Transcript Introducing TechDis

The good, the bad and the rather
unpleasant
Allan Sutherland
TechDis
Teaching Strategies
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Face the class when speaking
Repeat questions from students
Give both oral & written instructions
Vary presentation & teaching approaches
Prepare materials early - to allow time for
adaptations
• Provide technical terms, abbreviations &
acronyms
Teaching Strategies
• Make assignments & reading lists available in
electronic format
• Don’t walk around or pace back & forth
• Provide written summary of videos or arrange
subtitles
• Follow OHP etiquette
Learning Materials
• Offer lecture outlines in advance
• Provide information in alternative formats, such
as Braille or on disc etc.
• Reasons:
– students with visual impairments
– students with dyslexia
– students who are deaf or hearing impaired
OHPs
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Concision is a virtue
Font size of at least 30 pt
Sans serif (Arial) easier to read than serif (Times)
DON’T USE BLOCKS OF UPPER CASE
Use bold to highlight rather than italics or
underline
• Use bullets - 6 max per slide
T shirt
Never put
more on an
OHP
than you would put
on a T shirt
PowerPoint
• Be aware of background/foreground
combinations
• Don’t use colour to convey meaning
• Use a consistent layout
• Dark background and light text best for dark
rooms
• Light background and dark text best for light
rooms
PowerPoint
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Avoid patterned backgrounds (eg…)
Use phrases not sentences
Only use one or two colour combinations
No more than two font styles
Minimise use of animation & transition effects
Avoid the use of sound effects
Things to avoid:
• Too much text is unnecessary and can be
overwhelming and difficult to absorb especially if
it’s in a tiny font!
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Patterned backgrounds
Animations
Transition effects
Sound effects
Some examples...
PowerPoint from
Hell
• Audience confusion
• Horrible backgrounds and nasty noises
Learning in small groups
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Seating arrangements
Only allow one person to speak at a time
Repeat or rephrase what student has said
Put main ideas on board or chart
Have breaks
Provide discussion papers before tutorial
The Learning Environment
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Real
Choose an appropriate lecture theatre or room
Loop system?
Wheelchair access?
Guide dog?
Power points for laptops or tape recorders?
Overcrowded? Noisy?
The Learning Environment
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Virtual
TechDis report
Uploading accessible content
See www.techdis.ac.uk/seven
Links & references
• www.techdis.ac.uk/seven
• www.cowork.ac.uk/development/materials/video/
video.htm
• www.rnib.org.uk/seeitright
• http://www.webaim.org/howto/powerpoint
• www.useit.com
• http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips/
• www.microsoft.com/enable