Learning Designer |
Accessibility-First Learning Design| AI-Supported Workflows
Skye’s Instructional Design Portfolio
Canvas Essentials: Training for CU Denver's Students
This project was designed as an onboarding course to support new and international students in navigating Canvas at CU Denver.
The goal was to create a clear, accessible, and confidence-building learning experience that reduces overwhelm during the transition to online learning.
Tools Used
Articulate Rise | AI-Supported Workflows
Category
Accessible Learning Design
My Role
Learning Designer | Project Manager | Curriculum Developer
I led the full design process, including:
• Curriculum development
• Accessibility planning
• Multimedia design
• Project coordination
Testimonials & Feedback
Testimonials include feedback from clients, instructors, and peers across both professional and academic projects.
“Course materials and learning experiences were refined to improve clarity, usability, and alignment with learning outcomes, while incorporating more inclusive and flexible approaches. Accessibility improvements and thoughtful design decisions contributed to a more user-friendly and engaging learning environment, with consistently positive student feedback on the overall experience.”
- Rosanna Miiller Salas, Lecturer & LXD, CU Denver
The Challenge
New students often experience:
• Cognitive overload when entering Canvas
• Unfamiliarity with LMS navigation
• Limited awareness of accessibility tools
The challenge was to design a course that was:
✔ Simple but not oversimplified
✔ Accessible to diverse learners
✔ Engaging without overwhelming
Evidence of Impact
• Simplified onboarding experience by reducing cognitive overload and improving content structure for first-time users
• Increased clarity of key tasks and navigation through chunked content and consistent layout design
• Applied accessibility-first design (contrast, headings, structure), improving usability for diverse learners
• Used AI to support content drafting and refinement, while ensuring accuracy and clarity through human review
Design Approach
I structured the course around clarity, consistency, and progressive learning:
• Organized content into short, scannable modules
• Used consistent navigation patterns across all sections
• Integrated guided walkthroughs and real-world tasks
• Prioritized mobile and desktop usability
The design focused on reducing cognitive load while building learner confidence.
Accessibility in Practice
Accessibility was embedded from the start, not added later.
Key practices included:
• Applying Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles
• Using clear heading structures and predictable layouts
• Ensuring high color contrast and readable typography
• Providing captions and transcripts for all multimedia
• Designing accessible documents with alt text and structure
• Supporting screen reader and keyboard navigation
These decisions improved usability for all learners, not just those using assistive technologies.
AI as a Design Partner
AI was used to support accessibility and efficiency, not replace design decisions.
AI-supported tasks included:
• Drafting alt text for instructional visuals
• Generating transcript drafts for videos
• Refining instructional clarity and tone
• Identifying areas of ambiguity in content
All outputs were reviewed and revised to ensure accuracy, inclusivity, and alignment with learning goals.
Key Features
• 10-module structured learning experience
• Interactive knowledge checks and guided simulations
• Accessibility-focused modules (captions, text-to-speech, UDL)
• Cross-device design (mobile + desktop usability)
• Scenario-based final assessment simulating real Canvas tasks
Outcome
The final product was a fully developed, accessible onboarding course that:
• Supports student confidence navigating Canvas LMS
• Introduces accessibility tools early in the learning experience
• Provides flexible, self-paced learning
• Models inclusive design practices
Reflection
This project reinforced that clarity is one of the most important forms of accessibility.
Designing for onboarding highlighted how overwhelming digital environments can be, especially for new or international students.
AI tools improved efficiency, but human-centered decision-making remained essential to ensure the course was truly accessible and supportive.
