Gender- and diversity-sensitive teaching

Accessible document design, for example for presentations, seminar plans or handouts, is relevant for the development of learning and information materials for students in order to increase accessibility and flexibility in the learning process, among other things. A document is essentially accessible if it can be used by all people, regardless of physical, sensory or cognitive limitations.

Readability

• Use uniform fonts wherever possible.
• Elements that are difficult to read, such as graphic watermarks, should be avoided.
• For a user-friendly text flow, headers and footers should not contain essential information.

Structuring and formatting

• Use style sheets in your teaching documents.
• If necessary, use bookmarks to mark different sections of text
• All objects in the text should be anchored, e.g. images or text fields.
• Choose short and meaningful headings. Also use appropriate styles for titles and headings.

Alternative texts for visual elements

• Prepare detailed alternative texts, e.g. for images and illustrations, to make the content accessible. (Visually impaired people are often dependent on screen readers).

Printing and stitching

• If possible, the layout and placement of text and images should correspond to the appearance of the printed paper document.
• Avoid bindings that are difficult for physically disabled people to hold or read. Sturdy spiral bindings, on the other hand, are user-friendly and easier to handle.

Compatibility with assistive technologies

• Make sure that your documents are compatible with various assistive technologies, such as screen readers or Braille displays.

Weiterführende Informationen

• Guide to creating accessible documentsExternal link
• Create accessible Word documentsExternal link
• 4 steps to an accessible PDFExternal link
• Document check for accessibilityExternal link
• The software's own document check function:                                                                                                    At Microsoft and Adobe at [File => Check for problems => Check accessibility]

Media accessibility is a basic prerequisite for equal opportunity participation in courses. Accessible digital teaching content allows students with different needs to design their learning activities as individually as possible.

Learning media for students

• Where possible, reading texts, scripts etc. should be made available in digital form and at an early stage. In addition, self-study generally supports learning independent of time and place and can supplement or replace classroom teaching.
• Chronically ill students often need the materials to catch up on missed seminar content.
• If necessary, analogue teaching/learning materials should be given to physically impaired or chronically ill students in advance so that they can digitize them. (This is permitted for personal use if the materials are not publicly accessible). See below: Legal basis.

Media in the course

• Possibly allow the recording of the course as a video or audio document. It should be clarified in advance that public reproduction is prohibited. (Lectures may be protected by copyright as spoken works.)
• Use a flipchart, blackboard or PowerPoint, for example. Read out everything you have illustrated and explain graphics and images.
• Ensure that the teaching media used are adequately lit, e.g. presentation wall.
• If necessary, add subtitles to audio elements and instructional videos. 
• With the help of certain programs (e.g. OpenCast), lectures can be recorded and enriched with additional materials.
• Use clean written media and write legibly, large and clearly, e.g. on blackboards or slides.
• If possible, change presentation methods and media flexibly. This prevents rapid fatigue.
• Always appeal to at least two senses. Illustrate what is said and verbalize visual representations.

Further information

• Digital tools for teaching de
• Subtitling of teaching videos and lecture recordings in MoodleExternal link
• Hints and tips for the inclusive design of media formatsExternal link
• Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education: Media & MaterialsExternal link

The learning effectiveness of face-to-face events is based on the principles of effective visualization. The tips on transparency and orientation relate in particular to traditional course formats, such as lectures and seminars.

Ensure good visibility. V- and U-shaped seating in seminars allows all students to see the teacher (particularly important for hearing-impaired participants, e.g. when reading lips).

Structure your presentations clearly and concisely. Layout and information content should be well coordinated.

Visually impaired students in particular can also help:

• Do the black and white test: print your presentation in black and white. If everything is logically comprehensible without colors, the presentations can also be better understood by the visually impaired.
• Use a font size of at least 30 for presentations and 12 for scripts.
• Avoid italic characters. These are difficult to read. Bold text is easier to read.
• Avoid hyphens.
• Keep the background as simple as possible.
• Allow seating close to the power connection (screen reader, Braille display, etc.).
• Avoid Roman numerals. Some reading devices cannot transmit these.
• Avoid justified text. This distorts.
• Ensure good contrast.
• Avoid red and green (red-green visual impairment).

Graphics often help deaf people to better understand teaching/learning content.

Further information

• Making courses accessibleExternal link                       
• Barrier-free teaching - barrier-free studyingExternal link           
• Tips for the inclusive design of coursesExternal link

In addition to barrier-free rooms, you can use your voice and body expression to consciously shape your lectures in order to achieve more clarity and presence, which benefits all students.

Speaking in front of the group

• If possible, speak freely and articulate clearly, facing the students. If possible, read only part of the lecture content from the manuscript.
• In larger rooms, use a microphone for better audibility. Ensure that there is as little background noise as possible.
• Describe all images precisely. Avoid descriptions such as “what you see here...”, but be precise, e.g. “At the top left of the picture you can see a cross-section...”
• In the case of physically impaired people, always speak directly to the physically impaired person and not just to their assistant (e.g. interpreter).
• Use colloquial language to illustrate facts. Practical examples or comparisons can be helpful.
• Try not to use overly complicated formulations. These are often difficult to translate into sign language. If possible, provide sign language interpreters with presentations in advance. Then they can prepare themselves.
• When giving verbal instructions, always try to maintain eye contact with the students; direct addressing is particularly effective for people with attention deficits.
• Always come back to your outline. This will enable students to follow along again if they lose the thread.
• If possible, check at the end of the course whether all participants have understood or grasped the content.
• Remain calm even with people with speech impairments and let them finish speaking.
• Avoid speaking in a hushed voice or whispering. It unsettles visually and hearing impaired people.
• For students with a wheelchair, it is a good idea to communicate sitting down so that you are at eye level.
• Draw attention to yourself before you speak to a hearing-impaired person, e.g. by facing them and making eye contact.
• Avoid using gestural cues when speaking, such as “there”, ‘here’ or “like that”.
• Speak slowly yourself and repeat content to hearing-impaired people. Lip-reading is tiring and interpreting takes time.
• For visually impaired students, describe what is happening in the seminar, e.g. “Mr. Meier, you are clearing your throat, do you have a question?”
• Visually impaired and hearing-impaired people in particular have requirements in terms of lighting conditions (e.g. sensitivity to glare, good legibility of lips).
• Make sure that all students can see you clearly and, if necessary, read your lips.

Discussions

• Address the students by name. This makes it easier for visually impaired people to find their way around.
• Give the students the floor. Otherwise, visually impaired participants will not know when it is their turn to speak.
• Repeat the contributions for hearing-impaired people.
• Respect blockages that occur for people with AD(H)S, ASD etc. and do not insist at these moments.
• Build in breaks. Deaf people always need a little longer due to the translation process and should also be given the opportunity to join in the discussion.
• During discussions, one request to speak must be made after the other. Briefly repeat the questions, messages and answers of others from the plenary session.

Further information

• Rules for simple languageExternal link   
• Barrier-free communication. The rule bookExternal link
• Handout for moderationExternal link   

• Declaration on accessibility at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena de
• Friedolin Online study administrationExternal link
• Universitätsklinikum JenaExternal link
• ThULBExternal link
• Studierendenwerk ThüringenExternal link
• Bundesfachstelle BarrierefreiheitExternal link
• BarrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetzExternal link

Technical aids

Zur digitalen Barrierefreiheit und für Softwarelösungen bietet das Rechenzentrum der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität JenaExternal link Hilfe und Beratung an.

To reduce auditory barriers in event rooms

Sennheiser Mobile Connect de is available in large event rooms (Albert-Einstein-Straße 6: ACP HS; Carl Zeiss Straße 3: lecture halls 1-9; Fürstengraben 1: lecture hall 24; Fürstengraben 27 “Rosensäle”: Small and Large Halls; Max-Wien-Platz 1: Physics HS) and as a mobile system. With Mobile Connect, the complete media sound of the lecture hall can be streamed to mobile devices via the university's existing WLAN using an app. Background noise is largely suppressed.

Rooms with media technology are available de