UDL Case Study: Accessible Presentations of Technical InformationMNT-EC: Micro Nano Technology Education Center

Jared Ashcroft, Principal Investigator for the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC), approached CAST to provide coaching to Seminar Series presenters to ensure their presentations incorporated accessibility best practices as well as Universal Design for Learning strategies. 

The CAST and MNT-EC Collaboration

Staff from CAST attended each webinar as observers and took notes that could be used to debrief each presenter following the webinar. For each webinar, there were two 1-hour calls:

  • At a pre-webinar call: Seminar Series presenters shared their slides and discussed their strategies for the upcoming presentation. CAST staff provided feedback and shared a document available in the Resources section of this case study. The document provides examples of common practices that improve the accessibility of presentations.
  • At a post-webinar call: Seminar Series presenters reflected on their experience and shared what they had learned along with not just CAST and MNT-EC staff, but the next presenter in the series. 

This cycle of preparation and reflection continued for the duration of the webinar series.

Feedback Themes

The CAST staff worked with the presenters to prepare and debrief them on their presentations, a few themes emerged:

  • Many of the topics involved the presentation of complex images with multiple layers of information, connections, and relationships. The CAST team recommended breaking down each image into several components that could be presented to the learner in a sequence to avoid cognitive overload. It was also recommended that presenters include a variety of devices to direct attention to critical components in the images and guide information processing (such as callouts or numbering). 
  • The CAST team encouraged MNT-EC presenters to consider the 3-4 key takeaways or key points from each session as a way to prioritize the information presented in each 1-hour session. Similarly, scaffolding of the content through the presentation of goals at the beginning of each session and the breaking down the information into shorter segments (“chunking”) was encouraged. Especially with technical information, adding breaks for discussion can provide opportunities for participants to consolidate learning before more information is presented to them. 
  • For one activity, the presenter asked participants to identify a specific piece of equipment by sight. That activity would pose a significant challenge for someone with a visual impairment and leave that person feeling left out. This was a valuable teachable moment that helped create awareness about the need to mind sensory characteristics when designing and delivering a presentation to avoid creating barriers for some participants. 

Resources

To help presenters in the preparation for their sessions, the CAST team developed a brief handout with tips on how to increase engagement and present information in an accessible way.

Additional Resources from CAST

Focus Group

A selected group of MNT-EC presenters were invited to share their experiences during a 1-hour virtual focus group conducted over Zoom and recorded with the participants’ permission.

Focus Group Members

  • Tanya Faltens, Network for Computational Nanotechnology, Purdue University
  • Paul Webster, Oak Crest Institute of Science
  • Neda Habibi, Northwest Vista College

Questions for Presenters

  • What was your previous understanding of accessibility before your experience working with CAST?
  • What was your previous understanding of Universal Design for Learning before your experience working with CAST?
  • How do you see accessibility fitting in with UDL? 
  • What are some new practices you have implemented in the preparation of your presentation materials as a result of the CAST training?
  • What are some new practices you have implemented in how you present the content as a result of the CAST training?
  • How do you think the new practices will better support students with disabilities in micro nanotechnology coursework?  
  • What do you see as sticking points for other faculty when it comes to implementing accessibility?
  • What would incentivize faculty to do more around accessibility?
  • What would you tell another faculty member who’s getting started on this journey of learning more about accessibility and inclusive learning practices? 
  • Is there anything else you want others in the ATE community to know? 

Presenters' Key Takeaways

  • “Sharing your story at the beginning of a seminar makes a connection with the audience and builds a community.” (Neda)
  • “Avoid using ‘this, that, as you can see in this picture,’ because what if someone is not seeing that picture. So instead use a descriptive presentation and kind of describe the picture or whatever is in that slide.” (Neda)
  • “I use Google Docs a lot, and just explaining the headers...and I’ve been cleaning up documents going back. That was really helpful.” (Tanya)
  • “The alt text on images, I’ve been aware about it, I’ve been exposed to it, but I haven’t really done anything about it. I’ve been paying more attention and trying to write better descriptions.” (Tanya)
  • “The more accessible you make your materials, the greater the reach of your materials, the greater the impact you can make with them.” (Tanya)
  • “I would say that if you make your content or presentation more accessible, there’s a better chance that you make a connection with your audience so you can impact them better.” (Neda)

Survey Results

A survey conducted at the conclusion of the webinar series demonstrated a high level of satisfaction with the CAST coaching. All of the respondents (N=9) gave the experience a positive rating, with 89% of the presenters saying it was extremely helpful and informative. When asked what could be done differently, presenters said they would have liked to connect with CAST and learned about accessibility sooner. 

Presenters were then asked to list 2-3 takeaways from the sessions.

Presenter Responses

  • Describing visual content to make it more accessible to a diverse audience
    • “learned how to describe a picture/diagram on a PowerPoint”
    • “Adding image descriptions as Alt Text”
    • “I learned about alt text for images and how to use this”
    • “Alternate text for images”
    • “During a presentation, describe each picture”
    • “Doing a better job of describing images while presenting”
    • “Describing the sequence of what’s happening in charts and figures”
    • “Verbally describe what you’re sharing”
    • “Previewing photos and videos with summaries”
  • Strategies for communicating technical content in a way that engages the audience
    • “Keeping in mind ‘what’s in it for me’ for all users
    • “Examples are, including agenda and outline in presentations, indicating arrows in images and slides that will direct the attention of the audience, including importance of the subject” 
    • “Reducing the amount of information on a PPT slide"

What Presenters Plan to Do Differently in the Future

  • "I will continue to add Alt text for pictures and consider the contrast of images, backgrounds, and text."
  • "Alt text for images, slower pace, and simpler layout."
  • "I will continue to give talks in a way that will connect with the audience. For example, by sharing my story that could build a sense of community among others. Also, in future talks, I will describe what is the main takeaway or outcome of the presentation."
  • "Continue to describe images. Use high contrast color differences (like black and white) between text and slide background."
  • "Update PowerPoint slides to include alt text for pictures. Consider the number of words on a slide. Consider color and contrast on slides."

About MNT-EC

The Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) is led by Pasadena City College in collaboration with Edmonds College, Portland Community College, and Northwest Vista College. The MNT-EC connects existing micro and nano NSF ATE Resource Centers and leverages a broad set of expertise to prepare a nationwide skilled technical workforce for the manufacture of micro and nano products. 

Each member of MNT-EC brings resources—such as cleanrooms, educational materials, and remote operation of lab instruments—to support and inform the development of a common curriculum for associate degrees and certificates in micro nano technologies. CAST logo

To help faculty in the academic institutions remain current in micro- and nanotechnology innovations, the MNT EC offers periodic workshops or webinars across various specializations (such as safety, fabrication, and operations) provided by academic and industry members.

Disclaimer

AccessATE is funded by the National Science Foundation under DUE#1836721. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.