Training to Educators

Complying with section #16 of the AODA Information and Communications Standard

Janet WasonApril 2013

Overview• Information– The Standard—what does it say?– The uWaterloo response

• Accessible Teaching– What would you do if…?– Tips– What does the library already do?

• Universal Instructional Design• Next steps• Resources

The Information and Communications Standards

• One of the standards for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

• Have already done training for the Customer Service Standards

• Part of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), which also includes Employment and Transportation Standards.

The Information and Communications Standards

• Section #16—Training to Educators:

• http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/staff/aoda_toolkit/integrated/index.html

What’s Happening at uWaterloo?

• Only general information available at this point

• Accessible teaching initiatives to be spearheaded by Centre for Teaching Excellence.– Shannon Dea, Teaching Fellow, sponsored

first Pedagogy Picnic with Jay Dolmage• Waiting for COU training to educators

modules.

Accessible Teaching

A Reminder• Disability statistics estimate 1 in 7• Student population—stats from

AccessAbility Services• Anyone can go from ability to

disability overnight:– Accident—motor, sports– disease

Benefits…• To the Library– Follow the law– Be inclusive—gets our ‘message’ across

• To Users– Receive the message

• It is important to ensure that all students are able to access lectures, workshops, and other academic activities.

Accessible Teaching—an exercise

• What would you do if you had a student with a disability in your workshop?

• Example—a student with ADHD– Inattention, impulsivity, difficulty

sustaining attention for long periods of time, difficulty focussing, easily distracted….

• What strategies can we use?– Present information in visual and

auditory format– Summarize periodically– Give short breaks

Accessible Teaching—Your Turn!

• Brainstorm in small groups• Describe the disability:– Hearing Loss– Vision Loss– Learning Disability– Traumatic Brain Injury (result of an

accident)• What accessible teaching strategies

could you use?

What does dyslexia look like?

Tips• Aim for redundancy. Say it. Write it.

Print it. Summarize it. Show it. Picture it. Try it (multiple presentation of essential information).– Convey in spoken words all the material

written on blackboards, overheads, slides.

– Provide captions or transcripts for videos used in class. Provide links to videos.

– Provide an outline of your workshop (verbally and visually)

Tips• Offer enlarged print copies or

electronic versions of handouts.

• Face the class when speaking.

• Arrange seating according to the student’s needs (near screen, sightlines, etc.)– Ensure a learning space that

accommodates both students and instructional methods.

LINC & Accessible Workshops

• Accessibility statement on Workshops page: – The Library is committed to accessibility

for persons with disabilities. Please contact us in advance if you have any particular accommodations requirements (two weeks preferred) http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/usered/index.html

• What else?

Universal Instructional Design

Universal Instructional Design

• A process that considers the potential needs of all learners when designing and delivering instruction.

• Identifies and eliminates unnecessary barriers to teaching and learning.

• Truly universal thinking– Goes beyond accessibility to maximize learning

for students of all backgrounds and learning preferences

– Minimizes the need for special accommodations.

American Library Association

• Library Services for Persons with Disabilities Policy (2001)

• “Libraries should use strategies based upon universal design to ensure that library policy, resources and services meet the needs of all people.”– http://

www.ala.org/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices

Seven Principles1. Equitable use—instruction is designed

to be useful to and accessible by people with diverse abilities, e.g., create web-based course guides, avoid cursive writing, use sans-serif font.

2. Flexibility in use—instruction provides choice in methods of use, e.g., active learning methods that engage multiple senses, preview and review lesson plan.

Seven Principles3. Simple and intuitive instruction—is designed in a straightforward and predictable manner regardless of students experience, knowledge, language skills, e.g., eliminate library lingo and library-centred concepts.

4. Perceptible information—instruction is designed so that necessary information is communicated effectively regardless of ambient conditions or the student’s sensory abilities, e.g., present information in multiple formats.

Seven Principles5. Tolerance for error—instruction anticipates variation in individual student learning pace and prerequisite skills, e.g., allocate up to half of each class for assisted individual work time.6. Low physical effort—instruction is designed to minimize nonessential physical effort in order to allow maximum attention to learning, e.g., use citation software and other built in time-saving shortcuts.

Seven Principles7. Size and space for approach and use—instruction is designed with consideration for appropriate size and space for approach, reach, manipulations, and use regardless of student’s body size, posture, mobility and communication needs, e.g., the design of library instruction space—maximize collaboration, minimize distractions.

Next Steps• All librarians will need training– how will this be accomplished?– How will accessible teaching/ UID be

incorporated into library instruction?• Am meeting with Annie and Jennifer • Am trying to find out more about

campus and COU initiatives• Ideas? Questions?

Resources• AODA Toolkit—Information and Communications

Standards: http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/staff/aoda_toolkit/integrated/information.html

• AccessAbility Services Accessibility Tips for Faculty: http://uwaterloo.ca/disability-services/faculty-staff/accessibility-tips

• Chodock, Ted and Elizabeth Dolinger. “Applying Universal Design to Information Literacy: Teaching Students who Learn Differently at Landmark College.” Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 49, issue 1, 2009.