Integrating Web 2.0 into Accessible Online Learning

Thomas P. Mackey, Ph.D.Interim Dean

Center for Distance Learning

Kelly HermannDirector

College-wide Disability Services

Outline for today

1. Introductions

2. Definitions

3. Emerging Technologies

4. Online Learning at Empire State College

5. Why is access important?

6. Considerations for access

7. When things don’t work right– access issues

8. Conclusion, wrap-up, opportunities for feedback

What is a disability?• A diagnosed condition that

limits a person’s ability to perform one or more major life activities.

• Major life activities include:• Reading, writing, learning;• Seeing, hearing, speaking;• Thinking, breathing,

walking, etc…

Individual differences & disability

•Each table has been assigned a case•You will use this case for the rest of the workshop•Take a few minutes to get to know your person

Accessibility

Accessibility = individuals are able to participate in activities, engage in programs or access information

Reasonable Accommodations

Those modifications made to ensure that individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate

• Legally defined in the ADA, accommodations do NOT:

1.Fundamentally alter the nature of the program or activity;

2.Reduce program standards;

3.Pose an undue burden.

Assistive Technology

• Software or equipment used to mitigate the impact of disability.

• Many examples:• Screen readers• Screen magnifiers• Text-to-speech readers• Speech-to-text dictation

Adult Learning Theory: In brief• Many theories regarding how adults learn best

and what they are looking for in their learning experiences

• Several principles:• Adults have limited time and attention due to

competing demands, so…• Adults want learning experiences to be relevant and

meaningful• Adults want flexibility and individuality in their learning• Adults want their experience and expertise to count

Who are you designing for?

Who are you designing for?

Common Technology Tools

LMS

Emerging Technologies

Noteworthy Trends:Horizon Report 2011

1. E-books

2. Mobiles

3. Augmented reality

4. Game-based learning

5. Gesture based computing

6. Learning Analytics

Noteworthy Trends:Horizon Report 2011

1. E-books

2. Mobiles

3. Augmented reality

4. Game-based learning

5. Gesture based computing

6. Learning AnalyticsPranav Mistry, MIT Media Lab

'Sixth Sense Device’W3C Mobile Web Initiative

Noteworthy Trends:Mobile Technology

• "59% of adults now access the internet wirelessly using a laptop or cell phone"

 • "Nearly half of all adults (47%)

go online with a laptop using a Wi-Fi connection or mobile broadband car." The Rise of Apps CulturePew Internet and American Life Project

“Due in part to the web accessibility and increased engagement many apps provide, it is logical that apps users are more likely than other adults to engage in almost every online activity asked about in the survey.”

The Rise of Apps CulturePew Internet and American Life

Project

Impact on learning environments

Online learning at Empire State College

Center for Distance Learning•500+ online courses•45% of total enrollments are online•7,000+ students

Online learning at Empire State College

New course features:– Blogs– Map Blogs– Wikis– RSS Feeds– Second Life– E-lluminate video

Working adults

Average Age: 35

Study from locations in:– New York State– United States– Global

20

Online learning at Empire State College

Common Areas of Study– Business, Management

and Economics– Community and Human

Services– Science, Math and

Technology– Humanities

Online learning at Empire State College

Global Programs:– International Programs– International Distance

Learning

Nursing Program

Online learning at Empire State College

Benefits and assets of online learning

• Asynchronous: anytime, anyplace• Flexibility• Small class size (20-22)• Individualized Mentoring• Peer discussions• Emerging technologies• Multiple literacies

Challenges of online learning

• Evolving Learning environments• Ongoing innovation• Scalability• Continuity in experience• Access to emerging tools• Building community

Mobile Learning Task Force•Using iPad to Teach Math•Exploring Content Delivery, Communication and Convenience with Mobile Technologies•Studies in Mobile Media•Kindling a Passion for Reading•American Popular Music

Innovation – thinking outside the box

Innovation – thinking outside the box

Reading Comprehension

Innovation – thinking outside the box

Map Blogs

Innovation – thinking outside the box

Multimedia Timeline

Innovation – thinking outside the box

Innovation in Online Learning

Please fill in the blank:

“But, Kelly, we have always done our presentations this way. And ___ ___ _____ ____ __ _____ ______”

“…IT HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE.”

Why is access important?

•Beyond the legal mandates for compliance.

•Participant expectations and satisfaction

•The information you need to present is important to you and those who need to hear it.

Legal basis for requiring access:

Section 508

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

ADA Amendments Act of 2008

NYS Division of Human Rights Law

Considerations for access

• What are the characteristics of your audience?• What are the resources available for your use?

• What tools or products will you be including in your online activity?

• What questions should I be asking? Of my tools and resources? Of my content?

• Always ask - Where are the potential barriers to access?

Audience issues•Disability affects individuals in different ways depending on severity, onset, etc.•Acquired disabilities vs. congenital•Sensory impairments are often the most challenging to accommodate

Questions to ask: tools

• What is it used for? How much flexibility is built in to how the tool can be used?

• What is the user interface like? How big are the icons? Is the interface intuitive? Or are detailed directions needed for successful use?

• Does it use a technology that is known to have compatibility issues with assistive technology? (e.g., white boards using flash)

• What does the producer say about accessibility?

Examples of common tools:

• Take a look at your tool• Think about your case -

• What are the benefits of using the tool?

• What potential challenges to access do you see in the tool?

Questions to ask: content

• Why do I need to include this information?• How have I broken this information up into

pieces? Does it make sense?• What language choices can I make to make sure

the information is clear?• How does this information need to be

presented? Is there information that is communicated either completely visually or auditorily that I need to present in another way?

Addressing Potential Barriers

• Accessibility is really about increasing usability and can benefit all participants, not just those with disabilities.

• Universal design:• 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.

Universal Design

•Architectural concept developed by Ron Mace, a wheelchair user, in 1985

Seven Principles of UDFrom the Center for Universal Design, UNC: http://www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/index.htm

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

Universal Design = no access issues? Right?

WRONG!!

• A universally designed 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

What would you do?•Time to design a new program!

•You know that the person described in your case will be attending.

•What steps will you take?

•How can the universal design principles help?

Common accommodation needs• Correctly formatted documents in electronic

formats• Be careful of PDFs and other file formats!

• Extra time to process information• Assistance from a reader when technologies are

incompatible or too cumbersome• Live chat rooms = notoriously difficult to work

with for a number of disability diagnoses• Using outside web resources, e.g., You Tube

Other issues

• Technology can be anxiety provoking for those with and without disabilities

• You are not only asking someone to learn something new; you may be asking them to learn in a way that is foreign to them.

How do we fix it?• Think about the purpose of the

information the user needs – and then think outside of the box to figure out how to make it work.

• Some examples:• You Tube assignment• Online tutorial service white

board use• Traffic light example

Equality vs. Equivalency:

FROM THE ACCESS MANIFESTO…HTTP://JOECLARK.ORG/BOOK/SASHAY/SERIALIZATION/ACCESSMANIFESTO.HTML

EQUALITY IS A MISNOMER.

EQUIVALENCY IS THE GOAL.

Thomas P. Mackey, Ph.D.Interim Dean

Center for Distance LearningTom.Mackey@esc.edu

Kelly HermannDirector

College-wide Disability ServicesKelly.Hermann@esc.edu