For this lighting talk presented at the 2023 IARSLCE Conference, I explored the ways students must address inclusive & accessible design for a digital media capstone course as they create immersive experiences that cater to a wide range of users for each community partnership. By working with local community partners, students learn to tap into their partner's unique audiences, interests, and aspirations, fostering a sense of belonging and civic engagement.

1. Doug Strahler
Associate Professor
Dept. of Strategic Communication & Media
Slippery Rock University
Reinforcing Inclusive
Design in a Digital
Media & Community-
Engaged Learning
Course

2. Community-Engaged
Learning & Intercultural
Competence
Community-engaged learning can assist students in
understanding themselves and diverse members of
the community, develop intercultural competence,
and investigate more deeply what it means to be a
member of the community.
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3. Media Project Management
400-level course intended to develop student mastery of the emerging
environment of digital information through a project-based, team-based
course. (High-Impact Practices Service-Learning designated)
▸ Capstone: SC&M-Digital Media Production, SC&M-Advertising, Art-
Graphic Design minors
▸ Deliverables: graphic design, social media, video, audio, web
What I realized when I took over the course - why do students care?
What do they need to understand?
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4. 4
Adapted from Hatcher, Bringle & Hahn, 2016
Community-Engaged
Learning @ SRU

5. Accessible & Inclusive
Design
Accessible design is the primary outcome
of an effective inclusive design process.
5
Toptal

6. Designing with Accessibility
in Mind
For differently-abled individuals, accessing various forms of media can
pose barriers to their daily lives. (visual, hearing, motor, cognitive)
For example:
▸ A deaf person would not fully understand a video’s context without subtitles.
▸ Someone with low vision or blind will need descriptive information or a
voiceover to explain what is happening in a video.
Goal: Teaching students to be an advocate for the audience and making
sure the deliverables fit their needs.
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7. Sneak Peek: Accessibility
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Different people benefit – the Persona Spectrum
uxdesign.cc

8. Universal Design
Universal design aims to create one experience that can be accessed
and used to the greatest extent possible by all people.
▸ Unlike inclusive design, universal design enforces a single design solution without
need for adaptations or specialized design
▸ For example: International System Of
Typographic Picture Education,
or Isotype
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Copyright 1976

9. Phase 1: Discovery
▸ Primary & Secondary Research on
Organization
▸ Understand the circumstances
Phase 2: Define
▸ Summarize the goals and
directions; identify gaps among
abilities & disabilities
▸ Communication Audit & Project
Proposal
The Process

10. Ragan Communication
▸ Summary & History of the Organization
▸ Mission, Vision, & Values
▸ Programs and/or Services
▸ Audience/Publics/Personas
▸ Digital Media Initiatives
▸ Media/News
▸ Similar Organizations
▸ S.W.O.T.
Comm. Audit

11. Phase 3: Develop
▸ Present Communication Audit &
Proposal to Community Partners
▸ As they develop deliverables,
students must consider accessible
design
▸ PowerPoint = Accessible
Additional Areas
▸ Case Studies (Ex: New Zealand &
Bilingual Road Signs)
▸ Reflections
(cont.)
The Process

12. ▸ Use Descriptive Filenames
▸ Provide Alternative Text (Alt text)
▸ Caption Videos
▸ Transcripts for Audio
▸ Audio Descriptions
▸ Use Semantic HTML
▸ Avoid Color Reliance
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Creating Accessible Media
▸ Provide Keyboard Navigation
▸ Use Accessible Fonts and
Typography
▸ Test with Screen Readers
▸ Provide User Instructions
▸ Use High-Quality Audio
▸ Offer Multiple Formats

13. Inclusive Autism Program
Exists to engage autistic and
neurodiverse people of all ages to
connect and thrive.
Case Study #1

14. Low vision impairment
One of community partners had
a vision impairment, but the
students didn’t not consider how
to best present ideas.
Case Study #2

15. Accessibility means approachability and
inclusive design means making products
for everyone.
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Gilbert, 2019

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douglas.strahler@sru.edu
in/dougstrahler
@profstrahler
Q&A
Thanks!
Photo: Mike Schnelle