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Languages Available: English
What is it all about?
This self-paced course covers the basics of cognitive accessibility and its role in creating inclusive digital learning experiences. It ensures learners can understand content, navigate courses, complete activities, and achieve outcomes despite differences in attention, memory, language, processing, or executive functioning.
The course shows how design choices - like clear language, logical content organization, consistent navigation, fewer distractions, and manageable information chunks - reduce cognitive load and improve accessibility for all learners.
Using practical examples and scenarios, you will learn about common cognitive disabilities, barriers in digital learning, and support needs that help learners succeed. It also demonstrates how Brightspace features and inclusive design work together to create easier-to-understand, navigate, and complete learning experiences.
Available to all Brightspace clients, this free resource offers practical guidance for anyone who creates, delivers, or supports digital learning.
Visit this course D2L's Accessibility Academy to learn about:
- The fundamentals of cognitive accessibility and why it matters in digital learning,
- Common cognitive disabilities, cognitive barriers, and learner support needs,
- Brightspace features that help reduce cognitive barriers and support diverse learners,
- Practical strategies and resources for improving learning experiences in Brightspace.
Within this course we have an online cognitive accessibility lab with fun game-based activities.
Who is it for?
This course is designed for anyone who creates, delivers, or supports learning experiences in Brightspace, including:
- Faculty members
- Instructional designers
- Course developers and content authors
- Educational technologists
- Teaching assistants
- Accessibility specialists
- Brightspace administrators
- Anyone interested in creating more inclusive digital learning experiences
Whether you are building a new course or improving an existing one, this course provides practical strategies to help create learning experiences that support a wide range of cognitive needs.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Explain the importance of cognitive accessibility in digital learning.
- Describe common cognitive disabilities, the barriers learners may face, and their cognitive support needs.
- Identify how Brightspace features can help reduce cognitive barriers and support diverse learner needs.
- Apply inclusive design principles and appropriate Brightspace features to create more cognitively accessible learning experiences.