ERUA Semester Course – Inclusive Educational Technologies: Accessibility, Assistive Tools and AI for Teaching and Learning

Course Description

The objective of this course is to analyse how digital technologies can foster inclusion, accessibility and participation in various educational and instructional settings.

Drawing from Universal Design for Learning (UDL), WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines, assistive technologies, and emerging applications of AI in teaching and learning, participants will engage in analytical and design-based activities aimed at developing inclusive educational solutions.

The course will take place from 1^st of April to 28^th of May 2026 and will be composed from synchronous and Asynchronous lessons scheduled as follow:

• Module 1 – Pedagogical Foundations for Inclusive Digital Education (Asynchronous – 6 hours)

Introduction to inclusive education; UDL guidelines and their application to digital learning; teachers’ digital competences; media education foundations.

• Module 2 – Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technologies (Asynchronous – 6 hours)

Digital accessibility principles (WCAG 2.1); accessibility and usability in educational digital resources; assistive technologies for accessibility (screen readers and OCR tools; captioning and audiodescription); AI-supported accessibility tools (automatic transcription; text-to-speech and speech-to-text; text simplification).

• Module 3 – Technologies for Learners with Specific Educational Needs – SEN (Asynchronous – 6 hours)

Technologies for early childhood education, for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and for sensory and cognitive disabilities.

• Module 4 – Digital Didactics and Active Learning Approaches (Asynchronous – 6 hours)

Technology-enhanced active learning approaches (PBL, IBL, WebQuest, PDI); digital tools for collaboration, inquiry, and inclusive assessment; AI-supported strategies for scaffolding and personalised learning.

• Synchronous Workshop 1 – Inclusive Digital Resource Design (3 hours) 30^th April 2026

Students work to design and develop an inclusive digital educational resource, applying the principles studied during the course and integrating digital and assistive technologies.

• Synchronous Workshop 2 – Project Presentation and Peer Discussion (3 hours) 28^th May 2026

Students present the inclusive digital resources developed during the course.
The workshop is dedicated to peer discussion and comparison among the different projects, focusing on design choices, accessibility features, and the use of assistive and digital technologies.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge

• • Define and explain the core concepts of inclusion, accessibility, UDL, WCAG 2.1 and multimodality.
  • Identify major categories of assistive technologies and tools for SLD and disability.

Skills

• • Analyse digital resources using accessibility and UDL criteria.
  • Use assistive and AI-based technologies (OCR tools, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, audiodescription techniques, video modelling methods) to develop inclusive materials.
  • Design an inclusive digital resource adapted to specific learner needs (e.g., SLD, ASD, sensory disabilities, early childhood).

Competences

• • Integrate technological, pedagogical and ethical dimensions into inclusive instructional design.
  • Collaborate effectively in online environments, offering constructive peer feedback.
  • Demonstrate digital autonomy and responsible use of AI for educational purposes.
  • Apply inclusive design strategies transferable across institutions and cultural contexts within ERUA.

Assessment methods

1. Individual Mini-Assignments (40%): Short tasks embedded in the asynchronous modules
2. Final Project Work (60%): Creation of one inclusive digital resource.

Who can apply

The course is open to 20 Master’s students from ERUA Univewrsities, in particular the course is suitable for students from the social sciences, education, psychology and pedagogy.

How to apply

Students apply by the 10^th of March 2026 via Microsoft Forms (Application Form) by submitting:

1. Basic personal information (Name, Email, University, Degree Programme).
2. Motivational letter (approx. 250–400 words), addressing the following points:

• Briefly introduce yourself and describe any previous experiences related to the course topic.
• Explain what sparked your interest in this field or subject.
• Describe how taking this course will support your academic or career goals.
• Highlight relevant qualifications, skills, or achievements connected to the course topic, as well as your confidence in adapting to the course’s online format.

If applications exceed 20, selection will be based on the clarity, coherence, and relevance of the motivational letter.