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Today’s student population is diverse and includes marginalized groups that have historically been excluded from mainstream education (Ladson-Billings, 2013). In 2021, students of color comprised upwards of 40% of the 15.4 million undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities (Nam, 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Ladson-Billings (2013), whose work centers on culturally relevant pedagogy, argues that diverse students require inclusive learning to succeed. “[These students] do not fit neatly into the rigid categories of race, class, gender, or national origin” upon which hierarchies of the past have been built (p. 5), so authentic representation of diversity in higher education is critical. Adrienne Keene, an assistant professor of American Studies at Brown University, writes that instructors can do their part to support underrepresented students by being honest about their own bias and blind spots, critiquing their course materials, and integrating meaningful representations of diversity into the curriculum (Fuchs et al., 2020; Keene, 2015).

Online courses can offer numerous advantages to students. In order for all students to benefit from these advantages, it is essential to prioritize accessibility needs in all aspects of course design and delivery. This piece focuses on considerations and recommendations for enhancing the accessibility of online courses for students with motor impairments.

Many existing best practices for course builds can be leveraged to support English language learners (ELLs). While designing your online course, consider ELLs and the diverse linguistic and cultural knowledge they bring to the classroom.

Cognitive disabilities are common among adults in the United States and are especially prevalent among young adults (Okoro et al., 2018). Such disabilities impact mental functions such as memory, attention, perception, and calculation, among others. As a result, students with cognitive disabilities may struggle with academic tasks generally—and online coursework specifically—in unique ways (Petretto et al., 2021; Reyes et al., 2022). Since online courses are often text-heavy, for example, students with dyslexia may find them more challenging to navigate than on-ground classes (Chen et al., 2015). Students with cognitive disabilities may also struggle with navigating inconsistent online course layouts, comprehending complicated directives, and engaging with non-essential course components. Finally, when online courses are large or impersonal, students with cognitive disabilities may have difficulty focusing on assignments and other coursework (The Best Schools, 2024).

Designing and delivering effective online courses requires careful consideration of numerous factors. As a result, it can be difficult to determine where to begin in the process, particularly for course developers and instructors who are new to online learning. This piece presents a curated list of resources aligned with 10 key considerations applicable across academic disciplines and degree programs.

In comparison to instructional videos, the role of audio-only instructional content in online learning has received scant attention. When audio-only content is discussed, the research often centers on the use of audio feedback or student-created podcasts, rather than instructor-created instructional audio. Additionally, few studies have compared learning outcomes from recorded video lectures versus from audio alone, except within the context of specific disciplines, such as second language acquisition (Berner & Adams, 2004).

Inclusion entails creating an environment of open participation for all individuals. Using inclusive language across course content and communications can help reach every learner and ensure all students feel heard, valued, and validated (Márquez & Melero-Aguilar, 2022). This piece will explore the thoughtful use of inclusive language in online learning environments.

Developments such as the evolution of World Englishes (WE) and African American scholars’ use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) have opened an important dialogue around academic writing standards, language ownership, and linguistic justice (Canagarajah, 2006; Young, 2010). Authors like Gloria Anzaldua who mix, for example, Native Indian, Spanish, and English in texts, are engaging in the literary tradition of code meshing, which has been shown to facilitate acquisition of English when used by multicultural students in the classroom, according to research (Canagarajah, 2006). By adopting inclusive practices, course designers can combat linguistic bias and promote writing achievement for all learners. This piece contains five recommendations for reducing linguistic bias in online education.

If you’re an educator, you're probably familiar with the concept of accessibility, which often manifests in the classroom in the form of accommodation requests to meet specific students' needs. If you're an online educator, you've hopefully heard about web accessibility, which requires adhering to specific guidelines when designing and providing materials via the web, reducing the need for student accommodations by anticipating and removing potential barriers to learning.