Accessible Teaching Practices Access Statements Access Talk Alternative Text (Alt Text) and Image Descriptions Assistive Technology Boundary Setting Classroom Participation Colour Choices Digital Media Documents Flexible Assessment Fonts and Styles Formative Assessments Language of Disability Multi-Access Delivery Plain Language Presentations and Slide Decks Teaching Academic Skills

Accessible Classroom Participation

Overview

Policy and Framework Considerations:

Universal & Evidence Based: CAST-UDL Guidelines

Canadian/Human-Rights-Focused: AODA ; OHRC – Education & Disability

Accessible classroom participation refers to intentionally designing and facilitating learning activities so that all students can engage, contribute, and demonstrate learning equitably, regardless of disabilities, health conditions, language backgrounds, cultures, or learning preferences.

It shifts participation from a single dominant mode (e.g., speaking quickly in class) to multiple, flexible options aligned with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and human rights–based accommodation principles. Providing multiple means of participation is important for all learning environments, including online and in-person classes, seminars, labs, or tutorials.

Rationale

Proactively building opportunities for flexibility and choice in classroom participation can reduce the burden of seeking accommodations for disabled and neurodivergent students, as well as those who experience a variety of barriers to engagement and accessibility (e.g., students with caregiving responsibilities; students who are working or volunteering in addition to taking courses). Participation barriers often affect students with disabilities and those with anxiety, caregiving responsibilities, chronic illness, language differences, or prior educational inequities. Proactively accessible participation options also leave space for the dynamic nature of student needs and preferences, as these may change over the short and long term.

"It's easier for me to succeed when 'participation' is defined broadly. For example, sometimes I can be very engaged listening and taking notes, but not able to process the information fast enough to talk in class. (Other times I can talk in class. It depends on the subject matter, how much new information is being presented, whether I'm having a "good brain day," etc.)"

- A Western Student

"My ADHD leads to me looking distracted when I'm paying attention. In smaller classes, it can be harder to focus if I'm too busy trying to look like I am paying attention. It usually gets easier if the teacher asks questions and I get answers right early in the semester to prove I'm listening. I also feel better when teachers express that they know people listen differently."

- A Western Student

Universal Design for Learning acknowledges that learners differ in the ways that they navigate learning environments and encourages providing learners with multiple means of action and expression in order to honour different learners’ strengths and preferences. The Ontario Human Rights Commission requires that learning environments are designed to promote full integration and participation of disabled learners.

Guidance

Accessible participation should be embedded across course design, teaching practices, and assessment, not added retroactively.

Examples of accessible approaches include:

Attendance & Engagement: Offering flexible engagement methods in addition to physical presence (e.g., hybrid classes, recorded lectures, asynchronous engagement opportunities)
Participation Grading: Focusing on quality, reflection and contribution in lieu of frequency of attendance
Class Discussion Contributions: Using chat, polling and collaborative documents as options for participation alongside speaking aloud
Group Work: Offering students flexibility in group roles and format of participation instead of assigned fixed roles and timing (e.g., group lead, researcher, note-taker, presenter)
Office Hours: Providing multiple ways for students to engage during office hours, including virtual and asynchronous options alongside in-person meetings

Recommendations

Try

Clearly defining what participation means in your course and providing these expectations in both written and verbal form
Identifying multiple ways students can participate
Aligning participation with learning outcomes
Offering choice and flexibility in how students can participate (spoken, written, visual, digital)
Using structured turn-taking and provision of additional “thinking-time” for responses.
Normalizing varied engagement styles
Grading substance, reflection, or effort, not speed, volume or quantity of participation
Engaging students by using participation journals, discussion boards, or exit tickets

Avoid

Requiring students to disclose a disability or access need to access alternative forms of participation
Privileging one form of participation or engagement over others.
Requiring students to have cameras on when participating in online/hybrid environments

Resources

Centre for Teaching and Learning. Accessibility in teaching. Western U.

Centre for Teaching and Learning. Accessible options for class participation. U of Alberta.

Centre for Teaching and Learning. Inclusive community. Teaching Toolkit. Queen’s U.

Eberly Centre. Grading and feedback. Course Delivery. Carnegie Mellon U.

Polish, J. (2017). Assessment as a process, not an event: Anti-ableist strategies for all students. Visible Pedagogy, Teach@CUNY.

Teaching Support. Accessible course content. Accessible and Inclusive Teaching. U of Minnesota.