Balancing pedagogy, student readiness and accessibility: A case study in collaborative online course development

• Online learning success is determined by individual and institutional factors.
• Universal design and accessibility enhance online experiences of all learners.
• Online course development processes should integrate accessibility services.
• Institutions should foster a culture of support for online teaching and learning.

As institutions of higher education continue to roll out online courses and programs, issues of undergraduate student readiness on the one hand, and the challenges surrounding the design and development of pedagogically-sound online experiences that are also accessible to students with disabilities on the other, remain of concern. This paper describes the results of a case study of collaboration between the Instructional Design and Technology faculty and the Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI) group at a 4-year public institution to address both of these issues simultaneously during the development of an online course designed to teach undergraduates to cultivate the self-discipline and self-direction required to become successful online learners. The authors of this paper discuss project challenges, particularly concerning accessibility, along with lessons learned from both a process and a student outcome perspective. The authors also share insights into creating sustainable collaborative processes for successful online initiatives.