Misconceptions, Barriers, and Solutions to Creating Accessible Learning in a Nonprofit Organization with Dr. Saeide Mirzaei
As nonprofit L&D leaders, we invest time and money into creating engaging solutions for our learners. But all learners are not the same. Their needs are not the same. Their likes and dislikes are not the same. Their goals are not the same. And their abilities are not the same. So how do we create solutions that are accessible to everyone?
That's what we’ll explore with Dr. Saeide Mirzaei on this week's episode of Learning for Good.
Listen to the episode or scroll down to read the blog post ↓
Key Points:
03:53 How being denied access to education opportunities put Dr. Saeide Mirzaei on this path of accessible learning
08:16 Seven reasons why nonprofits should be thinking about accessible learning
22:00 Common barriers that nonprofits face when creating programs that are accessible
28:41 Solutions to overcome those barriers and ensure your nonprofit's learning initiatives are accessible
35:00 Training staff and volunteers on accessibility best practices, guidelines, and tools
39:15 How accessible content can also be engaging, empowering, and fun!
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Misconceptions, Barriers, and Solutions to Creating Accessible Learning in a Nonprofit Organization
As L&D leaders, we invest time and money into creating engaging solutions for our learners. But all learners are not the same. We know their needs are not the same. Their likes and dislikes are not the same. Their goals are not the same. Their abilities are not the same. So how do we create solutions that are accessible to everyone? That's what we talked about with Dr. Saeide Mirzaei on episode 33 of Learning for Good.
Dr. Mirzaei is a multilingual instructional designer specializing in e-learning. She creates inclusive and data-driven learning solutions that center learners’ needs. She holds an MFA in creative writing and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in English. With a background in cognitive linguistics, cultural studies, communication studies, disability studies, and literary studies, and she continues to advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in L&D spaces.
As an accessibility expert, she ensures that her designs are accessible to all learners, and she is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of e-learning design.
I know so many organizations are thinking about this topic and how to make their learning initiatives and overall content more accessible. But they aren't sure what to do, or how to get there. So I'm excited to have Dr. Mirzaei on the podcast to share some of her expertise with us.
Why Nonprofits Should Think About Accessible Learning
According to Dr. Mirzaei, there are many reasons why nonprofits should be thinking about incorporating accessibility into their learning initiatives and content. During episode 33, she listed 7 reasons why nonprofits should think about implementing accessible learning; those were:
Removing barriers that may prevent people from engaging with our content
Being compliant with laws and guidelines
Expanding the reach of nonprofit organizations
Serving all learners better (not just people with disabilities)
Having a positive public image that resonates with their people
Sparking creative and innovative ideas (and some outside-the-box thinking)
Creating opportunities for new collaborations and partnerships
Here’s what Dr. Mirzaei had to say about the reasons why your nonprofit organization should start implementing accessible learning.
1. Removing barriers that may prevent people from engaging with our content.
“We need to shift the conversation from accommodating people to not disabling them. It's not people with disabilities who are inherently disabled. It's social and physical barriers in the world around them that create disabling conditions.” - Dr. Saeide Mirzaei
For instance, a person who uses a wheelchair. Let’s say they're unable to access a building because there are no ramps or elevators. Dr. Mirzaei believes it's not the person's wheelchair that's disabling them, it's the lack of accessibility in the environment they’re in.
“It's that lack of accessibility that's disabling this person. So the first reason why nonprofits should care about accessibility is that inaccessible content disables people.” - Dr. Saeide Mirzaei on episode 33 of Learning for Good.
When talking about inclusion, she believes we should be actively working to remove any barriers that may prevent people from engaging with our content. And accessibility is making sure that we are staying true to our mission of creating a more equitable and inclusive society.
2. Being compliant with laws and guidelines
There are laws and guidelines in place that require accessibility. “It's not just the right thing to do, it's also a legal requirement.”
You can check the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to learn more about these laws and guidelines. They are recognized and adopted by organizations around the world and cover various aspects of accessibility, such as alternative text for non-text content, captions for videos, and keyboard accessibility.
“Compliance with these laws and guidelines can help organizations to avoid potential legal issues, fines, or damage to their reputation.”
3. Expanding the reach of nonprofit organizations
According to Dr. Mirzaei, accessible learning can significantly expand the reach of nonprofit organizations, which is crucial for increasing their impact and gaining more support.
“Commitment to accessibility can help nonprofit organizations tap into a large, but often underrepresented audience. There are millions of people with disabilities worldwide. And when we make our materials accessible, we can include this diverse group in our programs, which translates into making a more significant difference in the lives of the people we serve.”
4. Serving all learners better (not just people with disabilities)
This brings us to the next reason why your nonprofit should start thinking about creating accessible learning materials, “accessible learning can benefit everyone, not just people with disabilities.”
Some examples that were mentioned by Dr. Mirzaei during episode 33 were:
How adding captions and transcripts in video and audio content can also benefit you if you're in a noisy environment, if you prefer to read, or if you're a non-native speaker.
How writing in clear and plain language and using straightforward explanations can benefit learners from all different backgrounds.
How offering content in multiple formats can help and encourage different learner types to consume that content.
How using headings, bullet points, and lists makes content more digestible and easier to navigate.
Incorporating these accessibility features benefits everyone – leading to better learning outcomes, higher engagement, and more impact.
5. Having a positive public image that resonates with their community
When nonprofits include people with disabilities, they're sending a powerful message to the world. A message that says they value diversity, equality, and inclusion.
And as Dr. Mirzaei pointed out, a positive public image can lead to attracting more donors, partnerships, volunteers, and talent – because people are more likely to support organizations that share their values and contribute to a more inclusive world.
“When a nonprofit organization shows that they're committed to accessibility, it can do wonders for the public image. People appreciate organizations that genuinely care about inclusion.” - Dr. Saeide Mirzaei, episode 33 of Learning for Good.
6. Sparking creative and innovative ideas (and some outside-the-box thinking)
When we start exploring new ways to present information, in that process, we usually come up with really creative and innovative ideas.
An example of that illustrated by Dr. Mirzaei during our conversation was that closed captioning was originally developed to provide access to television programs for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. But if you think about it today, it has become a standard feature that many people rely on, whether they have disabilities or not.
“So what's really cool about these innovative solutions is that they don't just benefit people with disabilities, they improve everyone's experience”
7. Creating opportunities for new collaborations and partnerships
There are many other organizations out there that share that same value and goal when it comes to accessible learning. Reach out to them. You can team up to exchange resources, expertise, and ideas.
Common Barriers Nonprofits Face When Creating Accessible Programs
I’m assuming you are now more than convinced about the benefits of making learning more accessible in your nonprofit, but you also probably started thinking about all the barriers and challenges you may face.
Dr. Mirzaei has seen them come in all shapes and sizes, but according to her, the biggest and most obvious challenge nonprofits face is a tight budget.
That can be tough, especially when they're already stretched thin trying to fulfill their mission and make a positive impact on the community.
Dr. Mirzaei also mentions three other challenges that may come up for your nonprofit when creating accessible learning:
Lack of awareness or knowledge around the subject
Having to invest time and money in new technology
Having to consider a variety of disabilities
Resistance to change
So nonprofits might feel a bit overwhelmed at first. But it’s important to keep in mind that there is no one size fits all solution. Sometimes, it's just a matter of priorities.
Nonprofits have a lot going on, they may be super busy with fundraising, program development, or managing their staff and volunteers. So even though they might really want to make their services and programs accessible, it can be hard to prioritize accessibility.
There are a lot of obstacles and challenges that nonprofit organizations can face on their accessibility journey, but it doesn't mean that it's not doable.
Simple Solutions to Overcome Those Barriers And Ensure Your Nonprofit's Learning Initiatives Are Accessible
As Dr. Mirzaei said during our talk, the most important first step is to get the buy-in from the leadership and the employees. And there are several ways that we can go about that and build a compelling case for accessibility. For example:
Educating leadership and highlighting the importance of accessibility and its benefits
Showing that accessibility aligns with your organization's mission and values
Sharing examples of how other organizations have successfully implemented accessibility practices – and the positive outcomes that they've experienced as a result of that implementation
Identifying and engaging other stakeholders – not just the leadership
Being prepared to address any concerns, misconceptions, and fears about accessibility
“And part of that is developing a long-term strategic plan that outlines your accessibility goals and a timeline for achieving them. You want accessibility to remain a priority over time, even when other pressing issues come up.”
But when you're thinking about setting goals, it's crucial to break things down into smaller and more manageable steps and then set realistic achievable goals.
Start small.
Begin by making small changes to improve accessibility. And that can be adding alternative text to images on your website or social media, ensuring proper heading structure is being used in your publications, and providing transcripts for videos and audio content.
Small steps can make a big difference in the long run.
As Dr. Mirzaei clearly stated, “You want to make steady progress without feeling overwhelmed or sacrificing other priorities. And eventually, as you continue to grow and develop, you'll be able to create more accessible programs.”
Some Ideas Proposed by Dr. Mirzaei to Prioritize Accessibility in Your Nonprofit
Incorporate accessibility into the budget planning
Set a budget for acquiring and maintaining accessibility tools, software, and services.
Assign a dedicated team or coordinator to focus on accessibility– this person or team would be responsible for helping raise awareness, sharing information, and ensuring that accessibility is consistently considered in all the decision-making processes
Find ways to integrate accessibility considerations into your organization's existing processes and workflow
Research free or affordable tools and resources to learn about accessibility
Spend some time researching and applying for grants and funding opportunities that are specifically designed to help nonprofit organizations implement accessibility practices
Partner with other nonprofits or organizations that have experience in using accessible technology or are on a similar journey – that can help lower costs and facilitate the learning process for everyone
Encourage and engage volunteers and interns with knowledge and skills in accessibility
Dr. Mirzaei: Investing in training staff and volunteers on accessibility best practices, guidelines, and tools will help empower them to find creative and cost-effective solutions for making accessible programs and services or for updating and customizing your existing programs and services.
Another great idea suggested by her in episode 33 was creating an internal resource hub with accessibility-related materials for your staff and employees to take advantage of. And as you're doing all this work, it's important to remember the value of encouraging open dialogue and creating a safe environment where everyone feels comfortable discussing accessibility, sharing their experiences, and asking questions.
“Embrace the principles of universal design, the key is to focus on creating flexible and adaptable materials that can cater to a variety of needs.”
And as you're building your programs, you can regularly test your materials for accessibility. Dr. Mirzaei highly recommends engaging individuals with disabilities (or organizations that are focused on disability) in your development and testing processes.
“Remember that accessibility is an ongoing process. So you need to continuously evaluate and improve your materials based on feedback from users. And last but not least, recognize and celebrate progress, even small wins. No matter how small they are, share successes stories, inspire continued commitments, and motivate people to keep pushing forward.” - Dr. Saeide Mirzaei
To hear the full conversation I had with Dr. Saeide Mirzaei on the Learning for Good Podcast, scroll all the way up and tune into episode 33.
The Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective
Do you wish you could connect with other nonprofit learning and development leaders?
I know what it feels like to want someone to bounce ideas off of and to learn from, someone who really understands you and your work. Imagine if you could have a simple way to meet people in the field, ask questions, and share information.
That's why I created the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective – so nonprofit L&D, talent management, and DEI leaders can connect quickly and easily in a virtual space.
When you join this community, you will walk away with a new, diverse, and powerful network – and a sounding board for your staff development needs.
So if you're ready to exchange ideas and collaborate with your peers, come join the Nonprofit L&D Collective.
