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LXD Style Guide

iPD’s Guide for Course Design & Development

Accessibility of External Resources

Standard

The standard with which Michigan Virtual courses need to comply. 

Quality Matters 

  • Standard 4.1 C: Instructional materials contribute to the achievement of learning objectives & content standards.
  • Standard 4.2 C: Instructional materials are integrated into the context of each lesson, & their intended use is clear.
  • Standard 4.5 C: The course models the academic integrity expected of learners by providing both source references and permissions for use of instructional materials.
  • Standard 8.3 C: Text in the course is accessible.
  • Standard 8.4 C: Images in the course are accessible.
  • Standard 8.5 C: Video and Audio content in the course is accessible.
  • Standard 8.6 C: Multimedia in the course is easy to use.
  • Standard 8.7 T: Vendor accessibility statements are provided for the technologies used in the course.

National Standards for Quality 

  • E3 The online course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the needs of diverse learners.

 

Requirements 

What exactly do course developers need to include in order to comply with this standard? 

Any linked resource in a course or learning experience must be fully accessible to learners if it is required to complete the course.

 

Implementation 

How can course developers implement this standard? What is the process for doing so?

Design

While designing the course, as external resources are identified, the project team should test those resources for accessibility. If the resources are not fully accessible to learners, they cannot be required for the learner to use. For SLS courses, QM requires that 85% of the course content is accessible, including external resources, whether it is required or optional. Please keep that in mind if designing an SLS course and selecting optional resources. Please consider the following workarounds: 

  1. Consider whether the external content can be adapted directly into the course to ensure accessibility.
  2. If the resource requires permission or updates for accessibility, consult with your project manager to navigate these processes.
  3. Explore alternative resources that meet accessibility standards if the original resource is not accessible.
  4. If no accessible alternatives are available, consider making the resource optional rather than mandatory for learners.

*Note: Please refer to the Copyright standard to ensure that resources can be used in the capacity you’d like to use them in. 

**Note: The use of links from the Wayback Machine (archive.org) is prohibited. If you are unable to find a resource elsewhere, please speak with your project manager for help. 

 

Resources

What resources would help a developer implement this standard appropriately?