Fieldwork is often the high point of a course but for many learners it is also most challenging, taking them beyond their comfort zones. Stepping up to – and overcoming – the challenges often contributes to the sense of personal achievement the learners gain. This is especially the case with disabled learners. Alistair McNaught explores […]
Category: Policy & strategy
Many things influence the accessibility of a learning platform. Here, Alistair McNaught gives some pointers to the main issues. And – as we see below – it is not just about technology; the way you use it matters too. This overview looks at four key areas; users, resources, activities and browser choices. Users Usability of […]
Julia Taylor on Having an inclusive ‘Vision’ for ILT Widening participation is crucial to business development and therefore essential when considering your ILT strategy. Technology can play a significant role in reducing the cost of widening access. Your organisations ILT strategy should reflect how inclusive practice is becoming key to improving student satisfaction, retention and achievement, and reflect how […]
People are different. Personally, I loathe icons. I am a words person. I hate working with wordless IKEA self-assembly booklets or icon driven tablet and phone screens. Even after 3 months daily use I stare at my Mac screen trying to differentiate between email and word processing symbols because icons are just a jumble of […]
Most of the postings we make on accessibility and inclusion are upbeat and positive: we are firm believers that accessible practice is good practice. There are plenty of good positive reasons for engaging an inclusive teaching and learning. However, now and again it is worth considering the role of sticks as well as carrots in […]
With cuts to disabled student allowance (DSA) it is imperative that organisations become more inclusive, learning how to reduce barriers at source. Dr. Jennifer George, Academic Lead for Learning Technologies and Digital Media at Anglia Ruskin University, explains their approach to ensuring some of the key content students encounter has good accessibility credentials… Introduction Staff […]
Julia Taylor talks about the importance of recording and monitoring data on all learners achievement. Not all learners will be using an online e-portfolio to record their achievement. Some learners particularly those studying on courses with personalised outcomes will want to find ways to record what they have learned and they may wish to use a images, video and even […]
Creating an Accessible Organisation starts with policy but this must then translate into accessible practice in order to ensure that support for leaners is delivered effectively. Accessible Organisations should have well-designed systems and clearly documented procedures that efficiently identify, monitor and deliver appropriate support to both students and staff with additional needs. Inclusion goes across the whole […]
We’ve already blogged on supporting reading and using built in browser tools but a question we often get is “What’s the difference between screen reading and text readers (or ‘text to speech’ technology)? Often the terms are used interchangeably but, in reality, they are two different kinds of technologies used in different ways. Margaret McKay helps […]
On the face of it, it would seem a simple elegant accessibility solution to require transcripts for all audio resources on your virtual learning environment and transcript/subtitles for all video resources. However, this is an area where “unintended consequences” can lurk around every corner. For many learners, video IS the accessible alternative format – an […]