Accessible Learning
“Freedom that’s only alloted to a few is really not freedom.”
Accessibility for a Digital World
Think accessibility is only about wheelchairs and ramps? Think again. In this new virtual world we spend so much of our time online. From the apps we use on our cell phones to the World Wide Web, our daily lives need to be plugged in. Yet, how we plug in has its limits: we view web pages stocked full of images organized in a fashion that requires the use of a mouse.
But not everyone is capable of seeing the screen or manipulating a mouse. So, we need to rethink accessibility. As Katie Novak of Cult of Pedagogy says, “When we design the same learning pathways for all learners, we might tell ourselves we are being fair, but in fact, single pathways are exclusionary.” (Novak, 2021). The need for accessibility is substantial: 61 million Americans have a disability that impacts major life activities (Zumprano, n.d.).
Marie Raney says "The web is about information accessibility. It’s really a basic human freedom that we’re just really beginning to think about ... It’s important that everyone has this freedom, and freedom that’s only alloted to a few is really not freedom."
UDL for the Win
When designing websites, programmers must keep in mind that some users have limited time, limited bandwidth, or only have access using mobile devices. “We cannot assume that all our users are accessing our content using the same web browser or operating system as we are, nor can we assume they’re using a traditional monitor for output, or keyboard and mouse for input.” In order to make websites accessible to the widest audiences possible, web content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (U. Washington, n.d.). The site must also provide that content through multiple modes of representation. The theory of Universal Design for Learning offers a roadmap for developers to follow to build websites that maximize accessibility and work with assistive technology.
To learn more about website accessibility, click on the video below or use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X20H8euvlXI&t=4s
UDL in the Classroom
Perhaps one of the most important areas where online accessibility is most critical is in the classroom. As technology advances, educators begin to rely on these resources more and more. However, a growing part of the student population requires websites with accessibility features that consider visual, auditory, sensory, and even cognitive considerations. “In 2017-18, the number of students ages 3-21 who received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was 7.0 million, or 14 percent of all public school students” (Zumprano, n.d.). Universal Design for Learning promotes use of best practices for designing instructional materials.
Accessibility Tool Review
One resource that teachers can use to develop accessible lessons is udlstudio.cast.org. Please view my preview of UDLstudio:
Press HERE (opens in new window)
Additional Resources
Click here for an informative podcast: “UDL in 15 Minutes”
Click here for Katie Novak’s YouTube video: “UDL Implementation: It Takes a Village”
Click here for the National Center for Universal Design for Learning’s YouTube playlist
References
The DOIT Center. (2014 May 30) “IT Accessibility: What Web Developers Have to Say ” [Video] YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=X20H8euvlXI&t=4s
Novak, K. (2021, March 21) “If Equity is a Priority, UDL is a Must.” Cult of Pedogogy. www.cultofpedagogy.com/udl-equity/
University of Washington. (n.d.) “Developing Accessible Websites” Accessible Technology. https://www.washington.edu/accessibility/web/ Accessed 4 October 2021.
Zumpano, N. (n.d) Is Your Class Accessible: Accessibility Resources for Educators. [Google Slides] Learning Technology Center of Illinois. https://bit.ly/3a35Rin
Hello Andrew!
ReplyDeleteI love the quote you began your blog post with! I don't think I've ever heard it before - I plan to share it with my students tomorrow :)This week's work made me want to reflect on accessibility not just about my students, but with them, too. There are a few different resources and topics I want to bring into our Morning Meetings about it, and now I'll add in the quote also. Thanks for sharing some additional resources at the bottom of your post as well, I'm going to check them out!
Thanks for the positive feedback! As I was looking at all the resources, I noticed that accessibility also effects me. It gives me options as to the best way to present a lesson and allow students creativity for assessments. That makes my job easier, because who wants to read 20 essays on Charles Dickens!
DeleteHey Andrew - Thanks for your UDL presentation, I appreciate learning more about tool, since I have not used it before in class. Looks like you can create a free account too which is nice. So many apps and extensions are often expensive and are not covered in our reimbursements. I also thought it was great that you includes some additional resources for us -- very Nicole like of you! Most importantly, accessibility is a basic human right. Students with disabilities should have the same access, opportunities, and feedback that every other student receives. Thanks for the reminder of that!
ReplyDeleteThanks! You're right, accessibility is a basic human right. Sometimes, people see accessibility as a lot of extra work, but as we learn from UDL, thinking about these issues tend to benefit everyone.
DeleteAndy, you had me at your hook in this post. You are so right that we've transferred a lot of our thinking to a digital world, but we need to do more of that when it comes to digital access as well. Starting with some generalities and then working into how this is important in the classroom was a great move since digital accessibility permeates our lives.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really engaging and well-written post. I really like the way that you brought in the research throughout to demonstrate the need and some solutions.
Thanks so much! I think we're on the right track. So much has changed in the classroom since I was a student.
DeleteHi Andy,
ReplyDeleteI know that you and I had the same UDL class together so I really appreciate the picture you used as I used one that was similar in my post that we discovered in Dr. Cutler's class. I think because both and I work with lots of students with IEPs, we know how important assistive technology is for our students to have access to the curriculum like everyone else. I really enjoyed your resource "It Takes a Village" because just as that saying goes for raising kids, it goes the same for educating students.
Hi Andy,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your informative post! UDL is an amazing framework for teaching all learners, but as our last class showed, it can be very difficult to implement. Thank you for the video demonstration of CAST's UDL Studio. I had never heard of it, and it was great to see/learn about. I also appreciate the additional resources. I want to incorporate this approach into my lesson planning from the jumpstart, as I enter the field, but I will need all of the help I can get. So thank you, this was great!
Yes agree! I kept reading your blog because your starting quote got my attention!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information! The video definitely helped!
As you mention, we all must work together to get to the same objective.
Like Chantell, CAST's UDL Studio is new to me so I appreciated your video. Universal Design for Learning is a topic that benefits everyone but is not something all educators are aware of. It was great to hear you've taken a class on this!
ReplyDelete