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As we mentioned on the previous page, many people can benefit from accessible design. Whether you have a permanent or temporary disability or are in a situation that impairs your ability to perceive and interact with the world around you, there are many ways to accommodate those differences. The following table provides some examples of how accommodations can help those with various types of permanent, temporary, and situational impairments.

**Examples of Permanent, Temporary, and Situational Impairments, Along With Possible Accommodations**
Impairment	Permanent	Temporary	Situational	Accommodation
Touch	Paralysis, loss of limb	Broken arm	Carrying a baby, groceries, or books	Automatic door opener
Sight	Blind, vision impairment	Cataract, eye injury	Distracted (by phone, child, or nearby activity)	Audio signals added to visual signals (e.g., signals at a crosswalk)
Hearing	Deaf, hearing impairment	Ear infection	High levels of ambient noise (crowded restaurant, public transportation, etc.)	Visual signals added to audio signals (e.g., captions added to videos)
Speaking	Non-verbal	Laryngitis	In a space where speaking is inappropriate or not possible (in a meeting or where someone is sleeping, etc.)	Provide options for both written and spoken interactions (e.g., sending a text or email instead of having a phone call)
Information Processing	Learning disability	Traumatic brain injury	Lack of sleep	Use simple, straightforward language when providing instructions. Provide instructions in both written and oral form.
Mobility	Paralysis, mobility impairment	Broken leg	Pushing a cart or pushing a child in a stroller	Curb cuts, ramps, and elevators

The same kind of thinking can be applied to course design. Different course elements can benefit students with a range of impairments. Some of these impairments rise to the level of a disability and would require accommodation, some are situational.

**Course Elements and the Students who can Benefit From Them**
Course Element	Can benefit students with
Accessible Text (that can be read by a screen or text-to-speech reader)	Print disabilities, vision impairments, traumatic brain injuries, full schedules (student can listen to their assignment while at the gym or on route to another activity)
Captioned Videos	Hearing impairments, non-private study spaces, language proficiency issues
Instructions Presented in both Written and Oral Format	Learning impairments, Traumatic Brain Injuries, anyone who missed an announcement in class
Notes or PowerPoint slides	Vision impairments, Learning impairments, Traumatic Brain Injuries, any student who wishes to prepare for class in advance or wasn't 100% present in class
Alt text for images	Vision impairments, anyone with a poor internet connection

Once you get the idea, it's easy to come up with additional examples of the range of people who can benefit from accessible course design.