Inclusive Virginia
Providing access to adult education for learners with all abilities
Welcome to Inclusive Virginia!
This website provides adult education program leadership, staff, and instructors with information, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations for providing access to effective adult education for all learners seeking adult education opportunities.
Please note that the information provided on this site is to help educators support learners with varying needs. Educators, unless certified to do so, are not qualified to diagnose {dis}abilities and should not attempt to do so.
Mission Statement
The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center’s (VALRC) inclusion website’s mission is to provide adult education programs with resources and support when working with learners with different abilities to ensure all learners have better access to education and educational materials.
Please note that VALRC is committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information on differing abilities, instructional strategies, resources, and accommodations. We strive to continue to update the information on this website. If you identify information that is not up-to-date or that is missing, please contact us at vdesk@vcu.edu.
Operationalizing Accessibility
Everyone needs access to goods, services, information and communication. But not everyone faces the everyday barriers that can hinder accessibility. The population that we’re talking about that has access and functional needs, might include people with disabilities (including sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities), individuals with limited English proficiency (or who do not use English as their first language), older adults, children, and individuals with limited access to transportation.
Accessibility components need to be built in from the start of a design of a product, program, or curriculum in order to make sure that accessibility is embedded in everything that we do. When we’re thinking about accessibility as a whole, it’s really important to remember that without accessibility, there can never truly be inclusive or equitable. Because we want to make sure that we’re addressing systemic issues of equity, accessibility has to be one of our considerations.
Learn more about Operationalizing Accessibility by watching this overview video by Karen Brimm, Interpreter Services Program Manager at the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. (Former Access and Functional Needs Officer for the Department of Emergency Management.)
More Information
Click on the these topics to learn more about and strategies for supporting adult learners with differing abilities.
Acquired Brain Injury Deaf or Hard of Hearing Mental Health Conditions Neurodiversity Physical {Dis}Abilities Vision Impairment
