Accessibility

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 came into effect for all new and existing public-sector websites in September 2020.  This means that universities are now obligated to make sure that learning teaching another web-based content is accessible.  This applies to both websites such as learning management systems, in our case Blackboard Learn, but also to the files we make accessible to students via their course areas.  This would include teaching materials such as PowerPoint files and Word documents, PDFs and also SCORM objects.

I’m mindful of these requirements when choosing which technologies to implement, as well as when designing activities and assessments.  It’s important to take active steps to make online content accessible, without waiting to be prompted by a student or staff member complaining.  To do otherwise goes against the spirit of the law, and its aim to shift from reactionary to anticipatory action on accessibility.

Basic requirements for accessibility are including ALT text and captions for non-decorative images, providing subtitles and/or transcripts for videos, and ensuring that screen readers can effectively navigate around a page to access the required content.

Going beyond this, Universal Design for Learning is a framework and guideline developed by CAST to help develop material and learning opportunities that work for the widest audience possible.  Its main aim is to encourage teachers and developers to provide multiple means of engaging with learning and assessment, for example:

• multiple means of engagement – to keep learners interested, encourage collaborative working and aid reflection
• multiple means of representation – so that learners can perceive material appropriately, understand it and link to prior knowledge
• multiple means of action and expression — to provide varied means of responding and accessing content, interactions and information

These are some of the principles I engage with when planning and designing projects. Below are a couple of examples of how I have used them in practice, and encouraged others to consider them when developing material with the digital learning development team.

Developing digital learning collaboratively

This information resource was co-produced with a colleague to act as a guide on how we work as a team, and also to provide teaching staff with tips and information about how to write online learning material. When compiling this guide, I made sure to include a section about equality legislation and Universal Design for Learning principles.

It includes an overview of universal design principles and the changes in legislation, as well as practical tips on how to ensure their material is accessible – through the use of tools to check colour contrast accessibility, making images and videos accessible, and the use of Blackboard Ally for providing alternative formats on Blackboard Learn Ultra.

Keyboard Accessible Quiz Interaction

This small interaction forms part of a larger tutorial on Open Research created for Durham University Library. It consists of a set of three question slides with fill-in-the-blank questions. Storyline, which was used to make small interaction blocks in the tutorial, only allows for a single answer per question slide without introducing more complex custom functionality. The easiest and most intuitive way of doing this is using drag and drop interactions. However, these drag and drops are inherently inaccessible for users who need to use a keyboard and can’t use a mouse. To overcome this, I developed an alternative version of the exercise, which uses numeric entry boxes to enter response numbers. This is entirely keyboard-navigable. I have integrated this functionality by adding a slide where users can choose which experience they want to use, and incorporating a separate feedback slide.

This method required a large number of triggers and some custom variables in order to work correctly. It was fairly fiddly to set up, but works well in practice. As a new user of assistive technology (See Core Area 1A) in the form of speech-to-text software, I also now have an increased appreciation of the challenges people face when adapting to and using new input methods. It has made me even more aware of the need to be alert to accessibility issues.

Equality & diversity

The Equality Act 2010 outlines specific protected characteristics under law.  These are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. The Act protects people from discrimination in employment, using public services, using businesses and other organisations, transport, clubs and associations and government departments.  It covers direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The Public Sector Equality Duty also means that public bodies have to consider the impact on people with different protected characteristics when making decisions and setting policies.

It’s clear from the list of protected characteristics that there is some overlap between equality legislation and accessibility law.  Failing to meet the needs of specific groups of students could potentially result in claims being made under both strands of law.

Equality and inclusion are personally important to me.  As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have been active as a volunteer, campaigner, and community leader both within workplaces and community groups.  As an out, poly, bisexual woman who has previously identified as a lesbian, I am also alert to issues around minority erasure and in-community discrimination.

I’ve delivered training on equality issues as part of my professional responsibilities, and always seek to promote inclusion wherever I have influence.

In terms of developing and advising on learning materials, I include questions about accessibility needs when scoping projects, and in development I ensure that I include characters and visuals that reflect the diversity of the student and staff body, and language that is open and inclusive.

As an example, with respect to the Simon character pictured above, I was keen to include his disability as just a fact about him, something that didn’t define him – so I made sure that he was pictured going shopping, working, sleeping etc – in a way that didn’t really address his disability as a specific problem. I also researched appropriate wheelchairs and chose reference material consistent with a design suitable for an active lifestyle.

Thinking more broadly about equality, I am keen to include a variety of regional accents and characters, e.g. when casting for voice over artists (from my pool of colleagues, mostly!).