April 2026 Features
OLC Webinar: Navigating the New Federal Accessibility Rules for Higher Education
Wendy MacColl and Kaitlin Garret of OLF break down the new U.S. Department of Justice regulations for Title II ADA Act, and what they mean for higher education institutions. Here are some key takeaways:
- View accessibility through the lens of Universal Design for Learning. UDL prioritizes improving the usability of a course for all students.
- Accessibility is a shared responsibility between departments, faculty, and staff.
Watch the on-demand webinar (login required).
OLC Webinar: 5 Recommendations on Supporting Neurodiverse Students in Teaching & Learning
Sherri Restauri, Ph.D. of Coastal Carolina University, discusses the importance of presenting course content in diverse formats, using completion tracking in LMS, and designing for students with diverse pacing needs. Here are some of the key takeaways:
- Creating content in different formats (e.g., audio, text, or video) allows the student to choose which format they can focus on.
- Allow students to choose how they demonstrate their understanding by offering assessment options (e.g., a video or a written paper).
- Leverage the accessibility tools in your LMS. Use Blackboard Ally to pinpoint specific accessibility issues.
OLC Webinar: Leveraging AI for Accessible and Inclusive Learning
The WHO estimates that 1 in 6 of the world’s population experiences a disability. In Higher Education, 24% of students report having a disability. These disabilities can either be visible or invisible in students. This webinar discusses how AI tools can help create a more inclusive learning environment. The webinar features both free and paid AI tools, along with example prompts you can use.
Watch the on-demand webinar (login required)
Past Features
OLC On Demand Webinar: AI in Assessment: Enhancing Integrity, Equity, and Innovation in Digital Learning
How should we equip students to succeed in an AI enabled workforce? This webinar discusses strategies for instructors to incorporate AI into learning and working with students. Watch the on demand webinar (login required).
UPCEA Live Panel Discussion: From Checklists to Check-ins: Accessibility, AI, and Human Judgement in EdTech
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM ET
- Moderator: Julie Uranis (UPCEA)
- Panelists: Experts from Greenville Technical College, the University of Missouri System, and Blackboard.
- Register now for the live panel discussion.
Key Themes
- The AI Balance: Identifying where automation effectively scales accessibility and where over-reliance creates ethical or technical risks.
- Title II Readiness: Discussing strategies for long-term compliance and institutional readiness.
- Human Judgment: Why human reflection and care remain essential in learning design, even as AI tools streamline technical fixes.
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Sustainability: Building a culture of accessibility rather than
just reacting to individual content issues.
WVU AI Syllabus Statements
You can find examples of AI policy statements that you can use in any course.
WVU AI Faculty and Staff Group
The WVU AI Discussion Group is a collaborative initiative from the WVU Research Office that brings together faculty, staff, and students to explore AI’s impact on higher education.
The group is spearheaded by Professor Aldo Romero, Director of Research Computing and Professor of Physics, who facilitates the group's three core areas:
- Education: Monthly talks and recorded sessions featuring experts who discuss AI applications in research and teaching.
- Strategy: Open dialogues and feedback surveys, such as those led by Professor Romero, to help shape WVU’s institutional AI policies.
- Resources: A newsletter archive (Issues #4–#11) that tracks evolving AI trends and campus developments.