Date post: | 19-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
View: | 214 times |
Download: | 1 times |
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
5
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
6
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
7
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)
8
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
9
What does compliance mean? (For Blackboard)
SENDACOMPLIANCE
10
What does compliance mean? (For Blackboard)
SENDACOMPLIANCE
11
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
12
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
13
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)
14
Does Blackboard have … ?
SENDACOMPLIANCE
15
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
19
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 !
23
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
24
Is Blackboard SENDA compliant Version 6.0 + ? SENDA
COMPLIANCE
25
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