Giving presentations that are accessible to people with intellectual and other disabilities
Discussion Blog
:http://transportationallies.blogspot.com/
Transportation Work Group of the Michigan DD Council.
Transportation Advocacy Training
Basic Advocacy Skills
Presentations Everyone Can Understand
Local Advisory Councils
Transportation Vouchers
[Topics without links are planned for the future. For more information about those topics, see the contact information at the bottom of this page.]
Links to other web sites for this project:
United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan
Project is funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council
If we want everyone to understand, we need to present information in ways that fit their learning style and abilities. In the past people talked about special accommodations for people with learning problems. But the person isn’t the problem. The presenter is the one that is challenged – to teach in ways that everyone can learn.
Many resources describe strategies that work for people with physical disabilities or low vision or hearing. There is not much information specifically on designing learning for adults with cognitive or intellectual disabilities. This paper provides ideas for making presentations more accessible for them.
Presenters need to pay attention to a few strategies. They need to plan for people who learn better by seeing than by hearing. They need to assume that some people will not be able to read. Presenters need to allow more time for the audience to process information. Abstract concepts need to be explained in simple terms, or with examples. Of course, these strategies are not special; they help people in most audiences. We use the principles in this document all of the training in the All Aboard! Michigan project.
Contents of the documents (download below)
I. Plan the Session
II. During the Presentation
III. Use a Variety of Methods
A. Stories and Examples
B. Interaction
C. Media - Video, Pictures, Audio and PowerPoint Shows
D. Written Materials
IV. Use the Information Presented
V. Resources for More Information
Download the text only version
Download the Large Print version (20 point)
Any resources on Universal Design for Learning are good practice for helping everyone understand presentations. We found the following information from other sources to be particularly helpful.
American Printing
House for the Blind, Elaine Kitchel, M.Ed.:
ADA and Low Vision PowerPoint Guidelines
http://transportationallies.googlepages.com/ADAandMeetingsLowVisionPPTguides11-05.ppt
Common Teaching
Methods:
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/comteach.htm
Equity and
Excellence in Education – Universal Course Design
http://www.eeonline.org
Equity and
Excellence in Education – Universal Course Design Tutorials
http://www.eeonline.org/tutorial_index.htm
11 tutorials including:
· Tutorial
1: Universally Designed PowerPoint Presentations
· Tutorial
3: Universally Designed Text Documents
·
Tutorial 6: Creating Captions for Universally Designed Videos
· Tutorial
7: Universally Designed Images, Diagrams and Photos
JSET eJournal Universal Design Column. http://jset.unlv.edu/15.1/asseds/rose.html
Kitchel, E. (2004). Guidelines for the Development of PowerPoint Presentations for Audiences that may Include Persons with Low Vision. American Printing House for the Blind. Available at http://www.aph.org/tests/ppguide.html
Kitchel, E. (2001). Large Print: Guidelines for Optimal Readability and APHont(TM) a font for low vision. American Printing House for the Blind. Available at http://www.aph.org/edresearch/lpguide.htm
Universal Design for Learning, http://iod.unh.edu/EE/articles/articles_udl.html
Universal Design for Learning: Elements of Good Teaching. The Ohio State University, Fast Facts for Faculty. http://telr.osu.edu/dpg/fastfact/undesign.html
Blindness and Low Vision www.access.duke.edu/pdf/FacStafHB/SAO-FacStaf_10LowVision.pdf
For more information
on accessible materials contact Glenn Ashley
United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan, 4970 Northwind Dr, Suite 102, East
Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: 517 203-1200 Fax: 517 203-1203
Email: ashley@ UCPMichigan.org