Challenge C: Substantive Post #2

As stated by Kat Holmes, “Disability isn’t a lack of ability, it’s a mismatch between a person’s abilities and their environment” (Holmes, 2019). Using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, accessibility means giving everyone equal opportunity to succeed by removing barriers and creating flexible learning environments. This means learning spaces should adapt to learners, rather than continually making one change at a time for one person. When accessibility is viewed through an equitable lens it becomes connected to inclusion and belonging. 

With this in mind, accessibility becomes more than a checklist. Within multimedia learning, it is about providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. Together, these principles help plan for different learners from the start instead of fixing problems at the end. Tools like, close captioning, alt text and descriptive video not only remove barriers for people who have hearing difficulty or are English Language Learners, they support other people with various learning styles. This extends further to connect with Mayer’s Principles of Multimedia Learning, as incorporating these accessibility factors contributes to better learning through the Dual Coding Theory, which shows that combining words and images helps with memory and reduces cognitive load. 

Accessibility shapes multimedia and interactive learning environments through a change from a reactive to proactive approach. By incorporating readable texts and simple and consistent layouts it improves usability and reduces cognitive load, resulting in more productive learning. Overall, when multimedia tools are built with accessible at the forefront, learning is more effective and engaging for all.

References:

Granchelli, A. (n.d.). Accessible multimedia. EDCI 337. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci337/2025/11/02/accessible-multimedia/  

ColumbiaLearn. (2019). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdmoBl3Z75I&feature=youtu.be