This fall, the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction (NCADEMI, or “n-cademy”) is launching a free webinar series, Powering Digital Accessibility Through Systemic Action. The series introduces NCADEMI’s Quality Indicators for the Provision and Use of Accessible Materials in PreK-12 Systems with practical tools for readiness, self-assessment, and continuous improvement. Together, these resources provide state and local educational agencies with a framework for building accessibility into every stage of digital materials adoption—including open educational resources (OER).
OER are already valued by educators for their flexibility, affordability, and adaptability. They make it possible to meet local priorities, tailor instruction, and save costs. But flexibility and adaptability are not the same as accessibility. Unless OER are intentionally designed with accessibility in mind, they may exclude students with disabilities.
Under U.S. civil rights law, “accessible” means that a person with a disability can access the same information, engage in the same interactions, and benefit from the same programs as their peers—equally, independently, privately, and without delay. This expectation was reinforced in the 2024 update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires accessible websites and mobile apps.
For schools committed to equity, accessibility is defined not only by access to content but also by:
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Timeliness: Materials are available when instruction begins.
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Privacy: Students access materials without sharing credentials or relying on others.
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Independence: Students can use materials on their own, without intermediaries.
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Ease of use: Materials work seamlessly with assistive technologies.
A recent NCADEMI focus group with OER adopters reinforced this point. Participants highlighted Universal Design for Learning, place-based learning, and flexibility as top criteria for evaluating OER, yet they acknowledged that accessibility standards are not consistently applied. They stressed the need for training that goes beyond special education staff to include discipline-specific content specialists, while also aligning with broader initiatives such as AI integration, closing funding gaps, and teaching digital citizenship.
This is precisely the gap that NCADEMI’s Quality Indicators and training series are designed to fill—helping schools move from one-off fixes to systemic accessibility in all materials, including OER. A key strength of OER is that they can be revised to meet accessibility standards and redistributed widely, amplifying their value as sustainable, adaptable, and equitable resources.
Register for the free webinar series, share it with colleagues, and contact NCADEMI at ncademi@usu.edu for support in making OER accessible.
Read a summary of the focus group with OER adopters [add link], to be included in the November 2025 full report of data collected from our national needs assessment of SEAs and LEAs, which will be on our website next month.
About the Author
Cynthia Curry is Director of the National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials & Instruction (NCADEMI) at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (IDRPP) at Utah State University.
Cynthia is a guest author on ISKME’s blog and a partner of ISKME and the GoOpen National Network, an alliance of educators dedicated to the advancement of open education particularly in the K-12 landscape.