Curriculum and Instruction Leader

Job Summary

Curriculum and Instruction Leaders oversee curriculum development, instructional quality, resource adoption, and teaching practices. They integrate accessibility into curriculum frameworks, review and adoption processes, implementation, instructional guidance, professional learning, and continuous improvement. They collaborate across special education, assistive technology, educational technology, information technology, procurement, and other relevant functions to address accessibility barriers, support accessible instructional practices, and build educator capacity.

Job Essential Accessibility Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities related to accessibility.

• Integrate accessibility requirements and criteria into curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, and ongoing improvement processes.
• Provide or coordinate professional learning, guidance, and resources to support educators in applying accessibility practices when developing, adapting, selecting, and using instructional materials.
• Support educators in implementing curriculum and instruction in ways that maintain the accessibility of instructional materials and work effectively with individualized accessibility-related supports and accommodations for students.
• Collaborate with educational technology, information technology, procurement, special education, assistive technology, and other relevant personnel to incorporate accessibility requirements into curriculum and instructional resource evaluation, selection, procurement, and implementation.
• Use feedback from students, educators, staff, families, and other community members with disabilities to identify systemic accessibility barriers in curriculum and instruction and inform improvement efforts.
• Coordinate responses to systemic accessibility barriers in curriculum and instructional materials, including revising curriculum guidance or resources, identifying accessible alternatives, working with vendors, or engaging appropriate specialized expertise.
• Recognize when accessibility barriers in curriculum and instructional materials require specialized evaluation or expertise and engage appropriate personnel.

Required Qualifications

Minimum requirements to perform the job:

• Knowledge of digital accessibility practices and how accessibility barriers in curriculum and instructional materials may affect students with disabilities.
• Knowledge of accessibility-related requirements applicable to K–12 education, including ADA Title II, IDEA, and Section 504.
• Working knowledge of how digital accessibility requirements, principles, and guidelines apply to curricular and instructional materials.
• Understanding of how students may use assistive technology, accessibility features, accommodations, and other individualized supports to access curricular materials and participate in instruction.
• Understanding of the distinction between proactively accessible curricular and instructional materials and individualized accessibility-related supports, and how both can work together to support student access.
• Demonstrated experience incorporating accessibility considerations into curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, or instructional improvement processes.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across education technology, information technology, special education, assistive technology, administration, and other relevant functions to address accessibility barriers.

Preferred Qualifications

Nice-to-have skills or experience:

• Additional professional learning, certification, or demonstrated expertise in digital accessibility or accessible educational materials.
• Experience leading accessibility initiatives related to curriculum, instruction, or instructional materials at the school, district, or organizational level.
• Experience establishing or leading the implementation of accessibility requirements and criteria within curriculum development, review, adoption, or resource selection processes.
• Experience developing accessibility-specific guidance, professional learning, or resources for educators.
• Experience using feedback from students, educators, staff, families, or other community members with disabilities to inform curriculum or instructional improvement.

Success Signals

In this role, success looks like:

• Consistently integrates accessibility requirements and criteria into curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement processes.
• Establishes clear accessibility expectations and guidance for curricular and instructional materials.
• Identifies systemic accessibility barriers early and coordinates appropriate action to address or escalate them.
• Builds educator capacity to develop, adapt, select, and use accessible instructional materials through practical guidance, professional learning, and resources.
• Collaborates across special education, assistive technology, educational technology, information technology, procurement, and other relevant functions to address accessibility within instructional systems.
• Uses accessibility findings, educator experiences, and feedback from students, families, and other community members with disabilities to inform curriculum and instructional improvement.
• Supports curriculum implementation that maintains the accessibility of instructional materials while working effectively with individualized accessibility-related supports and accommodations.
• Addresses accessibility proactively in curriculum and instructional resource decisions rather than relying primarily on remediation after materials are adopted or in use.
• Recognizes when accessibility barriers require specialized evaluation or expertise and engages appropriate personnel.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Accessibility Knowledge (WHAT / WHY)

• Understanding of disability and how accessibility barriers in curricular and instructional materials and activities can affect students’ access, participation, and learning.
• Knowledge of accessibility-related requirements applicable to K–12 curriculum and instruction, including ADA Title II, IDEA, and Section 504.
• Understanding of how digital accessibility requirements, principles, and guidelines apply to commonly used curricular and instructional materials.
• Understanding of common types of assistive technology and accessibility features and how students may use them to access curricular materials and participate in instruction.
• Understanding of the distinction between proactively accessible curricular materials and individualized supports (e.g., accessible formats and assistive technology) and how both may be needed to support student access.
• Knowledge of common accessibility considerations for documents, presentations, multimedia, images, web-based resources, assessments, and other curricular and instructional materials.
• Understanding of how accessibility should be incorporated throughout curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Understanding of organizational roles and responsibilities for curricular accessibility, including the responsibilities of educational agencies and educators and when special education, assistive technology, educational technology, IT, accessibility, or other specialized expertise is needed.

Applied Skills (HOW)

• Skill in translating accessibility requirements into clear criteria and expectations for curriculum development, instructional materials, and resource selection.
• Skill in applying accessibility requirements and criteria throughout curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement processes.
• Skill in reviewing curricular and instructional materials and available accessibility evidence to identify potential barriers and inform curriculum resource decisions.
• Skill in developing clear, role-appropriate accessibility guidance, tools, and resources for educators.
• Skill in designing and facilitating professional learning that builds educators’ capacity to develop, adapt, select, and use accessible instructional materials.
• Skill in analyzing accessibility findings, educator experiences, and feedback from students and others with disabilities to identify systemic patterns and opportunities for curriculum and instructional improvement.
• Skill in determining appropriate curricular or organizational responses to identified accessibility barriers, including revising guidance or resources, identifying accessible alternatives, working with vendors, or coordinating with appropriate personnel.
• Skill in supporting curriculum implementation in ways that maintain the accessibility of instructional materials and work effectively with individualized accessibility-related supports, including accessible formats, assistive technology, and accommodations.
• Skill in recognizing when an accessibility barrier requires additional evaluation, technical assistance, or specialized expertise and engaging appropriate personnel.

Collaboration & Communication

• Competence in collaborating across special education, assistive technology, educational technology, information technology, procurement, administration, and other relevant functions to address accessibility within curricular and instructional systems.
• Competence in communicating accessibility expectations and the instructional implications of identified barriers to educators, instructional leaders, administrators, and other relevant personnel.
• Competence in engaging students, educators, staff, families, and other community members with disabilities to understand their experiences with curriculum and instruction and incorporate their feedback into improvement efforts.
• Competence in coordinating with special education, assistive technology, educational technology, information technology, or other appropriate personnel when accessibility barriers require additional evaluation, technical assistance, or specialized expertise.
• Competence in clarifying accessibility roles and responsibilities within curriculum development and instructional practice and promote coordinated action when responsibilities are shared across roles.

Interview Questions

Behavioral Questions

• Describe a time when you incorporated accessibility into a curriculum development, review, adoption, or improvement process. What was your role? What did you do, and what was the outcome?
• Tell us about a time you helped educators adopt practices that improved the accessibility of instructional materials or activities for students with disabilities. What support did you provide, and how did you determine whether it was effective?
• Share an example of an accessibility barrier you identified across multiple classrooms, courses, or curricular resources. How did you recognize the issue, and what did you do?
• Describe a time you collaborated with special education, assistive technology, educational technology, information technology, or other personnel to address an accessibility barrier in curriculum or instruction. How did you determine who needed to be involved? What was your role?
• Describe a time when feedback from a student, educator, or other community member with a disability influenced a curriculum or instructional decision. What did you learn, and what changed?

Technical Questions

• What accessibility requirements and considerations would you incorporate into curriculum development, review, adoption, implementation, and continuous improvement processes?
• How would you review a curricular or instructional resource for potential accessibility barriers? What evidence would you consider, and how would you determine whether additional evaluation or specialized expertise is needed?
• What is the distinction between proactively accessible curricular and instructional materials and individualized accessibility-related supports such as accessible formats and assistive technology? How might both be needed for an individual student?
• How would you translate accessibility requirements into practical expectations and guidance that educators can apply when creating, adapting, or independently selecting instructional materials?
• Accessibility barriers involving the same curricular resource are being reported across multiple classrooms. How would you determine whether the problem requires individual educator support, a broader curriculum-level response, vendor action, or specialized accessibility expertise?

Learning and Development

To prepare for this role, individuals should:

• Develop knowledge of disability, accessibility, and inclusive instructional practices as they apply to curriculum and instruction. Explore Teach Access’ self-paced course on disability and accessible design.
• Build practical skills for creating, adapting, and independently selecting accessible supplemental digital instructional materials. Enroll in NCADEMI’s Accessibility Fundamentals Course on Canvas.
• Practice applying accessibility considerations to educational technology evaluation, selection, procurement, implementation, and ongoing use. Refer to NCADEMI’s Accessible EdTech page for information.
• Develop working knowledge of how accessibility requirements and standards, including WCAG, are applied to educational technology decisions. Explore Teach Access’ self-paced course on Instructional Technology.
• Learn how students and professionals with different disabilities use assistive technologies and accessibility features to access curricular materials and participate in instruction.
• Gain practical experience using common accessibility evaluation methods and interpreting their results.
• Develop strategies for using accessibility findings, educator experiences, and student feedback to support continuous curriculum improvement.

Reminder

Use this toolkit to incorporate accessibility-focused knowledge, skills, and sample pre-screening and interview questions into your job descriptions and hiring process.