Best Practices for Developing Online Videos for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students

Concurrent Session 1

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Discovery Session to showcase best practices for developing accessible online videos for individuals who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. These best practices are beneficial for diverse audiences including English as Second Language learners. Experienced faculty from a well-known college that serves Deaf/Hard of Hearing students will share their strategies and experiences. 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Mellissa Youngman, Rochester Institute of Technology

Mellissa Youngman is a Senior Lecturer and accounting program team leader in the Business Studies Department at NTID. She holds an MS in Business Administration from RIT. She has taken the lead in developing/teaching the accounting program's first online/blended course--Personal Finance.

Co-presenter: Tracy Magin, Rochester Institute of Technology

Extended Abstract

Teaching Deaf/Hard of Hearing students must be based on inclusivity and accessibility. Online courses should have visually accessible content and videos. Faculty teaching Deaf/Hard of Hearing students should be equipped with tools and a variety of teaching strategies to ensure that the students are able to fully participate in the course.

In this session, videos will be shown that demonstrate the use of standardized designs and formatting which includes the use of instructor signing in the video, captioning, audio, and visual materials such as PowerPoints. In addition, we will discuss the best practices for preparing videos such as having a transcript, wearing appropriate clothing, and the importance of saving videos in multiple formats.

Participants will have the opportunity to interact with experienced faculty from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, one of nine colleges at Rochester Institute of Technology. These faculty members have more than 20 years of experience teaching Deaf/Hard of Hearing students at both the associate and bachelor's levels. The goals for this session are to share best practices for making online courses videos and materials accessible for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students. These best practices can also be transferred to international/English as a second language learners as well as visual learners.