Beyond Compliance: Using Accessibility Tools as a Student Success and Retention Strategy

Many institutions view accessibility as a compliance issue rather than a driver of student success. This session reframes accessibility as a core retention strategy by showcasing innovative uses of accessibility tools within Canvas courses. Participants will see how accessibility improvements can positively impact engagement, persistence, and equitable outcomes. Through live demonstrations, interactive discussions, and a digital takeaway toolkit, attendees will explore actionable ways to support faculty and staff in creating inclusive learning environments. Whether you are an instructor, instructional designer, or administrator, you’ll gain practical strategies and resources to transform accessibility work from a checklist to a student-centered practice that promotes success for all learners.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Explain how accessibility practices directly impact student retention and success in community colleges.
• Demonstrate using accessibility tools to identify and resolve Canvas accessibility issues effectively.
• Develop a plan to engage faculty and staff in building accessible, inclusive digital learning environments.

Note: Webinars are only available to individuals at NISOD member colleges.

Learners will have the option to earn a certificate of attendance or a certificate with Continuing Education Units (CEU) upon completion of the webinar. To earn a certificate with CEUs, the learner must successfully pass the learning assessment with a score of 80% or higher. All learners must complete the post-event evaluation to earn credentials. 

The duration of this webinar is one hour, which is equal to 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).