Designing for Equity: A Course for Accessible Digital Learning in Adult Ed

Session 3: 2:15pm-3:45pm (Friday March 06, 2026)

 

Description

Build the habits and skills to ensure equitable access to learning materials created by teachers. The course is designed to inform anyone within adult education who want to align their materials to ensure accessibility for all students. It allows a self-paced approach to learning with instruction on how to apply alt text, headings, color contrast, captions, and other tools. Drawing from the Accessibility Training for AE Teachers course, this session connects Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to WCAG 2.2 and Section 508, then provides tutorials and resources, models practical workflows to remediate common documents and slides (headings, reading order, contrast), PDFs (tags), images (alt text), and video (captions/transcripts). Participants leave with a basic understanding of what the course offers, how to access and enroll in it along with curriculum and materials to ensure equitable, accessible learning experiences.

Presenters

Lead Presenter Bio Photo

Penny Pearson

OTAN

Penny Pearson was a former Coordinator for Distance Learning Projects at OTAN and a CTE instructor. With over 25 years of supporting adult education teachers with technology integration and professional development she now works part-time for OTAN as a subject matter expert. She frequently presents at conferences at all levels. She advocates for accessible documents, and she is a vocal supporter of Open Educational Resources for Adult Learners.

Lead Presenter Bio Photo

Debbie Jensen

OTAN

Debbie Jensen worked as an adult education instructor for 33 years, most recently in Adult Basic Education, and assisted technology integration at her school. She currently works for OTAN creating online resources, courses, articles, presentations, and workshops. She has written and presented on the need for Accessibility in Adult Education. Debbie has presented at multiple conferences including COABE, CAEP, TDLS, CCAE, CASAS SI, and CUE

Type of Presentation

Follow-along Workshop (90 minute)

Audience

  • Teachers
  • Administrators
  • Support Staff (Transition Specialists, Counselors, Librarians, etc.)

Program Strands

  • Adult Basic Education
  • Adult Secondary Education
  • Adults with Disabilities
  • English as a Second Language
  • Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship
  • Short-term Career Technical Education
  • Workforce Preparation

Category Strands

  • Ensuring Equity and Access
  • Designing Learning Experiences