Resources for Access & Distance Education
We have created this page to serve as your entry point for the many resources available on our website. The site also has a robust search feature you can use to locate resources about a specific topic not included on this page.
AEM Center Resources for Remote Learning
AEM Center Activities
We would love to hear about your successes in using technology to support learning at home. If you are comfortable, record a brief (less than a minute) video testimonial and post it to a social media platform of your choice and let us know about it by tagging us: @CAST_UDL on Twitter, @CASTUDL on Facebook.
AEM Café
Every first Thursday of the month from 1:00 – 2:00 pm PT / 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET, we’ll focus on a topic, share some little-known resources from the AEM Center, and the rest is up to you. Show up, chat, ask questions, or just listen to the conversation. The AEM Café is open and ready to welcome you.
Register once for the entire AEM Café monthly series
Have an idea for a topic? Let us know by filling out this quick form, or share it with us on Twitter using #AEM4All and tagging @CAST_UDL.
Accessibility Practices for Teachers
The AEM Center hosts webinars focusing on tools and resources to support the transition to remote learning in response to COVID-19. You can watch the recordings and download the handouts and slide decks from the AEM Events page, where you can also register for upcoming webinars as they are announced.
For background information, including definitions of key terms, watch the AEM Center webinar Coming to Terms: The Meaning of "Accessible."
Personalizing the Reading Experience
- Webinar: Personalizing the Reading Experience
- Personalizing the Reading Experience
- Getting Started with EPUB
Personlizing the Writing Experience
Making Math Notation Accessible
- Webinar: Making Math Notation Accessible
- Teaching with Accessible Math
- Creating Accessible Math with MathML
Creating Accessible Documents
- Webinar: Creating Accessible Documents and Slide Decks
- Creating Accessible Documents and Slide Decks
- Getting Started with Document Accessibility (PDF)
- Getting Started with Presentation Accessibility (PDF)
- Designing for Accessibility with POUR
Creating High Quality and Accessible Video
- Webinar: Creating High Quality and Accessible Video
- Webinar: 1-2-3 Captions - Workflows for Creating Accessible Video
- Top Ten Tips for Creating Quality Video
- Teaching with Accessible Video
- Creating Accessible Video
Accessible Open Educational Resources
- Webinar: Curating Accessible OER with Confidence
- Protocol for Curating Accessible OER Version 1.0 (Draft)
Access to Materials for Qualifying Students
- Bookshare's Learning at Home Resource
- Learning Ally
- DCMP: Described and Captioned Media Program
- APH: American Printing House for the Blind
U.S. Department of Education Guidance
- Question and Answer (Q & A) Document on Implementation of IDEA Part B Provision of Services in the COVID-19 Environment (September, 2020)
- Secretary DeVos Reiterates Learning Must Continue for All Students, Declines to Seek Congressional Waivers to FAPE, LRE Requirements of IDEA
- Supplemental Fact Sheet Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities
- Fact Sheet: Addresing the Risk of COVID-19 in Schools While Protecting the Civil Rights of Students
- Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak
- Office for Civil Rights Short Webinar on Online Education and Website Accessibility (YouTube, 7 min)
- FERPA and Coronavirus Diesease 2019 Frequently Asked Questions
- Office of Civil Rights Bulletin: HIPAA Privacy and Novel Coronavirus
Your State's Human Network
Office of Special Education Programs Funded Centers
- Bookshare's Learning at Home Resource
- CISL: Center on Inclusive Software for Learning
- CITES: Center on Inclusive Technology and Education Systems
- COLSD: Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities
- DCMP: Described and Captioned Media Program
- ECTA: Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center
- NCSI: National Center for Systemic Improvement
- NIMAC: National Instructional Materials Access Center
AEM Center Partners
- SETDA: Coalition for eLearning
- ISKME: Remote Teaching and Learning with OER
- ATIA: COVID-19 Resources
Continuing Conversations
- Remote Learning Guidance from State Education Agencies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A First Look (MIT Teaching Systems Lab)
- CEC Webinar: Teaching Special Education Online During COVID-19 (YouTube) (automatic captions)
- National Down Syndrome Congress Webinar: Preparing Yourself, Your Family and Your Home for Online Learning (not captioned)
- Six Tips for Zoom Accessibility (AT3 Center)
- Understood: Video and Distance Education - 6 UDL Best Practices
- For the Foreseeable Future: COVID-19 (Tim Villegas)