Creating Inclusive and Engaging Online Courses

Reviews / Votes

'Nelson Mandela called education the most powerful weapon to change the world. Today, equitable access to educational opportunities is arguably as important as the quality of the pedagogy itself. As a former Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator and as a current masters-level online and hybrid professor, I applaud Monica Sanders' new book, Creating Inclusive and Engaging Online Courses, that is intent on practically and equitably harnessing this weapon in a post-Covid digital learning environment. Highlighting a disabled vulnerable population, this writing directly connects itself to the practice of teaching and distilling what accessible online instruction should be. The Covid-19 pandemic rang an educational bell about the potential of online learning that cannot be unheard. And while a majority of online learners are dissatisfied with their experience, the solution is likely only a few degrees off target and not an overreaction back to exclusive, campus-only learning. In my own teaching experience, having a student from, for example, Kyrgyzstan sitting virtually next to another from Texas or London represents an expansive and inclusive learning opportunity that would not be available if the class was limited by the traditional brick and mortar mechanism where attendance often takes place in higher-income, urban settings. In 1990, the ADA began to redefine what accessibility meant to communities. In the process, greater access was realized for the whole community, not just the disabled population. Today, this book helps us define what accessibility means in online teaching and learning for all students and that the digital product need not represent an inherent sacrifice to any part of the student experience. This book about Inclusive and Engaging Course Design draws upon teaching methods from Socrates to the new standards of digital citizenship that support the step-by-step implementation of their online educational framework. It is with enthusiasm and necessity that I recommend a focused read of this work.' -- Erik Xavier Wood, Georgetown University, US