There is no recipe for how to create an inclusive learning environment that ensures that teaching is accessible to absolutely everyone. In a diverse student body, measures that contribute to inclusion for some may lead to the exclusion of others. Nevertheless, there are some simple pieces of advice that can be useful to remember when teaching, on campus, in order to include as many people as possible.

The advice here helps to create a good learning environment for all students. If you have students with specific disabilities, you can read more about how to lecture and accommodate specific disabilities here. 

Use a microphone

By using a microphone, it will be easier for everyone to catch what is being said during the lecture. There may be many reasons why students struggle to keep up with what is being said, e.g. noise from fellow students, being tired, unconcentrated or having challenges understanding the language (whether the lecture is in Norwegian or English).

It is also very important that you as a lecturer use a microphone during lectures, because in most classrooms there are speech amplifiers (Telecoil, IR system, Sennheiser Mobile Connect) that are connected to the microphone and that make it possible for people with hearing impairments to hear your voice via their hearing aids. It is also important to be aware that many visually impaired people depend on good sound as well. 

Good sound via microphone and speakers makes the message perceived easier for everyone and it will also reduce the vocal load for you as a lecturer.

• Before lecture: Check that the microphone is working, that the equipment is turned on and that the batteries are charged. Ensure the correct volume of your microphone. (Important to use the microphone correctly to ensure good sound)
• During the lecture: Repeat the students' suggestions and questions so the whole class hears them.
• After the lecture: Put the microphone back to charge.

Read more about microphone use (in Norwegian).

Reduce visual disturbances 

Prepare the classroom before your start and reduce visual noise. Let students encounter a room where only information they see is what’s relevant to the teaching.

When there are many visual disturbances in a space, the impressions can provide so much stimuli that it is hard to concentrate on the learning at hand (e.g. the walls are filled with posters/notes or whiteboards and where there are screens with information from a subject that was taught earlier in the day).

A tidy room makes it easier to concentrate on the subject for everyone, especially students who are distracted by visual noise. At the same time, a tidy room ensures accessibility for students with mobility disabilities and supports students who have challenges orienting themselves visually. In a tidy room, students will be able to settle don quicker, allowing more time for teaching.

Face students when teaching

Make sure students can see your face. Students may for various reasons need to rely on lip-reading and body language, and some are also completely dependent on this in order to participate in communication and benefit from the teaching (please narrate out loud what you are doing and where you are in the presentation while teaching.)

Adhere to breaks

All students will benefit from regular breaks to keep their concentration up and to re-energize. Some students spend a lot of effort following the lessons, and breaks are important to have the opportunity to recover. Other students may be dependent on breaks being at fixed times, e.g. because they need to take medication or otherwise prevent increased symptoms from a health condition.

Lighting

Good lighting and/or chalkboard lighting will be of great help to many. The default settings in the room should take care of this.

Make material to be used during the lecture available in advance

Having presentations and lecture notes available in advance of the lecture will be necessary for some, and of great help to many. For various reasons, this can make it easier to follow the lecture, as well as make it easier to take notes (e.g. visually impaired, people with narcolepsy, ADHD). Presentations in advance are also important and useful for interpreters (writing interpreters/sign language interpreters) who need to familiarise themselves with the subject matter in advance so that they can meet prepared and increase the quality of the interpretation.  

Read more about universal design of presentations and slides.

Consider streaming/recording your teaching

Think through and consider whether you are comfortable sharing recordings of your own lecture.

Recording the lecture will be of great help to many in addition to reducing the need for adaptations for individual students. Students who, for various reasons, cannot attend the lecture will still have access to it, in addition to the fact that admission gives students the opportunity to review the subject matter several times. This is a good tool for repetition and independent work.

Read more about automatic recording in the auditorium with Panopto.