Distance Learning, mLearning, Digital Education, Technology

Developing critical listening and speaking skills is an essential element of a student's higher-education experience. However, verbally presenting one's ideas and listening to contributions made by student peers are not typical experiences for online students, as most activities in online classes consist of reading and writing. As online course offerings increase, institutions have an obligation to ensure faculty are empowered to teach with tools that enable students to learn out loud. These tools and the content created with them must be accessible to all learners, including those who are hard of hearing and have vision impairments.