Innovative Teaching Room Technologies Chris McKenzie Assistive Technology Adviser University of Strathclyde 7 th International Conference on Higher Education and Disability, Innsbruck, Austria

Innovative Teaching Room Technologies Introduction Visual Display Equipment Audio Equipment Live Remote Captioning Automated Video Capture (web lectures) Video Streaming & Captioning Conclusions

Introduction The University of Strathclyde A place of useful learning John Anderson, 1796

Introduction Around 3,200 staff Around 26,000 full and part time students Currently around 1000 Disabled students known to the Disability Service Approximately 200 centrally managed teaching & learning spaces across 2 campuses. Over 700 departmental teaching rooms Most equipped with Audio Visual Technology

Visual Display Equipment Innovative Teaching Room Technology

Visual Display Equipment Initial Position No clear consensus among teaching staff Need to develop an agreed standard: Enhance Teaching & Learning experience Improved Technical Support Efficiency gains Disabled Students and Staff

Visual Display Equipment No clear consensus among teaching staff... Image of a standard central lecture hall, based in the Engineering Faculty. There are 2 high quality data projectors, 2 electronic screens, document visualisers and a room control system. On one side of the lectern there is a piano.

Visual Display Equipment Impact Assessment Process Using newly developed Impact Assessment guidelines Identify aims of the practice The use of Visual Display equipment in teaching and learning Consider data Viewing Angles and distances from surface Information from Service Managers Information from Academics Student feedback

Visual Display Equipment The Impact Assessment findings demonstrated that: 72% of students wanted to see Blackboards used less, 43% wanted less use of whiteboards and 86% wanted less use of OHP's. Alternatively: 71% of students strongly agreed and 29% agreed that the Document Visualiser was easy to see from everywhere in the room, 86% strongly agreed and 14% agreed the same about computer data projection, 72% of students wanted to see the Document Visualiser used more and, 86% wanted the data projector used more.

Visual Display Equipment Conclusions Flexibility is important High quality electronic visual display is most accessible Data projector Plasma/LCD screen Availability of electronic copy crucial

Visual Display Equipment Room Control Systems Touch Screen Wall Mounted Buttons Need for support in infrastructure essential

Visual Display Equipment This image is a screen grab of a typical touch screen room control system. The room has 2 data projectors that can be independently connected to any device, either built in to the room system (e.g. DVD player, PC, CD player, Document Visualiser) or external (e.g. Laptop, iPod). The lecturer chooses which device they want displayed on which screen (can be the same on both if desired) by touching the appropriate on screen button. The system then automatically switches devices on and connects them. The system can also control microphone levels and room lighting, as well as giving room information to the lecturer (such as fire safety information, and nearest accessible toilets). Each room system is customised for that room, and can be controlled from a central point if required.

Audio Equipment Teaching Room Technology

Audio Equipment Room Specification Based on room size Installed microphones Radio microphones Sound Reinforcement Loop systems Teaching Room Audio Survey Intended to compliment Visual Display Equipment Assessment

Audio Equipment Student Survey Delivered online to all current students Option to remain anonymous User-centric focus on user experience

Audio Equipment Survey Results During classes can you hear the speaker comfortably? 90% Yes, 8% No

Audio Equipment Survey Results Is the speech easily intelligible? 90% Yes, 8% No

Audio Equipment Survey Results Do you have to sit in specific areas of the room to hear clearly ? 29% Yes, 68% No

Audio Equipment Survey Results Would your experience in some classes be improved by better audio amplification? 74% Yes, 25% No

Audio Equipment Survey Results Do lecturers always use the available microphone and audio system? 12.5% Yes, 87.5% No

Audio Equipment Strong agreement that speakers could be heard during class However, results showed that almost 1/3 of student had to sit in specific areas to hear clearly Over 70% felt that the teaching experience could be improved by better use of audio technology 87.5% reported that speakers did not always use the available systems

Live Remote Captioning Teaching Room Technology

Live Remote Captioning What is Live Remote Captioning? Service for deaf and hard of hearing students Live speech converted into text How does it work? Audio transmitted to captioning studio via mobile phone Captioner uses voice recognition software to re- speak Text returns to students laptop within seconds

Live Remote Captioning: Technology Image of our Live Remote Captioning Hardware. Housed in a custom carry-case: lapel microphone Radio transmitter microphone Audio distribution box Spare batteries System documentation Mobile phone Mobile phone charger

Live Remote Captioning: Why was it introduced? To explore an alternative to the current services i.e. electronic notetaking, speedtext and manual notetakers Aim is to improve reliability, flexibility and scalability of services for students Mobile technology Accessible for numerous students simultaneously No travel required Remote institutions

Video Clip Live Remote Captioning in use

Live Remote Captioning: Service Development Liaising with Service Providers Initial work in Australia Sourcing equipment Audio-visual expertise in-house Testing University of Strathclyde University of Aberdeen Consultation with Scottish Government Co-ordination of service

Live Remote Captioning: Trial Rolled out September 2009, Completed June students, 2 departments, 2 campuses Accuracy of transcription excellent Positive student feedback Initial technical issues overcome Ongoing improvements

Video Clip Student Feedback

Live Remote Captioning: Next Steps Improving service Presenting success of trial to Scottish Government Going beyond Strathclyde Procurement issues

Automated Video Capture web lectures Teaching Room Technology

Automated Video Capture (web lectures) Introduction Introduced in 2005/06 Initially a pilot project within Faculty of Education Background Managed by Learning Services Around 140 recordings per annum Fixed installations 2007 Installed systems less obtrusive Faster turnaround of video onto server

Automated Video Capture (web lectures) Technical specifications Installed system Portable systems Windows Media Format Process Integrated with Virtual Learning Environment Transcriptions & Captions

Automated Video Capture (web lectures) Feedback Initial concern about attendance No significant drop in attendance demonstrated Could students film classes themselves? Fixed systems only work perfectly if they are installed everywhere. Only as good as infrastructure that supports it.

Video Streaming & Captioning Teaching Room Technology

Video Streaming & Captioning 24/7 access to video resources Access on and off campus Flexible approach to learning Searchable Database (eStream) Large volume of data, with user control meta data (including deletion date) Intellectual Property/Ownership/Copyright Transcriptions & Captions Outsourced Expensive! On Demand/Track Disabled students? Moving past technology?

Conclusions Teaching Room Technology

Innovative Teaching Room Technologies Accessibility requires partnership working Disability Service, Learning Services, IT Services, Estates Services, Students Innovation doesnt need to be complex Student opinion matters!

Innovative Teaching Room Technologies Questions? Contact details: Chris McKenzie Assistive Technology Adviser University of Strathclyde