The Digital Accessibility Microlearning Series offers just-in-time support for digital accessibility in teaching and learning at USC. Through short, practical webinars, the series helps faculty:
- Address accessibility needs,
- Connect with university resources that support inclusive course design, and
- Take steps to meet federal requirements for digital accessibility.
Each 30-minute webinar focuses on a key area of digital accessibility for teaching and learning materials – Blackboard Ally, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Video Captioning & Transcription, and PDFs. Sessions include a brief instructional overview followed by time for questions, examples, and resource sharing. Webinar content is tailored to real faculty needs and teaching contexts.
One microlearning workshop will be offered each week during the Spring 2026 semester.
Spring 2026 Workshops
Blackboard Ally: Making Digital Accessibility Simple
Blackboard’s Ally tool simplifies the process of identifying and resolving accessibility
issues across a variety of file types. In this session, learn how to use Ally’s features
to check accessibility, fix issues, and improve your course materials.
Wednesday, January 14 | 10:50–11:20 a.m. | Register - Blackboard Ally
Monday, February 2 | 1:10–1:40 p.m. | Register - Blackboard Ally
Wednesday, March 4 | 9:40–10:10 am. | Register - Blackboard Ally
Creating Accessible Word Documents
All course materials hosted on USC platforms, including Blackboard, must be digitally
accessible. This session focuses on Microsoft Word and covers how to use heading styles,
the accessibility checker, and other tools to create accessible syllabi, assignments,
and handouts.
Wednesday, January 21 | 12:00–12:30 p.m. | Register - Word Documents
Wednesday, February 11 | 10:50–11:20 a.m. | Register - Word Documents
Monday, March 16 | 2:20–2:50 p.m. | Register - Word Documents
Designing Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint presentations can powerfully support student learning when designed accessibly.
This session explores key accessibility practices such as reading order, alternative
text, and slide structure to ensure every student can engage with your visual content.
Friday, January 23 | 10:50–11:20 a.m. | Register - PowerPoint Presentations
Monday, February 16 | 10:50–11:20 a.m. | Register - PowerPoint Presentations
Monday, March 30 | 1:10–1:40 p.m. | Register - PowerPoint Presentations
PDFs without Barriers
PDFs are one of the most common file types shared across courses and websites, but
they can also be one of the least accessible if not properly designed. This micro-workshop
explores how to create and remediate accessible PDFs, whether you’re exporting from
Word, PowerPoint, or scanning existing materials. Learn how to check PDFs for accessibility
as well as resources to address the most common errors.
Thursday, January 29 | 11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m. | Register - PDFs
Tuesday, February 24 | 11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m. | Register - PDFs
Thursday, April 9 | 11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m. | Register - PDFs
Video Captioning and Transcription Made Easy
Captioning and transcripts make video content more engaging, flexible, and accessible.
Learn how to use USC’s supported video platform, Panopto, to easily add and manage captions for lectures and other recorded materials.
Wednesday, January 28 | 10:50–11:20 a.m. | Register - Video Captioning and Transcription
Monday, February 23 | 1:10–1:40 p.m. | Register - Video Captioning and Transcription
Thursday, April 2 | 2:20–2:50 p.m. | Register - Video Captioning and Transcription