Our contributor recalls his experience of embracing a global community, and going from mentee to mentor

Our contributor recalls his experience of embracing a global community, and going from mentee to mentor

31 PhD candidates and postdoctoral scholars will gather in Columbus for leadership development and more

This study applies the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to enhance the accessibility of chemistry lecture notes in higher education, addressing diverse student needs. UDL’s principles center on multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression, thus supporting inclusive environments for learners varying in ability, ethnicity, and language skills. In Ireland, where 20% of new higher education entrants report disabilities, accessible materials are vital. Focusing on lecture notes in Virtual Learning Environments (VLE), which include text, chemical structures, and equations, this work uses the incremental “plus-one approach” to address barriers like missing headings, low color contrast, and absent alt text. A sample set of organic chemistry lecture notes, initially scoring 27–52% on Anthology Ally, reached 100% accessibility after 3363 changes (mostly minor) to 480 slides across 20 PowerPoint files, including adding slide titles, ensuring color contrast, and providing alt text for images. Tools like WebAIM Checker and Microsoft Accessibility Checker guided the process, supported by a chemistry-specific tutorial. Results show iterative changes improve access for students with disabilities or English as an additional language. Limitations include Ally’s occasional oversight of issues such as reading order, requiring complementary tools. UDL can extend to videos, quizzes, and navigation in VLEs. Faculty training, such as Ireland’s Digital Badge in UDL, supports implementation. Embedding accessibility in content creation fosters equitable STEM education, enhancing engagement and retention.

Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN): Keeping you up to date with the chemistry news that matters most. Published by the American Chemical Society.

YouTube video by CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society

The rise of fake news, encompassing misinformation and disinformation, threatens societal progress, particularly in environmental science and the pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development ...