Anticipating Potential Barriers for Students With Visual Impairments When Using a Web-Based Instructional Platform

Online instructional tools are quickly being introduced, often before accessibility is incorporated into their design. This article defends the use of a popular, but highly graphic, web-based platform called Padlet in a writing course, using strategies that allow students who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision) to participate in collaborative class activities, promoting equity and inclusion. It also highlights student feedback from an institutionally approved study that identifies accessibility concerns with Padlet, as well as other common educational technology used in all disciplines.