Transcript Dyslexia and the Use of Assistive Technology

Usability Implications
JISC TechDis Service
www.techdis.ac.uk
[email protected]
Emma Arnold
Project Officer, TechDis
Unlocking Potential
The JISC TechDis Advisory Service
• TechDis is the leading educational advisory
service providing advice and guidance on
technology and disability to promote an
accessible and inclusive experience for students
and staff.
• TechDis is a
funded advisory service (Joint
Information Systems Committee).
• TechDis is a co-located Service within the HE
Academy building in York.
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TechDis Remit
• TechDis covers Higher, Further and Specialist
Education, across the UK.
• Our remit is neither focused mainly around
technology nor around disability but around good
practice in teaching and learning that inherently
broadens and enhances the student experience
for all students.
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TechDis and Subject Centres
• DELAcc
• Funding from JISC to look at 12 Distributed ELearning (DEL) projects and ask ‘what would have
been done differently or how would the outcomes
have been different if disabled students had been
considered?’
• HEAT
• Sector or subject centre staff bid for technology to
enable the development or uncovering of a piece
of good or innovative practice in teaching. 20
funded currently, Round 2 next April.
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The Holistic Approach to E-Learning
• Need to provide accessible learning
experiences, not necessarily accessible elearning experiences.
• Accessibility is primarily about people and not
about technology, so staff should take into
account an individual's specific needs,
institutional and subject factors when providing
accessible resources.
• Need for a quality assurance framework for the
development of accessible e-learning resources.
• www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/papers/alt-c-2005/
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User Testing
• Ensure any site is tested with sample target
audience throughout development.
• Include disabled learners within stakeholder
group, including those using alternative
equipment to access the information e.g.
Screenreader.
• Ensure common tasks can be completed with
ease.
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Accessibility Statement
• Ensure when accessibility is considered the
outcomes are noted within a statement. If
something is inaccessible state it is.
• Provide alternative advice e.g. contact
information.
• Developing and Publicising a Workable
Accessibility Strategy http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue38/phipps/
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Using what you know best…
• Appropriate use of Microsoft Word
• Document Map
• Use of Structured and Unstructured Documents
• Structured document
• Unstructured document
• www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials
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Staff Development & Support
• TechDis Online services - www.techdis.ac.uk
• Staff Packs - www.techdis.ac.uk/staffpacks
• Accessibility Essentials www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials
• User Preferences Toolbar – www.techdis.ac.uk/gettoolbar
• HE Conference Report www.techdis.ac.uk/getheconfreport
• Community site - www.techdis.ac.uk/community
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