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Welcome to AODA Resources - Module 1 of 6

This module will familiarize you with creating an accessible learning environment.

Top Tips

  • Don't make assumptions about a person's disabilitiesMany persons with disabilities feel frustrated when people make assumptions about what they can and cannot do.
  • Be patient and understandingStudents may take more time or have difficulty communicating, be patient and understanding (but not patronizing)
  • Speak clearlySpeak as you would with other students, clearly, facing your audience. Don’t speak facing away.
  • Closed caption audio/visual materialsMake sure audio/visual materials you use are available with accurate closed captioning.
  • Make electronic resources available for students Slides, lecture notes, and forms should be available to all students in advance, in accessible formats easily read by assistive technologies.​
  • Check for legibility and clarityUse Sans Serif fonts and contrasting colours in your materials. Checklists - Opens in a new window can help.
  • Use alt-textUse alt-text on images that are meaningful and convey value. Describe the image and add context if necessary.
  • Make sure resources are compatible with assistive technologiesStudents may need to use assistive technologies like screen readers, use the resources on this page to make sure your materials can be used with them.
  • Use built-in accessibility checkersMS Word and PowerPoint, and Adobe PDFs have built-in features to check your documents for accessibility.
  • Ask for help if you don't knowConsult your local counselling office for additional resources and support.

Creating Accessible Learning Resources

PowerPoint Resources

PowerPoint is the most common tool used for lectures, below are some useful resources for creating accessible presentations.

Resources About Images

Alt-text are text that will be conveyed when using visual aids like a screen reader, descriptions that appear when a mouse is hovered over an image, and text that is displayed when an image link is broken.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) mandates that Ontario institutions must conform to certain accessibility guidelines and must hit accessibility goals. Below is a link to training modules provided by the Government of Ontario.