A Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance - AccessCyberlearning

Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit

FeedsImporter — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:15:01 +0000

20 Tips for Offering Accessible Online Campus Services

FeedsImporter — Mon, 18 May 2020 11:35:01 +0000

Increasing numbers of postsecondary institutions are offering campus services partially or totally online, including student services such as academic advising, tutoring centers, and career services; services for faculty such as human resources and teaching and learning centers; and services for the entire campus community such as libraries and museums. Today’s technology offers seemingly unlimited options to choose from for hosting online services. It is important for campus leaders to take into account that potential users have a wide variety of characteristics, including those related to gender; race, ethnicity, and culture; socioeconomic status; age; religious beliefs; technical skills; and physical, sensory, learning, and communication abilities.

Although well intentioned, few student service personnel have an adequate level of knowledge and skill regarding how to design online services that are accessible to all potential users, including those with disabilities. This publication provides a place to start as well as pointers to more comprehensive resources regarding the design of accessible online services.

Accessibility Issues

To ensure that services offered online are available to all potential users, it is important to be aware of these facts:

Online resources such as web pages and digital documents will be read using a variety of technologies, including screen readers (used by individuals who are blind), text-to-speech software (used by individuals with dyslexia and other reading-related disabilities), and other assistive technologies that emulate the standard keyboard but not a mouse (used by people with mobility impairments).
Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing will need to access online audio and video content.
Online meetings and webinars will be attended by individuals who are blind, have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, are unable to speak verbally, and have a wide variety of other disabilities; as well as individuals who are English language learners, have low internet bandwidth, and are attending remotely from a noiseless or noisy environment.

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Department of Justice have stated that “accessible” with respect to IT means that “a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use. The person with a disability must be able to obtain the information as fully, equally, and independently as a person without a disability” (Source).

Accessibility Guidelines

There are many comprehensive sources with information about the accessible design for IT. Presented below are 20 basic guidelines. Although they do not cover every potential accessibility issue, they offer a good start.

General Teaching Practices

Provide clear instructions for users who have a wide range of technology skills.
Present content and services in multiple ways (e.g., through text, video, audio, images, and live online meetings).
Address a wide range of language skills as you write content (e.g., spell out acronyms, define terms, avoid or define jargon).
On the website and in documents, provide instructions for how to request disability-related accommodations.
Make sure staff know about issues related to communicating with and offering services to individuals with disabilities.
Include images of people with disabilities on your website and within publications that present images of other potential service users.

For Web Pages, Documents, Images, and Videos

Use clear, consistent layouts and organization schemes for presenting content.
Use headings and sub-headings when creating digital documents, whether on web pages or in Microsoft Word and PowerPoints, Google Docs, PDFs, or other document formats.
Avoid using PDF documents; wherever possible, use web pages instead. If a PDF is necessary, use it only as a secondary source for the content and take steps to ensure it is designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Provide concise text descriptions of content presented within images for people who are unable to see the images using tools for adding “alt text” within document authoring platforms.
Use color combinations that are high contrast. Do not rely on color alone to communicate information (developer.paciellogroup.com/resources/contrastanalyser).
Make sure all content and navigation is accessible using the keyboard alone (uw.edu/accessibility/web/keyboard/).
Caption videos and transcribe audio content.
Consider accessibility when procuring IT tools and online resources; insist that vendors provide products and services that meet accessibility standards.
Become familiar with your institution’s IT accessibility policies and guidelines and learn how to apply them. Most higher education institutions in the US adhere to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Accessibility Guidelines (w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag).

For Online One-On-One or Group Meetings

Provide flexible options for communicating and collaborating. For example, in an online meeting environment allow individuals to ask questions verbally or by typing in chat. Provide alternatives to meeting in an online meeting platform, including meeting by phone or communicating through email.
Distribute slides and all other materials, in accessible formats, to meeting attendees, ideally in advance.
Clearly state the meeting agenda up-front, including which features of the meeting tool will be used.
In meetings with multiple participants, ask attendees to state their name each time they speak.
Create pauses during and between activities, so individuals who are taking notes, using slow internet bandwidth, or using captions or sign language interpreters can catch up.

For explanations of why these guidelines are important, how to implement them, and how to locate accessibility checkers, consult the following resources:

Checklist Updates

To increase the usefulness of this working document, send suggestions to doit@uw.edu. Each item, in keeping with the UD approach, should reflect a proactive practice that makes an online service more welcoming, accessible, and usable by individuals with a wide range of abilities.

Acknowledgments

This publication complements the earlier product 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary education and careers. Funding for development of this content comes from the National Science Foundation (grant #HRD-1834924). Any questions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, or to request materials in an alternate format, contact:

DO-IT
�r��
Box 354842
Seattle, WA 98195-4842
doit@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/doit/
206-685-DOIT (3648) (voice/TTY)
888-972-DOIT (3648) (toll free voice/TTY)
509-328-9331 (voice/TTY) Spokane

206-221-4171 (FAX)
Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

Are some fonts more accessible than others?

FeedsImporter — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 04:35:01 +0000

With thousands of fonts to choose from, selecting a font with accessibility in mind is no easy task. Several fonts have been developed specifically to address the needs of individuals with reading-related disabilities such as dyslexia. Examples include OpenDyslexic, Dyslexie, Read Regular, and Lexie Readable.

Research studies on whether particular fonts have an effect on reading speed and comprehension report mixed results. Adrian Roselli's article Typefaces for Dyslexia, originally published in 2015 and subsequently updated multiple times with new information, reviewed many of these studies and offers the following general tips that are "generally agreed upon by the community":

Avoid justified text.
Use generous line spacing (leading).
Use generous letter spacing (tracking).
Avoid italics.
Generally use sans serif faces.
Use larger text.
Use good contrast.
Use clear, concise writing.

The organization Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) offers similar guidance on choosing an accessible font in their article Fonts, which was published in 2013:

Use real text rather than text within graphics.
Select basic, simple, easily-readable fonts.
Use a limited number of fonts.
Ensure sufficient contrast between the text and the background.
Avoid small font sizes.
Use relative units for font size.
Limit the use of font variations such as bold, italics, and ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
Don't rely only on the appearance of the font (color, shape, font variation, placement, etc.) to convey meaning.
Avoid blinking or moving text.

Online Learning Strategies for Students with Disabilities

FeedsImporter — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:55:02 +0000

Online_Strategies_5_5_20.pdf

Over the last few years, postsecondary institutions continue to move many of their courses online. In this publication, some participants in projects supported by the DO-IT center at the �r�� share their experiences and recommendations for other students with disabilities who are taking online courses.

Executive Functioning

Develop a schedule for yourself that incorporates classes, meals, sleep, and other aspects of self-care.
As your space allows, set up a comfortable workstation with any materials you need to access throughout your day.
Determine how to handle distractions. Find a quieter space, use earplugs or noise canceling headphones, and/or silence your phone. Communicate with your family or roommates in order to minimize distractions when you are online.
Add class sessions, assignments, exams, and other tasks to your calendar. Use reminders if it helps you to complete these tasks.
Print the syllabus or other documents that you might want to access frequently.
Determine what tutoring, coaching, or writing center resources are available online at your institution.
Begin your work early to ensure you meet deadlines. Work ahead, if it helps you manage your workload.
Take breaks as needed. Set a timer and get back to work after the timer goes off.

Self-Advocate

Connect with faculty via email or utilize online office hours.
Advocate for your accommodations. Give faculty feedback about what helps you learn and what does not.
Be mindful that your accommodations may change as classes move online. You may want to request access to recordings of class lectures or the option to use external software like voice recognition specific word processing programs during online exams. Involve your disability resources office as appropriate.
Make sure you understand expectations about participation and communication. Ask questions of your instructor or classmates as necessary.

Technological Resources

Direct faculty toward resources related to accessible online learning. A good resource is DO-IT’s 20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course.
Learn how to connect to online meetings. Get comfortable with the settings and learn how to connect via phone if you experience difficulties connecting online.
Familiarize yourself with course management tools and document sharing tools used at your university.
Format responses for online discussions using familiar software (like spelling and grammar check in your word processor or a speech recognition tool) and then cut and paste the text into the online discussion tool.

Online Etiquette

In synchronous online classes and meetings consider ways that you can facilitate access for yourself and others:

Ask your instructor to set clear expectations for how to engage. This may include utilizing chat functions, asking questions verbally, or using hand-raising functions in conferencing software and/or using the course discussion board.
Use the chat window for sharing URLs or other resources.
Look at your name in the participant list and be sure it shows your preferred name.
Be mindful of whether your camera is turned on or off. Try to keep your laptop relatively still and ensure you appear professional when your camera is on.
Mute yourself when you are not speaking to avoid background noise.

Consider how to appear professional over email:

Use your school-issued email address.
Consider whether to use an email signature that includes your full name, your college, your anticipated graduation year, and your major(s) and minor(s).
Check spelling and grammar of emails.

Other Resources

How can students with disabilities arrange for accommodations in an online course?

FeedsImporter — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:25:01 +0000

Common accommodations students with disabilities request in online courses include the remediation of inaccessible PDFs and other documents into accessible formats, captioned videos, and extra time on assignments and tests. Accommodations should be requested in the same way they are requested for onsite courses. To receive accommodations from a postsecondary institution, students should contact the campus disability services office for information about documentation requirements and procedures. For a description of their rights and responsibilities with respect to access to online courses, students can consult Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.

To receive accommodations for online presentations and courses offered by entities other than a postsecondary institution, students should contact administrators of the host organization.

20 Tips for Teaching an Accessible Online Course

FeedsImporter — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 08:15:01 +0000

20_Tips_Designing_Courses.pdf

I taught the first online learning course at the �r�� in 1995. My co‑instructor was Dr. Norm Coombs, at the time a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. We designed the course to be accessible to anyone, including students who were blind, were deaf, had physical disabilities, or had multiple learning preferences. Norm himself is blind. He uses a screen reader and speech synthesizer to read text presented on the screen. We employed the latest technology of the time—email, discussion list, Gopher, file transfer protocol, and telnet (no World Wide Web yet!). All online materials were in a text-based format, and videos, presented in VHS format with captions and audio description, were mailed to the students. When asked if any of our students had disabilities, we were proud to say that we did not know. Why? Because no one needed to disclose a disability since all of the course materials and teaching methods were accessibly designed.

Technology has changed dramatically since I first taught online, but the basic principles that can guide the design of accessible courses have not. The term UD was coined by Ronald Mace, an architect, product designer, and wheelchair user whose work led to the creation of the Center for Universal Design (CUD) at North Carolina State University and its seven principles of UD. UD is defined as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." The UD definition, principles, and guidelines were created to make any application accessible, usable, and inclusive and, thus, are a logical choice to underpin practices that ensure that online courses meet the needs of potential students with a wide variety of characteristics that include those related to gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, marital status, age, abilities, interests, values, learning preferences, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs.

For a history of UD, the basic principles of UD and those that later evolved to address issues specific to the design of learning activities and IT, consult my book Creating Inclusive Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit and other resources presented in the Center for Universal Design in Education, which is hosted by DO-IT Center at the �r��—where DO-IT stands for Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology. For resources specific to applications of UD to online learning, including accessibility checkers, legal issues, technical details, and promising practices, consult AccessDL.

A statement about how students can request disability-related accommodations should be included in the syllabus. Then instructors can apply the 20 tips I list below, as they begin to work toward making their online courses more inclusive. The complementary video, 20 Tips for Instructors about Making Online Learning Courses Accessible, may be viewed online, along with a tutorial for further background and directions for implementing these tips.

Tips

Nine tips for course materials follow. Consult Accessible Technology at uw.edu/accessibility for details on the design, selection, and use of accessible IT as well as accessibility checkers that help you identify accessibility problems in materials you use or create:

Use clear, consistent layouts, navigation, and organization schemes to present content. Keep paragraphs short and avoid flashing content.
Use descriptive wording for hyperlink text (e.g., “DO-IT website” rather than “click here”).
Use a text-based format and structure headings, lists, and tables using style and formatting features within your Learning Management System (LMS) and content creation software, such as Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint and Adobe InDesign and Acrobat; use built-in page layouts where applicable.
Avoid creating PDF documents. Post most instructor-created content within LMS content pages (i.e., in HTML) and, if a PDF is desired, link to it only as a secondary source of the information.
Provide concise text descriptions of content presented within images (text descriptions web resource).
Use large, bold, sans serif fonts on uncluttered pages with plain backgrounds.
Use color combinations that are high contrast and can be distinguished by those who are colorblind (color contrast web resource). Do not use color alone to convey meaning.
Caption videos and transcribe audio content.
Don’t overburden students with learning to operate a large number of technology products unless they are related to the topic of the course; use asynchronous tools; make sure IT used requires the use of the keyboard alone and otherwise employs accessible design practices.

Eleven tips for inclusive pedagogy follow; many are particularly beneficial for students who are neurodiverse (e.g., those on the autism spectrum or who have learning disabilities). Consult Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction for more guidance.

Recommend videos and written materials to students where they can gain technical skills needed for course participation.
Provide multiple ways for students to learn (e.g., use a combination of text, video, audio, and/or image; speak aloud all content presented on slides in synchronous presentations and then record them for later viewing).
Provide multiple ways to communicate and collaborate that are accessible to individuals with a variety of disabilities.
Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate what they have learned (e.g., different types of test items, portfolios, presentations, single-topic discussions).
Address a wide range of language skills as you write content (e.g., use plain English, spell out acronyms, define terms, avoid or define jargon).
Make instructions and expectations clear for activities, projects, discussions and readings.
Make examples and assignments relevant to learners with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds.
Offer outlines and other scaffolding tools and share tips that might help students learn.
Provide adequate opportunities to practice.
Allow adequate time for activities, projects, and tests (e.g., give details of all project assignments at the beginning of the course).
Provide feedback on project parts and offer corrective opportunities.

These tips apply to both synchronous and asynchronous teaching. Additional tips for synchronous presentations (e.g., speak all content presented visually, turn on the caption feature of your conferencing software, do not require students to have their cameras on) can be found in Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation.

Acknowledgments

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the success of individuals with disabilities. This publication was partially funded through DO-IT’s AccessCyberlearning project that is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF Grant #1550477). Any questions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. More information about DO-IT can be found at uw.edu/doit.

Informing the Design of Cyberlearning: A Promising Practice in Promoting Diversity in Cyberlearning

FeedsImporter — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:25:01 +0000

The AccessCyberlearning 2.0 Synthesis and Design Workshop, a project funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies program of the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (#1824450), aims to inform the design of the next generation of digital learning environments for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content.

According to the Center for Innovative Research in Cyberlearning (CIRCL), which works with projects in the NSF Cyberlearning Program and cyberlearning-themed projects across NSF to support, synergize, and amplify their efforts, “cyberlearning is the use of new technology to create effective new learning experiences that were never possible or practical before.” The largest application area of cyberlearning is arguably online learning, but any combination of technology and learning fits within its definition (e.g., students and faculty using a 3D printer in a campus Makerspace).

During a 2.5 day capacity building institute (CBI) participants shared their diverse perspectives and expertise as they explored:

What challenges do learners with different types of disabilities face in using current and emerging digital learning tools and engaging in online learning activities?
How do current digital learning research and practices contribute to the marginalization of individuals with disabilities?
What advances in digital learning design are required to support multi-modal learning and engagement that is fully accessible to and usable by students with disabilities?
What specific actions can digital learning researchers, funding agencies, educators, and other stakeholders take to systematically address issues with respect to disabilities?

The following project products were developed to inform the next generation of cyberlearning technologies and instruction regarding the creation of accessible and welcoming online learning tools and experiences.

The AccessCyberlearning 2.0 Capacity Building Institute (2019) proceedings, which includes summaries of presentations, panels, and discussion outcomes.
A white paper, Accessible Cyberlearning: A Community Report of the Current State and Recommendations for the Future, which addresses the AccessCyberlearning research questions and contributes to the development of forward-looking, highly adaptable, distributed, collaborative digital environments that can personalize learning for diverse learners that include individuals with disabilities with potential applications across multiple and varying (a) domains of knowledge, (b) learning contexts, and (c) time spans.
A more comprehensive document, Designing Accessible Cyberlearning: Current State and Pathway Forward, which supports the findings reported in the white paper.
The Guidelines for Cyberlearning Researchers publication summarizes guidelines for how researchers can address disability/accessibility-related issues with respect to (a) designing and testing new technologies, (b) analyzing and reporting outcomes, and (c) designing project activities and resources.
An AccessCyberlearning website with resources that includes publications, a literature collection, and a searchable AccessCyberlearnig Knowledge Base with more than 230 Q&A’s, Case Studies, and Promising Practices aimed at improving the experiences of learners with diverse characteristics, including disabilities, in digital learning.

The AccessCyberlearning 2.0 Synthesis and Design Workshop is a promising practice in bringing together cyberlearning researchers, technology developers, instructors, and other leaders in the field to share ideas and expertise, synthesize current knowledge, and inform those that design, fund, and use the next generation of cyberlearning technologies and instruction about how to create welcoming and accessible digital learning tools and experiences. More inclusive products and instruction will ensure that individuals with disabilities will benefit from all that cyberlearning offers and contribute to future developments in the field.

Additional information and resources related to the accessibility of cyberlearning projects can be found on the AccessCyberlearning website.

Are Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles curricula accessible to students with disabilities?

FeedsImporter — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 00:15:01 +0000

Many different curricula are used to teach Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP). Most of these curricula are not fully accessible to students with disabilities, largely because the programming tools that they utilize are not accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired and typically use screen readers to access content presented on the screen. Screen readers can read text aloud to users but cannot interpret content presented in images.

AccessCSforAll developed an accessible version of the AP CSP curriculum that uses the Quorum programming language, which is designed to be accessible to students with disabilities. The accessible curriculum is based on the Code.org curricula.

For more information about accessible K-12 computer science education, consult the following knowledge base articles:

AccessCSforAll is funded by the National Science Foundation (grant #CNS-1738252 and #CNS-1738259) and led by the �r�� and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Its purpose is to increase the successful participation of students with disabilities in K-12 computing courses.

Where can I find information about the current state and future of cyberlearning?

FeedsImporter — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 04:19:47 +0000

The Cyberlearning Community Report: The State of Cyberlearning and the Future of Learning With Technology was published by the Center for Innovative Research in Cyberlearning (CIRCL) in 2017. CIRCL works with projects in the NSF Cyberlearning Program and cyberlearning-themed projects across the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support, synergize, and amplify their efforts. The Cyberlearning Community Report, which includes content written by 22 co-authors who are members of the cyberlearning community in the US, provides a snapshot of six design themes emerging across NSF-funded cyberlearning projects:

Community Mapping: Moving and Discovering Across Contexts
Expressive Construction: Enabling Learners to Represent Powerful Ideas
Classrooms as Digital Performance Spaces
Virtual Peers and Coaches: Social and Cognitive Support for Learning
Remote Scientific Labs: Authenticity at Distance
Enhancing Collaboration and Learning Through Touch Screen Interface

What is Cyberlearning?

FeedsImporter — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 04:19:47 +0000

“Cyberlearning” is the term used by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in its Cyberlearning Program. The Center for Innovative Research in Cyberlearning (CIRCL) works with projects in the NSF Cyberlearning Program and cyberlearning-themed projects across NSF to support, synergize, and amplify their efforts. CIRCL defines cyberlearning as follows,

Informed by learning science, cyberlearning is the use of new technology to create effective new learning experiences that were never possible or practical before. The cyberlearning movement advances learning of important content by:

Applying scientific insights about how people learn
Leveraging emerging technologies
Designing transformative learning activities
Engaging teachers and other practitioners
Measuring deeper learning outcomes
Emphasizing continuous improvement

To learn more view the "What is Cyberlearning?" video produced by KQED Education.