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CODE Webinar: Digital Accessibility in Online Education  

Learn how programme level design for one online postgraduate degree set a new baseline for digital accessibility across the portfolio. 

This Centre for Online and Distance Education webinar brings together the cross-institutional team behind the design and development of a fully online Disability Studies Rights and Inclusion MSc degree offered by the University of Leeds. You'll gain insights directly from the academics who developed the course, as well as the learning designers responsible for ensuring digital accessibility. This collaboration resulted in digital accessibility informed by both technical standards and pedagogical principles. We’ll explore the non-negotiable approach the team took to developing this degree exploring the approach to user testing, impact on student experience and what we’ve learned after launch. Finally, we’ll share how this has significantly informed all our online course development. We'll also be joined by a student on the course.  

Panel Chair: Margaret Korosec

Dr Margaret Korosec is an innovative leader in higher education bringing creativity, intentionality, and systems perspective to her work in scaling accessible online, open and professional education. She is the Dean of Online and Digital Education at the University of Leeds with strategic responsibility for the growth of the online degree portfolio and flexible learning offer. As a Fellow of the Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE), she is part of a scholarly network exploring institutional and academic challenges and opportunities of online and distance education.  

Panellists:

Dr Hannah Morgan SFHEA is an Associate Professor of Social Policy and Disability Studies and Deputy Head of School with responsibility for EDI, Community and Development in the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds. An early graduate of the MA in Disability Studies, she returned to Leeds to lead the development of the new fully online Disability Studies, Rights and Inclusion programme. Hannah’s academic practice is concerned with the development of disability studies, the disabled people’s movement, disabled people’s experiences of public services and professional practice and education.  

Dr Miro Griffiths MBE is a Disability Studies scholar and Co-Director of the Centre for Disability Studies, at the University of Leeds. His research is primarily associated with exploring disabled people’s ideas and imaginations for accessible and inclusive societies. Dr Griffiths also holds several advisory positions on disability policy, across UK government departments, local government authorities, the European Commission, and civil society organisations. He is a former strategic and confidential adviser to two UK government administrations, and a former Disability Advisory Committee member at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Tahiya Brewin (FHEA) is a Learning Designer at the University of Leeds. She works collaboratively with academic teams to design engaging, technology-enhanced learning experiences across diverse subject areas, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Disability Studies, and International Fashion Marketing. Tahiya focuses on making learning accessible and inclusive, using digital tools to improve student experiences.   

Emma Dibb is an experienced Learning Designer at the University of Leeds who works collaboratively with academic teams to design engaging, accessible and inclusive online learning experiences across various disciplines. She has a passion for online learning and takes a human-centred approach to design by putting the learner at the centre of the design process. 

Claire Ashdown is a project manager in the Student and Education Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team at the University of Leicester. In her role, she leads projects such as student partnership initiatives, inclusive practice training for staff, and guidance on inclusive classrooms. Committed to promoting equity in education, she is currently in the final stage of pursuing her MSc in Disability Studies, Rights, and Inclusion at the University of Leeds.

All welcome-this event is free to attend, but advance registration is required.