Principle of Representation - Guideline 1 - Criterion 3

Universal Design for Learning

Principle of Representation - Guideline 1 - Criterion 3

When developing a course using the first principle of Universal Design for Learning, there are three specific guidelines to assist us.  The first, Perception in many ways overlaps with creating accessible content.

Criterion 3 of this guideline advocates that we provide alternatives to visual content.

Images, info-graphics, and video can be a superior way to presenting content.  This is particularly true when demonstrating relationships, such as between actions or events. A picture can state 1000 words, but not if you cannot see it. These presentations can abandon those with visual disabilities. To ensure equitable access, offer non-visual learners alternatives, such as: 

• Providing descriptions (text, spoken, or both) for all images, graphics, tables, and other visual content
• Providing auditory cues for key concepts and transitions in visual information
• Providing physical models (when possible) to convey perspective or interaction
• Adding a primacy to supplying textual representations that can easily be converted to text-to-speech.  The malleable nature of text on the web has an advantage of permanence and flexibility. Having Closed Captions, a transcript, or visual description should always be included. Offering a text-to-speech option alongside the text further benefits the learners.  

By following these suggestions, your course will assist students communicating and expressing their knowledge, as well as being in line the Principle of Representation in the Theory of Universal Design for Learning.