Accessible Education Center helps students remote learning

The UO’s Accessible Education Center is inviting all students at the university to take advantage of services that can help them adapt to the new remote learning environment.

This term, the center is working with more than 1,800 students in 1,400 different classes to improve access and engagement in remote coursework. The center is ensuring that students are able to take advantage of some built-in benefits to remote learning, such as the ability to easily record and transcribe lectures.

It is also continuing to assist students with overcoming barriers some may be experiencing with online classes and navigating digital campus resources.

The center is offering a spring workshop series aimed at supporting students during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Workshops focus on building skills in time management, taking care of themselves and setting up a workspace at home. Helpful tips on how to strategically mine online resources for information are also offered.

All students, not only those with documented need for accommodations, are welcome to participate in the center’s workshops this term.

“We are expanding our reach in recognition that many students share current challenges around developing effective strategies and tools for working in a remote environment, practicing positive self-care and finding effective ways to seek out and utilize resources,” said Hilary Gerdes, center director and the assistant vice provost for accessibility in the Division of Undergraduate Education and Student Success.

The center is encouraging instructors to offer additional flexibility around deadlines for all students and to refer to accessibility considerations related to academic continuity planning.

The center is a resource for instructors who need assistance addressing individual access issues. Instructors should encourage students experiencing any barriers to learning to reach out to the center directly.

For more information, visit the Accessible Education Center website.

—By Anna Glavash, University Communications