Education and Universal Design in Assessment and Evaluation Ron Stewart Technology Advisor Association on Higher Education and Disability

Our Goals To determine the impact of the specific disability on the learning task at hand. To implement recommendations and specifications for curricular adjustment that do not impact the pedagogical integrity of the learning environment. To develop a skill set in the learner that does not require long term outside intervention whenever practicle.

Specific Obligations Reasonable and Appropriate Accommodations. Access to all Publications. Access to all Sites and Facilities. Access to all Programs and Content: Web Pages Coursepacks and Courseware Interactive Courses SMS, LMS, and CMS systems

Accessing the Learning Space Is the Environment Accessible? Is the AT compatible with the IT? Does the User have the Skills? IT Skills AT Skills Have Options been Identified? Inaccessible System Components Essential Elements of Instruction Impact on Teaching and Learning

Accommodations What is the impact of the recommendation on the curriculum? Are the recommended accommodations curricularly and environmentally appropriate How are the recommendations going to be implemented and maintained? How are the recommendations going to be paid for? Are the recommendations generalizable and transferable?

Challenges

Online Issues Inaccessible Interface Elements Chats, Discussions, Interactive Tools Missing and Misleading Alternatives (Alt’s) Pages not Properly Titled Confusing Navigation Structure Controls not Properly Labeled Nested Frames and Tables Tabular Data not Properly Labeled Mouse only Actions

Online Issues Inconsistent Page Styling Page Text Reflow Automatic Features Support for High-Contrast Mode Layout Locked Lack of Site Meta Headings Testing Environments Timing Out Lack of Status Indication

Alternative Presentations (ALT’s) Proper and Regular Use of Alternatives: Minimal Means of Navigation Allows Content to be Chunked Provides “Important” Content Eliminates Distracters Increases Content Effectiveness

PowerPoint Access PowerPoint Accessibility Provide the Presentation File to Students Don’t Overload Slides Don’t Use Color to Convey Meaning Carefully Select Colors and Fonts Avoid Animation and Transitions Embedded Content may not be Accessible

PowerPoint Access Provide an Outline Equivalent Text Box Content is not Provided No essential Graphical Content is Presented No embedded Content is Presented Material may need to be Reorganized Provide an HTML Equivalent Create in HTML Originally Use a Conversion Utility Do not use “Save as Web”

PDF Access Properly Structure Source Files Proper Reader Configuration Legacy File Conversion Convert not Print Insure PDF is Properly Tagged Provide Alternative Formats

Test Access Timed Testing Is it Necessary? Is it Equitable? Alternative Testing Is it Equivalent Academic Integrity Impact of the AT Native Accessibility Alternative Evaluation Integrity of the Instrument

Strategies for Success

Promote Independence Use unmodified technology whenever possible. Implement modifications that can be rapidly learned and used. Implement modifications that are easily transferred to the work environment. Implement modifications that are easily generalizable, and not domain or content specific.

Cost Effectiveness Analyze campus wide needs and strategically locate technology. Leverage existing systems whenever possible. Target acquisition to meeting the highest area of need. Develop a long term strategic plan, and plan your acquisition accordingly.

Lower Costs Use “off the shelf” technology when possible. Replace traditional “labor intensive” accommodation models. Analyze the learning situation and make acommodations based on the pedagogy. Multipurpose and repurpose technology resources.

Building a Learning Community Reduce all barriers to full inclusion. Develop collaborative and cooperative partnerships. Develop solutions based on “real world” needs and goals. Develop long term solutions based on the needs of the campus community, its partners and the students with disabilities.

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