Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Faculty Development in Creating Accessible Content

With the growth of online learning, as well as the use of technology to supplement in-person learning, tech nology has enabled many opportunities for creating highly interactive and highly accessible learning envi ronments. This research study explored the use of online professional development and its role in creating accessible online learning environments. A questionnaire was distributed to faculty members to determine if the participation in professional development resulted in positive beliefs towards accessibility. Courses taught by participating faculty members were evaluated for accessibility using Blackboard Ally, and faculty mem bers were asked about their familiarity with Universal Design for Learning (UDL).