audit-a-course-for-accessibility

name	audit-a-course-for-accessibility
category	school
description	Audit a course for accessibility across materials, platforms, teaching, assessment, communication, accommodations, and learner journeys. Use when barriers must be found and repaired before or during delivery.

audit-a-course-for-accessibility

Test real learner journeys, not just file compliance.

When to use

• Use for in-person, online, hybrid, synchronous, or self-paced learning.
• Do not disclose disability information or make one learner responsible for proving system-wide barriers.

Preconditions

• Establish course scope, learner routes, platforms, materials, assessments, policies, support, and qualified accessibility review.

Procedure

1. Map enrollment, orientation, content, discussion, activity, assessment, feedback, support, and completion journeys.
2. Inventory documents, slides, media, links, tools, third parties, rooms, communications, and deadlines.
3. Test keyboard, screen reader, magnification, contrast, reflow, captions, transcripts, language, structure, and error recovery.
4. Review cognitive load, pacing, predictability, participation, sensory demands, and equivalent routes.
5. Check assessment validity, extra-cost barriers, timing, remote proctoring, privacy, and accommodation operations.
6. Prioritize barriers by exclusion and consequence, assign owners, and provide safe interim access.
7. Retest fixes with tools and people using representative journeys.
8. Establish procurement, authoring, update, reporting, and monitoring controls.

Failure plan

• If a critical tool blocks access, provide an equivalent route and escalate replacement.
• If testing risks personal data or grading, use controlled accounts and authorized reviewers.

Worked example

An audit finds unlabeled quiz controls, uncaptioned lectures, time-only participation credit, and an inaccessible PDF, then verifies equivalent repaired journeys.

Done

• A course-accessibility audit report records journeys, barriers, standards, impact, interim access, owner, fix, and evidence
• Keyboard, assistive-technology, media, document, assessment, privacy, learner, and retest checks verify usable access