How can someone with a visual impairment complete a course?

If your account is configured with support for a visual impairment, the content of a course will be presented using text transcripts, rather than the standard presentation. You will still be able to play the standard content to experience the music and narration available in that medium. To have your account configured with this feature, please contact Customer Support.

To start the course, select the "Launch Course" link on the "View Enrollment" page for the course you wish to begin.

The sections of the course will be presented in order. For each section that contains multimedia, a transcript will be provided that your screenreader can read to you. You also have the option of playing the multimedia content, using the "Play content" link. When you are finished with the content in that section, select the "Next" button to continue to the next section. To review a section previously visited, use the "Back" button.

The following information will help you utilize the various course features necessary for completing the course.

Learning Guide

The Learning Guide contains specific step-by-step instructions for all activities you will complete in a course, which are identified by the unit, section, and topic number. To ensure a successful experience, your Learning Guide and the onscreen content must be used together as you work sequentially through a course. The onscreen content will prompt you when to refer to your Learning Guide for specific instructions for the many activities you will complete. This interrelationship between the content and the Learning Guide is critical to your success.

Course Resources

Course resources contains a number of important features you can access throughout the course. They include:

• The learning log, where you will be directed to go to enter answers to specific questions during learning activities
• The course discussion group, where you will be directed to go to take part in an online discussion with others on course-related topics
• Glossary of terms, which lists and defines course specific terms you will need to know
• Links library, which gives links for valuable websites on course-related topics
• Help, which is one of several ways you can access the help feature

The course resources are available from the "View Enrollment" page for the course you are using.

Finish button

When you reach the end of a course, your last act will be to click the "Finish" button to indicate that you are completely finished with all coursework and do not intend to make any further changes. Once you click Finish, you can no longer go back and edit any of your work. Therefore, you should not click Finish until you are certain you are completely finished with all aspects of your coursework.

Communicating with other study group members

Discussions and chat are designed so that you can communicate with other online learners. These features are available from the "View Enrollment" page. If you are enrolled in a course with a study group of other learners, the "Communicate With Group" link will enable you to email your fellow group members.

All non-course communication-related functions are accessed from the "Communication" tab. Using the "email" subtab, you can send and receive emails through the learning management system to other users. Selecting the "Discussion" subtab takes you to general discussions related to the site or organization through which you are taking courses. The "Chat" subtab allows you to login to the exclusive live chat feature to communicate in "real time" with other users (not just your study group). Finally, the "Files" subtab allows you to upload and store documents that can subsequently be attached to emails and discussions.