Accessibility of Teaching Tools
Our team is here to provide MIT staff, faculty and students with online resources to help ensure that students with disabilities can access course materials, and that they can fully participate in their classes.
Document creation and conversion
Need to convert pre-existing documents into accessible formats, create audio files, and convert static documents to editable text? SensusAccess is a self-service document conversion tool available to all MIT students, staff, and faculty.
- SensusAccess (MIT Disability and Access Services)
- Creating Accessible Course Materials (MIT Disability and Access Services)
Accessible Document Information
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Microsoft Word
- Use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Office Products (Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities)
- Microsoft Word: Creating Accessible Documents (WebAIM)
- Mark Up Headings in Microsoft Word (NC State)
Google Docs
- Make your document or presentation more accessible (Google)
- Mark Up Headings in Google Docs (Luis Perez)
Pages
- Creating accessible documents, spreadsheets, or presentations with Pages, Numbers, or Keynote (Apple Support)
Slide Decks and Accessibility
General Information
- Getting started with Presentation Accessibility (AEM Center)
Powerpoint
- PowerPoint Accessibility (WebAIM)
- Making Presentations Accessible for All (W3C)
- Use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Office Products (Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities )
- Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities (Microsoft)
Keynote
- Creating accessible documents, spreadsheets, or presentations with Pages, Numbers, or Keynote (Apple Support)
Google Slides
- How to create an accessible Google Slide Deck (University of Minnesota)
- Automatic captions in Google Slides (Google). Note: Automatic captions do not meet ADA standards, and do not meet the access requirements for D/deaf and hard of hearing students who request communication access. Ways to get your content captioned.
Online Conferencing Tools
Zoom
- Getting Started with Closed Captioning
- Closed Captioning with Zoom Rooms
- Automatic Transcription of Zoom Meetings
WebEx
- Webex Web App Accessibility Features
- IS&T Knowledge Base article on Webex Meeting Recording and Transcription
Polling and Response Tools
In addition to utilizing chat functions in remote conferencing platforms like Zoom, you may be using additional tools that allow you to ask questions and get responses from students.
Poll Everywhere
- Poll Everywhere has given thought to accessibility in designing their product (Poll Everywhere Accessibility Standards). If you use Poll Everywhere as part of a presentation, read aloud the question and response options in addition to showing them in writing, and share the link to the poll in the web conference chat.
Google Forms
- Google Forms (University of Minnesota)
Chat and Communication Tools
- Piazza Lite is a more accessible version of the Piazza tool
- Keyboard accessibility in Slack
All inquiries are welcome at accessibility [at] mit.edu.