We believe that technology should never limit learning opportunities. Our duty as educators is to ensure that today’s learners are empowered to learn at their best. Here are four ways that Brightspace can make learning more accessible and inclusive.
Built-in Accessibility Features
Every learner should have access to the tools and resources needed to complete their studies, without accessibility or inclusivity limits. Native tools within Brightspace, like our HTML templates, Accessibility Checker and automatic closed captioning of video help to support accessibility needs, regardless of age or ability.
Personalized Learning Experiences
The award-winning accessibility features in Brightspace help create personalized experiences for every learner. Use the Accommodations tool to set allowances such as quiz time extensions that persist across the course. With Special Access, specific groups of students can receive extended deadlines for assessments.
Inclusive Design and Best Practices
Our inclusive UX research and product design process means we consider accessibility and engage people with diverse abilities the whole time we’re designing. We go beyond compliance and the letter of the law in our commitment to accessibility by nurturing an organization-wide culture of accessibility and inclusion.
Powerful Integrations to Support
We leverage partnerships with accessibility-focused entities such as ReadSpeaker, TextHelp, Bongo, Ally, SensusAccess and Kaltura to enhance inclusion and serve diverse needs and abilities. We also partner with Aira to offer free help to all Brightspace users with vision loss, where Aira’s call center agents are available to assist users in completing visual tasks.
“Learning which is accessible is fundamental to ensuring inclusivity,” say Cornelia Schumacher and Aamer Khan of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. “Brightspace is key to our success as it provides an accessible learning platform for us to create an engaging and enriching environment for all.”
How We Partner With Our Community
We do more than talk about accessibility. We help improve it all over the world. We’re:
- committed to nurturing our Accessibility Interest Group and have been for over a decade
- hosts of an Executive-level Accessibility Advisory Board
- the only edtech company member of the National Federation of the Blind’s Strategic Nonvisual Access Partnership program
- an organizational member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals
- an Advisory Council member of the Canadian Accessibility Network
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