UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY:

Usable learning environments for all students

Workshop Presenters

Lisa Rapple, M.EdCurriculum Instructional

DesignerSUNY Empire State College

Center for Distance Learning

Kelly Hermann, Director, Office of

Collegewide Disability Services

SUNY Empire State College

Agenda for today…

Setting the stage Legal landscape

Access matters…to ALL Stocking your toolbox Common tools and potential pitfalls

Evaluating courses and tools …and how do you fix the problems you find?

Some hands on practice Resources

Please fill in the blank:

“But, Kelly, we have always done our courses

this way. And ___ ___ _____ ____ __ _____ ______”

“…IT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM

BEFORE.”

Legal mandates, recent cases and what we now know we need to do to ensure accessibility.

Part 1 Setting the stage

First, what are we talking about?

Results from a medical, psychological, or cognitive diagnosis

Imposes a limit on a person’s ability to perform one or more major life activities

Those tasks or things we need to do on a daily basis to conduct the business of life

Examples – reading, thinking, walking, breathing, learning, etc.

Disability Major life activity

Other definitions…

The restriction imposed by the symptoms or manifestations of the disability

The tasks a person has difficulty completing because of the effects of the disability

Modifications made to the course to allow a student with a disability to have equal access to the learning activities and to demonstrate what he/she has learned.

Functional limitation Reasonable accommodations

Legal responsibilities…

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

ADA Amendments Act of 2008 Also, keep in mind

any applicable state laws, such as the NYS Human Rights Law

These require institutions which receive federal funds to ensure that all courses, programs or activities of the institution are accessible to students with disabilities.

All provide: Protection from

discrimination on the basis of disability

Reasonable accommodations

A note about Section 508

Section 508 does contain standards and guidelines

HOWEVER – They only apply to the websites and software

procurement plans of the federal government UNLESS your state has adopted the 508 guidelines as

state law. (NY has) Be wary of those vendors who assure you their

product is 508 compliant Additional guidance should be forthcoming from

the Department of Justice (ANPRM closed, Jan. 2010)

Federal happenings…

Joint Dear Colleague Letter re: Ebook readers http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/c

olleague-20100629.html Penn State – National Federation of the Blind

http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?ID=702&MODE=VIEW

Google Apps – Northwestern, NYU CA State Google accessibility project: http://ati.calstate.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=280

Follow-up to Dear Colleague letter – FAQ document http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-

ebook-faq-201105.html

Other communications…

Blinding Technology of Online Learning, Inside Higher Ed

2010 EDUCAUSE: IT Accessibility Constituent Group formed

5/2011 Inside Higher Education: Elaborating on Online Accessibility

5/11 EDUCAUSE Blog posting: Developments to Watch: Federal Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Commission

My Conversion Experience on Accessibility, Inside Higher Ed blog

Which disabilities are covered?

Not just about those

students who cannot see

or hear.

There are many ways that a disability can impact a student’s use of technology: Anxiety Social issues Side effects of medication Processing of language and

text Comfort with independent

learning

What technology use is covered? Email to and from students Online and blended learning courses Course companion websites Electronic files shared with students Twitter feeds, blog sites, You Tube

videos Textbook companion websites Google documents Etc….

Universal Design for Learning –considerations for course design when using Web tools.

Part 2 Accessibility Matters… to ALL

Importance of design

“… the more a (design) needs to be accommodated, the less universally designed it is, because if it was well designed to begin with for a broad array of students, it would not need all those accommodations to make it appropriate for these students who are struggling.” -- Skip Stahl (CAST)

Why universal design?

Why Universal Design?

A scientifically valid curricular framework

A strategy for making decisions about learning with web tools that plans for diverse learners.

An impetus to provide the learner multiple ways to access, participate and progress in their learning.

What is Universal Design? Architectural concept

developed by Ron Mace, a wheel chair user

His idea was novel in 1985.

Today, we don’t recognize it when we see it because it is so much a part of our every day lives.

Not just for individuals with disabilities – all benefit!

Seven guiding principles

•Equitable Use•Flexibility in Use•Simple & Intuitive Use•Perceptible Information•Tolerance for Error•Low Physical Effort•Size & Space for Approach & Use

The Curricular Framework of UDL

Revolves around individual variability.

Revolves around individual disability. Encourages you to provide multiple

ways for: Presenting content to the learnerAsking learners to present what they learnedEngaging learners in learning activities

Presenting Content to the Learner

WHO BENEFITS:

Assists learners with: sensory disabilities (e.g., blindness or deafness); learning disabilities (e.g., dyslexia); language or cultural differences, multiple learning styles.

BONUS: it allows all learners to make connections within, as well as between, concepts.

Design for All Learners: Curricular Framework: Representation

PRACTICAL APPS:

Provide variable features; text size, volume, speed, zoom. Provide text equivalents, captions, visual/emotional descriptors for prosody. Pre-teach and embed support for vocabulary, symbols, & unfamiliar references within the text. Access competent read-aloud readers and Text-to-speech software.

Key information is equally perceptible to all learners

Language/symbols/icons are clear.

Learners present what they learned

WHO BENEFITS:

Assists learners with: physical disabilities, blindness, dysgraphia, or various kinds of executive functioning challenges.

BONUS: Learners are prepared with 21st century media skills and are realistically challenged.

Design for All Learners: Curricular Framework: Expression

PRACTICAL APPS:

Learners express their knowledge through interactive web tools & social media; discussion forums, chats, web design, annotation tools, storyboards, comic strips, animation presentations

Allow learners to choose the multiple media; such as text, speech, drawing, illustration, design, film, music, visual art, or video that suites their abilities.

Learners have the opportunity to choose what best interfaces with their particular assistive technology.

Give clear direction and deadlines. Scaffold for planning and strategy development, provide examples, guides and checklists.

Allow alternative navigation or interaction with tool.

Offer students a choiceSupport executive function

Learners engage in learning activities

WHO BENEFITS:

Assists learners with variation in the way they are motivated. Individual affect is influenced by neurology, culture, personal relevance, subjectivity, and background knowledge, along with a variety of other factors

BONUS: Rich adult learning experiences are employed.

Design for All Learners: Curricular Framework: Engagement

PRACTICAL APPS:

Engage learners with authentic, real-world activities that have relevant value.

Be conscious of novelty, sensory and social demands.

Foster collaboration and communication; communities of learners.

Personal journaling to self-regulate, receive feedback and monitor progress.

Recruit InterestSustain effort and

persistenceEncourage Self-regulation

Finding the problems and fixing them!

Part 3 Evaluating courses and tools

Principle 1: Equitable use

The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.

Guidelines: Provide the same means

of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not.

Avoid segregating or stigmatizing any users.

Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users.

Make the design appealing to all users.

Equitable use in practice:

Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or course: How are the features supposed to be used? Do the design elements separate users of

varying abilities from the other users? Does the language used to instruct users on the

use of the tool or component segregate users? Example:

“Module at a glance” introductory page to a new unit that lists all readings, activities, discussions and assignments for that particular unit to serve as the student’s “home base” for that unit.

Principle 2: Flexibility in Use

The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.

Guidelines: Provide choice in

methods of use. Accommodate right-

or left-handed access and use.

Facilitate the user's accuracy and precision.

Provide adaptability to the user's pace.

Flexibility in use in practice:

Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or course: What options does the tool/course component

give the user? Is it obvious that there are multiple ways to

access the material? Can the user repeat a task or activity? Is it

possible to advance ahead? Example:

Voicethread – offers multiple ways for the user to post a comment, either using audio, video, or text

Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use

Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level

Guidelines: Eliminate unnecessary

complexity. Be consistent with user

expectations and intuition.

Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills.

Arrange information consistent with its importance.

Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion.

Simple & intuitive use in practice: Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or

course: How much text is there on the page? Are key pieces of information buried or well

distinguished? Does the user receive feedback when making a

selection or advancing to a new component? What type of language is used in the

directions/commentary? Is it consistent with other parts of the course/tool?

Example: Symbols and icons used – such as the “envelope”

for mail.

Principle 4: Perceptible Information

The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.

Guidelines: Use different modes for

redundant presentation of essential information.

Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings.

Maximize "legibility" of essential information.

Differentiate elements in ways that can be described

Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.

Perceptible information in practice: Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or

course: What audio/visual media are used? Is the

information presented in more than one type of media?

What color is the text? The background? Is there contrast between the two?

Have alt tags and other descriptions been provided where appropriate?

Example: On MSNBC.com, videos are embedded within an

article about the same topic so users can choose which to access

Principle 5: Tolerance for Error

The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.

Guidelines: Arrange elements to

minimize hazards and errors: most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded.

Provide warnings of hazards and errors.

Provide fail safe features. Discourage unconscious

action in tasks that require vigilance.

Tolerance for error in practice Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or

course: Does the user receive a prompt or some other type

of feedback when a choice has been made? Are there means provided to “undo” and action? Are

warnings provided if an action cannot be undone? How is the interface arranged? Is there enough

differentiation between the buttons/prompts to reduce error in choice?

Example: Moodle discussion forums – a post will not appear for

5 minutes and the user has 30 minutes to go back and edit the post.

Principle 6: Low Physical Effort

The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue

Guidelines: Allow user to

maintain a neutral body position.

Use reasonable operating forces.

Minimize repetitive actions.

Minimize sustained physical effort.

Low physical effort in practice: Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or

course: How many clicks does it take to get to where the

user needs to go? Is the interface cluttered? Are there decorations

and design elements that take up more room and make the user scroll through more “stuff” to get to the desired information?

Has the interface been designed to be easy to read? Examples:

Word prediction or auto-correct – available on most smart phones, allows the user to reduce effort needed to communicate that point

Principle 7: Size & Space for Approach & Use

Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility

Guidelines: Provide a clear line of

sight to important elements for any seated or standing user.

Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user.

Accommodate variations in hand and grip size.

Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance

Size and space (etc) in practice: Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or

course: How clustered together are the icons/buttons? Where is the text positioned on the page?

Can the user see a good portion of the text without having to scroll?

Can the size of the display be modified? Example:

Left hand navigation on a page – allows the text to rise up to the top of the page rather than being buried under a top navigation bar

If I use universal design…

it means I will have no

no access issues? Right?

WRONG!!

A universally designed, course, training or workshop or website is the best start you can ask for and will eliminate some people’s needs to request accommodations but it is not the answer to all access issues

Your turn. Take a look at these pairs of tools and give us your evaluation on how they meet or don’t meet the seven principles of universal design.

Part 4 Accessibility Matters … for you

Evaluating tools

Do web tools “make the grade”?1. Doodle vs. Glogster2. Voicethread vs. Slideshare3. Evernote vs. Diigo4. Twitter vs. Blog5. Facebook vs. Wiki6. Google Docs vs. Dropbox7. Second Life vs. You Tube

Here are some of our favorites

Part 5 Resources

DO-IT

University of Washington: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking,

Technology http://www.washington.edu/doit/

Wealth of resources regarding the use of technology and computers for students with disabilities

Many resources related to universal design and how to incorporate the principles into teaching and learning

Firefox - Fang

Add in that you can download for Firefox browser

Screen reader emulator Allows you to see how the screen reader

will read the text of the website to the student

Useful to see how much other information the student has to listen to before she/he can get to your content.

Web AIM

Web Accessibility in Mind (Web AIM) Multiple resources on their site,

including informational articles, blogs, and simulators

Screen reader simulator: http://webaim.org/simulations/screenr

eader Allows you to experience what it

would be like to use a screen reader to access the computer.

Web2Access

Provides tests and ratings for common web tools

Developed by the University of Southampton in the UK

Also provide information related to various disabilities and how certain web tools rate for individuals with that particular diagnosis.

http://www.web2access.org.uk/

Web Accessibility for All

Program provides a wide array of information and tutorials related to how to design accessible activities

Tutorials are included for the proper formatting of MS Power Point and MS Word documents

Other tutorials for popular programs – such as SPSS

http://www.cew.wisc.edu/accessibility/

There’s an app for that…

Vision Sim http://www.brailleinstitute.org/MobileApps/Vi

sionSim.aspx SoundAMP R

http://itunes.apple.com/app/soundamp-r/id318126109?mt=8

Dragon Naturally Speaking http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dragon-dicta

tion/id341446764?mt=8

“So, it’s a delicate line around accessibility to eliminate the barrier while maintaining the challenge.” – Skip Stahl

Final note…