University of Durham

VLE: Valuable Learning Experience

Gabriel Jezierski

University of Durham

VLE: Valuable Learning Experience

Gabriel Jezierski

University of Durham

VLE: Valuable Learning Experience

Special Educational Needsand Disability Act (2001)

&

Gabriel Jezierski

4

OverviewSpecial Educational Needs and Disability Act [2001]

• Work with Bb on compliance• What SENDA (2001)/compliance means• What UWIC has done with Blackboard• Current position with Blackboard

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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Work with Bb Special Educational Needs and Disability Act [2001]

• What is SENDA ?– 1. Legislation - Act 2001

– 2. Code of Practice (url: http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/documents/post16cop.doc)

– Sent to Reidy Brown, Bb • to compare with Section 508 US Rehabilitation Act

(url http://www.section508.gov/)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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Work with Bb Special Educational Needs and Disability Act [2001]

• BASIC PRINCIPLES?– Educational institutions required:

• to make ‘reasonable adjustments’

• not to treat disabled students less favourably

• to act in an ‘anticipatory’ capacity - not ad hoc

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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What does compliance mean? (General)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• IMPLICATIONS? – Policies and practice (e.g. L&T/ Widening Access

/Web Design/Estates policy)

– QAA + Programme Specifications (QAA Code of Practice on Students with Disabilities:

Precept 8) where modular material is up online (e.g. Bb)

– IT support/infrastructure to assist disabled students (assistive technology)

– Student Complaints procedures (non compliance Governing bodies)

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What does compliance mean? (For Blackboard)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• IMPLICATIONS?

• All resources (i.e. including online) are accessible to students with disabilities/ learning difficulties – dyslexia– blind/visually impaired– hearing impaired– motor difficulties

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What does compliance mean? (For Blackboard)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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What does compliance mean? (For Blackboard)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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What does compliance mean? (On-line learning / resources?)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• If using teaching tools online (e.g. Blackboard) lecturers must consider:– accessibility of the tools (e.g. discussion forum, virtual

chat, (whiteboard))

– issues surrounding online assessments (e.g. timed tests /assignments) + assessment tools (e.g. Perception)

– submission of work (Jaws does not recognise ‘Browse’ button)

GUIDELINES

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What does compliance mean? (On-line learning / resources?)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Implications?– Staff aware of SENDA? (QAA precepts?)– Build in at the design stage/staff development

stage– Programme Specification (Validation)– Staff/Web Developers should validate work,

– e.g. Bobby check,

– conformance W3C standards (url http://www.w3.org/wai/)

GUIDELINES

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What we did with Bb?

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Liaison with Reidy Brown, Senior Software Engineer, Washington

• Production of 5 minute Guide - validated by Reidy Brown http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/5min_guide_module_accessible.htm

• Section on Blackboard (in Accessible Curricula:Good Practice Guide (www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/accessible/html)

• Posting to TechDis (Technology and disability issues)

• Working UK HE community /Collaboration with other Institutions:– Salford SURFACE project (Adrian Higginbotham)

– TECHSHARE Birmingham Conference (RNIB + VLEs)

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Does Blackboard have … ?

SENDACOMPLIANCE

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Does Blackboard have … ?

SENDACOMPLIANCE

Alternative text: ‘Alt’ tag

provide an alternative for pictures for screen reading software

Position with Bb? (currently not fully compliant)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard) • Impossible for screen reader to use because of Java

Position with Bb? (currently not fully compliant)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard)

• ‘Submit work’ button

• Impossible for screen reader to use because of Java

• Screen reader (Jaws 3.7) has difficulty reading this button

‘Browse’?

Position with Bb? (currently not fully compliant)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard)

• ‘Submit work’ button

• Online assessments

• Impossible for screen reader to use because of Java

• Screen reader (Jaws 3.7) has difficulty reading this button

‘Browse’?

Colour /Answers in Table issues

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Position with Bb? (currently not fully compliant)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Online assessments • Issues:– Colour buttons

red (yes)/blue (no) buttons

– Tables - answers in tables

Position with Bb? (UWIC work-arounds)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard) • Student can go into archived chat transcripts

Position with Bb? (UWIC work-arounds)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard)

• ‘Submit work’ button

• Student can go into archived chat transcripts

• Ensure students submit work via email attachment‘Browse’?

Position with Bb? (UWIC work-arounds)

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Virtual chat, (whiteboard)

• ‘Submit work’ button

• Online assessments

• Student can go into archived chat transcripts

• Ensure students submit work via email attachment‘Browse’?

Provide alternatives !

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Current UWIC activity

SENDACOMPLIANCE

• Working strategically (Dis. Prov Dev Plan)• Quality Enhancement (Programme Specifications)

• Staff awareness– Distribution of Accessible Curricula Guide to staff

– Training workshops for all UWIC staff using Bb

– Continued collaboration with other Institutions

• Reviewing/Updating Web Policy (include W3C accessibility standards)

• On-going collaboration with Bb regarding:– ‘workarounds’

– improved accessibility in Version 6.0

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Is Blackboard SENDA compliant Version 6.0 + ? SENDA

COMPLIANCE

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Further info ...

• LTSU http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu

• Carol Doyle• http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/5min_guide_module_accessible.htm

• http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/accessible_curricular_contents.html

• http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/accessible_curricular_contents.rtf

• http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/accessible_curricular_contents.pdf