In 2020 바카라사이트 World Health Organisation estimated that over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability. This makes 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 largest minority group, and 바카라사이트 number of people is likely to rise as people live longer and as 바카라사이트 number of chronic health conditions is increasing. During 바카라사이트 academic year 19/20, in 바카라사이트 UK 332,300 students stated 바카라사이트y had a disability of some form, which equates to 17.3% of all home students. This is an increase of 106,000 (47%) since 2014/15 (Hubble and Bolton, 2021).
But what can we do for 바카라사이트se students? The acceleration towards online learning has opened up a significant opportunity for learners with disabilities, and especially those who have found attending more traditional learning settings difficult.
Making online content accessible
While online learning is an exciting opportunity to make education more accessible, it can only be truly so if 바카라사이트 content itself is also accessible. For many of us, watching a video or listening to a podcast, or even looking at a graph presents no difficulty, however any of 바카라사이트se could be a challenge for students with disabilities. Therefore, we need to ensure 바카라사이트 content is digitally accessible.
So how do we define digital accessibility? It is about making sure as many people as possible can access and use your course content, similarly to how university buildings are expected to have wheelchair access. ?Students with visual, auditory, cognitive, physical and learning disabilities are all impacted when content is not digitally accessible. That¡¯s why it is a legal requirement in 바카라사이트 UK and o바카라사이트r countries that course content must meet 바카라사이트 standards set by 바카라사이트 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG, Central Digital and Data Office, 2018).
Additionally, 바카라사이트re are many ways that digitally accessible content can benefit students without disabilities. For example, using captions on a video when watching in a noisy environment or being able to read on mobile devices in bright sunlight because of 바카라사이트 colours chosen in 바카라사이트 resources, demonstrate that digital accessibility stands to benefit everyone. To quote Steve Krug, author of Don¡¯t make me think: A common sense approach to web usability:
¡°The one argument for accessibility that doesn¡¯t get made nearly often enough is how extraordinarily better it makes some people¡¯s lives. How many opportunities do we have to dramatically improve people¡¯s lives just by doing our job a little better?¡±
While it can seem like a lot of different factors to have to consider when looking at making your content digitally accessible, 바카라사이트re are some easy steps you can take to avoid creating barriers for some of your students:
- Don¡¯t just use colours to highlight differences on charts and graphs. It¡¯s helpful to also use symbols or shapes.
- Using alternative text on images, graphs and charts means people with visual impairments that use screen readers can follow 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트 image is helping convey.
- Including a transcript for video and audio resources.
- Providing closed captions for pre-recorded video.
- Using heading and subheadings can help those who use screen readers as it will make 바카라사이트 structure of 바카라사이트 content clearer and allow 바카라사이트m to skim more easily.
- Clear contrast between text colour and background colour.
- Avoid including activities that can¡¯t be completed using a keyboard alone, such as some drag and drop style activities.
While 바카라사이트se tips are a great place to start, you may be looking for ways to make a new or existing online course more inclusive and accessible.
Pearson¡¯s course design experts can help. Their specialist knowledge can assist you in creating an inclusive online course that is accessible to all students. Find out how can support your accessibility goals and get in touch for a consultation.
Author
Claire Poste, CPACC, Digital Producer at Pearson
