40x longer<\/p>\r\nOther students also expressed how much time inaccessible content costs them:\r\n
\"And like as a sighted student could take maybe one or two hours. I take up to 4-5 hours<\/strong> to do 1 assignment or read a chapter.\"<\/p>\r\n - Former Langara and current SFU student<\/p>\r\n +4-5 hours<\/p>\r\nStudents often noted how time spent finding accessible content or converting inaccessible content ate into the time needed to do the actual work:\r\n \"The time and stress involved with accessing and using the technological aspects of the courses was actually very huge. Like, it was like . . . you know, almost 50-50<\/strong>.\"<\/p>\r\n - Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\r\n 50-50<\/p>\r\n \"It took me two hours for something that it would take a student without accessibility needs 15 minutes<\/strong> because I had to relisten to my teachers saying it over and over again so I could draw it out and put into an accessible format. And then I had to figure out how I put that into an accessible format.\"<\/p>\r\n - Langara student<\/p>\r\n +2 hours<\/p>\r\n \"[Another student], it takes 2 hours. Okay, you're someone with a disability, it already will maybe take you a bit longer just because of that, and then you're having to add on another hour or two just to try to access it.\"<\/strong><\/p>\r\n - Langara Student<\/p>\r\n +1-2 hours<\/p>\r\nWhen asked \"Do you think people know [how long things take]?\", a former Langara student replied:\r\n \"No, no one. No one has a clue.\"<\/strong><\/p>\r\nChoosing and creating inaccessible learning places an unfair burden of additional time, stress, and labour on students with disabilities. On top of life, school, and other demands students have on their time, inaccessible content forces students with disabilities to commit extra hours every week to finding or converting material. Or they may just end up being excluded.\r\n \"So I'm literally, like, it's hours upon hours of trying to, like, learn how to. . . use workarounds<\/strong>, background, blah blah blah. And so it's like, oh, maybe the next semester it'll be a little bit better, because I've learned that, but then there's inevitably kind of another issue<\/strong>.\"<\/p>\r\n - Langara Student<\/p>\r\n \"Two years at Langara before I figured this out . . . it took me two years of<\/strong> . . . banging my head and<\/strong> . . . ended up not\u00a0 accessing the content<\/strong> at all and just figuring it out through other ways of how I've navigated the entire world.\"<\/strong><\/p>\r\n - Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\r\nHowever, the same student noted the positive outcome of that process:\r\n \"If I had not had this learning process here of like developing the competency and the mechanisms of like how to just like get my needs met<\/strong> and do it all for a couple years, UBC would not have been approachable<\/strong>.\"<\/p>\r\n - Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\r\nUltimately, all the extra time needed to consume inaccessible content means students have less time and energy for learning.\r\n \"I spent a lot of hours in a lot of stress. All that time could have actually been used absorbing the knowledge and feeling confident<\/strong>.\"<\/p>\r\n - Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\r\nThe formats you choose have a huge impact on learner success.\r\n There are 24 hours in a day. We all have a finite amount of time to get things done. What eats that time is different for everyone.<\/p>\n Ordering food takes less time than cooking.<\/p>\n Putting in 40 screws with a screwdriver takes more time and energy than using a drill.<\/p>\n Engaging with inaccessible learning materials takes significantly more time than content that works for everyone.<\/p>\n When asked how long it takes to find content in formats that work with his assistive technology, a former Langara and current UBC student stated:<\/p>\n “Maybe 10 minutes now, right? And just in contrast to 15 seconds<\/strong> if it were in a format that were accessible.”<\/p>\n 40x longer<\/p>\n Other students also expressed how much time inaccessible content costs them:<\/p>\n “And like as a sighted student could take maybe one or two hours. I take up to 4-5 hours<\/strong> to do 1 assignment or read a chapter.”<\/p>\n – Former Langara and current SFU student<\/p>\n +4-5 hours<\/p>\n Students often noted how time spent finding accessible content or converting inaccessible content ate into the time needed to do the actual work:<\/p>\n “The time and stress involved with accessing and using the technological aspects of the courses was actually very huge. Like, it was like . . . you know, almost 50-50<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n – Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\n 50-50<\/p>\n “It took me two hours for something that it would take a student without accessibility needs 15 minutes<\/strong> because I had to relisten to my teachers saying it over and over again so I could draw it out and put into an accessible format. And then I had to figure out how I put that into an accessible format.”<\/p>\n – Langara student<\/p>\n +2 hours<\/p>\n “[Another student], it takes 2 hours. Okay, you’re someone with a disability, it already will maybe take you a bit longer just because of that, and then you’re having to add on another hour or two just to try to access it.”<\/strong><\/p>\n – Langara Student<\/p>\n +1-2 hours<\/p>\n When asked “Do you think people know [how long things take]?”, a former Langara student replied:<\/p>\n “No, no one. No one has a clue.”<\/strong><\/p>\n Choosing and creating inaccessible learning places an unfair burden of additional time, stress, and labour on students with disabilities. On top of life, school, and other demands students have on their time, inaccessible content forces students with disabilities to commit extra hours every week to finding or converting material. Or they may just end up being excluded.<\/p>\n Several students noted the time needed to develop a system to effectively operate in an inaccessible system.<\/p>\n “So I’m literally, like, it’s hours upon hours of trying to, like, learn how to. . . use workarounds<\/strong>, background, blah blah blah. And so it’s like, oh, maybe the next semester it’ll be a little bit better, because I’ve learned that, but then there’s inevitably kind of another issue<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n – Langara Student<\/p>\n “Two years at Langara before I figured this out . . . it took me two years of<\/strong> . . . banging my head and<\/strong> . . . ended up not\u00a0 accessing the content<\/strong> at all and just figuring it out through other ways of how I’ve navigated the entire world.”<\/strong><\/p>\n – Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\n However, the same student noted the positive outcome of that process:<\/p>\n “If I had not had this learning process here of like developing the competency and the mechanisms of like how to just like get my needs met<\/strong> and do it all for a couple years, UBC would not have been approachable<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n – Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\n Ultimately, all the extra time needed to consume inaccessible content means students have less time and energy for learning.<\/p>\n “I spent a lot of hours in a lot of stress. All that time could have actually been used absorbing the knowledge and feeling confident<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n – Former Langara and current UBC student<\/p>\n The formats you choose have a huge impact on learner success.<\/p>\n Consider sorting data as an example of how difficult tasks are when you don’t have right format.<\/p>\n Please sort the following by last name, A – Z.<\/p>\n In contrast, please sort the following by last name, A – Z.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you have the right format, tasks take less time.<\/p>\n Be explicit about instructions and expectations.<\/p>\n Provide content in accessible formats<\/a> (Brightspace pages, Word, and PowerPoint not PDF).<\/p>\nWorkarounds and Wasted Time<\/h2>\r\nSeveral students noted the time needed to develop a system to effectively operate in an inaccessible system.\r\n
Activity<\/h2>\r\nConsider sorting data as an example of how difficult tasks are when you don't have right format.\r\n\r\nPlease sort the following by last name, A - Z.\r\n\r\n
![\"This](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2532\/2025\/10\/TableExample.png\")
\r\n\r\nPotential solution:<\/summary>\r\n
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How to Improve the Learner Experience<\/h2>\r\nBe explicit about instructions and expectations.\r\n\r\nProvide content in accessible formats<\/a> (Brightspace pages, Word, and PowerPoint not PDF).\r\n\r\nRead the Accessibility Handbook for Teaching and Learning.<\/a>\r\n\r\nContact assistivetech@langara.ca for direct support.\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nMove to the next page to consider potential solutions and better practice suggested by students.","rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/lostintranslation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2532\/2025\/10\/Stopwatch.png\")
Commuting takes more time than working from home.<\/p>\nEnergy, Effort, and Hours<\/h2>\n
Workarounds and Wasted Time<\/h2>\n
Activity<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nPotential solution:<\/summary>\n
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\n \nFirst Name<\/th>\n Last Name<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Marcus<\/td>\n Patel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Olivia<\/td>\n Bennett<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Zoe<\/td>\n Thompson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Lily<\/td>\n Nguyen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Ethan<\/td>\n Ramirez<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n How to Improve the Learner Experience<\/h2>\n