I’ve been noticing more online courses and learning apps focused on Deaf awareness and accessibility. I think that’s a positive step. They make learning more accessible, give people a place to start, and help introduce concepts that many people have never been exposed to before.
But online learning can only take you so far.
Most online courses are designed to share information. They explain concepts, provide examples, and ask you to reflect. What they can’t do is respond to your questions, challenge assumptions, or explore the unique situations that exist within your own workplace or organization.
That’s where live learning makes a difference.
When I facilitate training, we rarely spend our time repeating what’s already in a course. Instead, we unpack it. People ask questions they didn’t know they had until they heard someone else’s experience. We work through real situations from their workplace. We discuss communication challenges, accessibility barriers, and practical solutions that fit their environment—not generic examples that try to apply to everyone.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that no two organizations are alike. A municipality faces different challenges than a healthcare provider. A museum has different accessibility needs than a business or a school. Those conversations shape the training because they’re based on real experiences, not hypothetical situations.
I’ve also found that every workshop teaches me something. Participants share perspectives, ask thoughtful questions, and identify gaps that help me continue improving future training. Accessibility is constantly evolving, and so is the way we teach it.
Online learning is an excellent starting point. It builds awareness and introduces important ideas. Live learning is where those ideas become meaningful, practical, and relevant to the people doing the work. When the two are combined, learning becomes much more than completing a course, it becomes understanding how accessibility looks in everyday practice.
