not provide enough accuracy for you to access the content.

Transcription Services

The RNIB Transcription Service Leeds works with the University to provide transcription of academic material - print and inaccessible electronic source files - into large print, electronic text, braille, digital audio and tactile diagrams.

Preparing accessible documents for class

If you are preparing a Word document or PowerPoint presentation to share with your class, it is important to think about how to make this accessible to everyone. Find out more about the key points to consider when creating accessible content.

Good netiquette

Communicating online can sometimes be difficult and open to misinterpretations and misunderstandings. You can get advice on good netiquette to help you with your online interactions. Netiquette is a set of informal rules or conventions that you can follow, which can help ensure your online communication is clear, respectful and courteous.  

Our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity

The University has committed to working towards a baseline of inclusive practice for teaching. The University’s Taught Student Education Board have agreed to work towards embedding these standards in all taught student education provision. You can provide feedback of your experience of accessible and inclusive teaching through your School and Course student representatives. Each School has an Academic Lead for Inclusive Practice who will be able to use your feedback to better understand current approaches to inclusive teaching.