Designing with Mental Health in Mind

It is unfortunately easy to forget, when designing a course, about the unique experiences of students with mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety. And yet, depression and anxiety are extremely prevalent. In this presentation, I will provide a quick overview of some techniques to improve accessibility with regards to mental health in the classroom, and I will reflect on my experience working to implement these techniques in my classes. What I have found is that designing with mental health accessibility in mind yields a course that that is not just more compassionate for everyone involved but also promotes academic justice along multiple axes.