Norah Sinclair works as an Information and Instructional Designer with a focus on instructional design, user experience, data access, and project management. She has a master's degree in media arts from the University of South Carolina and an instructional technology specialist certificate from North Carolina State University. She previously taught computer applications and digital media to high school students and worked as an Instructional Technology Specialist. In that role, she provided professional development to teachers to facilitate the use of technology in the classroom, including the launch of a one-to-one laptop program. In addition to accessibility, Norah has an interest in user-centered design, information architecture, and adaptive learning technology, and she participates as a member of the W3C WAI Education and Outreach Working Group.

Statement of Teaching Interest

• Utilizing user-centered design frameworks with technology integration to increase access, understanding, and action-oriented behavior for diverse users and learners. Frameworks include Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Design Thinking, Inclusive Design, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines with a focus on learners’ context, needs, and behaviors.
• Utilizing inclusive communication practices such as Plain Language, Health Literacy strategies, UX writing strategies, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines design framework for Cognitive and Learning Disabilities.
• Implementing AI-assisted strategies for accessibility, including AI assisted image descriptions for complex images with human validation to support increased access and understanding for all users including neurodiverse learners.

Statement of Research Interest

• Implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies through technology-enhanced instructional design to improve access and understanding for diverse learners.
• AI-assisted accessibility tools for image descriptions supporting learners with disabilities and neurodiverse learners.
• Knowledge translation: moving from information dissemination to implementation in higher education and other environments.
• Plain language strategies to reduce complexity and improve comprehension.

List of Recent Scholarly Work

• Automated, Context-Aware Alt Text Generation for Educational Documents Using Large Language Models. In The 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS ’25)
• Inclusive Design Thinking – Model for Inclusive Course Development (2020) Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, v23 n4 Win 2020
• Inclusive Design Thinking for Health Messaging in ASL during COVID-19 (2022, ATOB Journal) Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits Volume 16 Issue 2, Summer 2022, pp. 74-85

Degrees with Year of Award

• B.A., English, College of Charleston, 1989
• M.A., Media Arts, University of South Carolina, 1995
• K-12 Teaching License, English Education (Secondary), Columbia College, 1997
• Instructional Technology Specialist Certificate, North Carolina State University, 2009