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Bringing America’s Story into Your Classroom

by | Sep 25, 2026 | Blog, Course Materials, Discussions, Other Resources

By Scott Seagle 

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America marked 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone to reflect on our past, honor those who shaped our nation, and envision the future we want to build. 

The Foundations of American Democracy requirement is an invitation to do some of the most meaningful work in undergraduate education: helping students read carefully, think historically, and engage critically with the country’s foundational promises and its unfinished business. 

Close up of the left hand of the statue of liberty.

The ideas represented in these documents reflect ongoing questions that have shaped, and continue to shape, our American republic. Whether you’re teaching history, political science, English, sociology, or a first-year seminar, the primary sources at the heart of this requirement offer rich material for inquiry.  

The Foundations of American Democracy documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, are not just artifacts to be read once and summarized. They reward close, repeated engagement. Consider building assignments around them in a few ways: 

  • Comparative analysis: Students trace a single concept – liberty, representation, equality – across multiple documents from different eras. This surfaces the tensions and evolution that the requirement’s “more perfect union” framework is designed to illuminate. 
  • Rhetorical close reading: Students analyze how a founding-era author constructs an argument, its appeals, assumptions, and silences, alongside a later document responding to or challenging those same premises. 

Review the resources on the Hunter Library’s research guide and reach out to the CFC and your subject librarian. We’d love to be part of how you bring that work to life. 

Everyday Accessibility

by | Jul 30, 2026 | Accessibility, Blog, Course Materials

Features built for people with disabilities have a funny habit of becoming everyone’s favorite features. Take captions, for instance. I will absolutely binge an entire season of Ted Lasso with captions on, not because I’m hard of hearing, but because I refuse to miss a single pun. Originally, captions were designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Now they’re the unofficial house style for anyone watching TV in a quiet room, a loud gym, or a public space where narrating one of Ted’s dad jokes out loud might raise questions. 

Or take talking to your phone. Every time you ask Siri to set a timer instead of typing it in like some kind of neanderthal, you’re using tech that was originally built for people with mobility disabilities as an alternative to keyboards and pointing devices. Turns out “hands-free” appeals to more than just accessibility; it also appeals to people whose hands are full of groceries, toddlers, or kittens. 

close up of white cat paw touching black computer mouse

To me the pattern is becoming clear: design for the people who need it most, and it ends up serving everyone. North Carolina State University educators originally defined Universal Design as ”a design concept that recognizes, respects, values and attempts to accommodate the broadest possible spectrum of human ability in the design of all products, environments and information systems.” The original Seven Principles of Universal Design were developed by NCSU educators for physical spaces. These principles were later adapted for use in education and are now known as Universal Design for Learning (UDL). So, what does this mean for your Canvas course site? 

Think of digital accessibility like elevators and curb cuts. They were built with specific needs in mind, but now benefit parents with strollers, travelers with rolling suitcases, and anyone who’s ever been grateful not to haul a box up a flight of stairs. Accessible course materials work the same way: they don’t just support students with disabilities, they give all learners more flexible, inclusive ways to engage with your content. 

Here’s a simple place to start: use clear headings and structured layouts when building pages in Canvas. Headings and structure help screen readers navigate your content, and they also might help every student skim for what they need before a deadline (you know we’ve all been there). 

Prioritizing digital accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal standards and institutional policy, though it does that too. It’s a statement about equity, academic excellence, and student success. It’s proactive inclusion that raises the bar for everyone. 

And practically speaking? Removing barriers tends to make things faster and smoother for all users.
Accessible design isn’t a detour from good design. It usually is good design. 

Learn More

Visit the CFC Accessibility guide – Learn about the Basic Fours and download the Course Digital Accessibility Checklist to help you review commonly utilized digital resources, such as Canvas, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint for accessibility.

Introduction to Universal Design