implementing a holistic approach to e-learning accessibility brian kelly ukoln university of bath...
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Implementing A Holistic Approach To E-Learning Accessibility Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of BathBath
Email:[email protected]
UKOLN is supported by: TechDis is supported by:
http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/alt-c-2005/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/alt-c-2005/
Lawrie PhippsJISC TechDis ServiceYork
Email:[email protected]
Co-author: Caro Howell, University of Bristol
Note: Permission is granted to record or broadcast this talk for non-commercial purposes.
Note: Permission is granted to record or broadcast this talk for non-commercial purposes.
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About This Paper
This paper:• Summarises the role of W3C WAI and WAI
WCAG guidelines in helping to provide universal access to digital resources
• Describes some of the difficulties experienced in implementing guidelines
• Describes some of the limitations and dangers with the guidelines
• Provides a holistic framework for e-learning accessibility
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About The Speakers
Brian Kelly:• Works for UKOLN – a national centre of
expertise in digital information management• Web adviser to the UK higher & further
education and cultural heritage communities• Funded by JISC and the MLA
Lawrie Phipps:• Works for TechDis, an educational
advisory service, working across UK, in the fields of accessibility and inclusion
• Senior Advisor for Higher Education• Funded by the JISC
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This paper is based on the experiences gained by TechDis and UKOLN over several years in advising the HE/FE sector on best practices for Web accessibility
This paper is based on the experiences gained by TechDis and UKOLN over several years in advising the HE/FE sector on best practices for Web accessibility
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W3C WAI and WCAG
W3C (World Wide Web Consortium):• Body responsible for coordinating development of
Web standards
WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative):• W3C group responsible for developing guidelines
which will ensure Web resources are widely accessible
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines):• One of three sets of WAI guidelines. WCAG
provides advice of accessibility on Web content (e.g. HTML pages)
• Other two WAI guidelines cover accessible user agents (UAAG) and accessible authoring tools (ATAG)
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Interpretation of WAI WCAGHow do you interpret WAI WCAG (must use ALT tags for images; HTML must be valid; must use style sheets for presentation; …):
• Mandatory, with following characteristics:Clearly defined rules ObjectiveChecking mostly objectivePenalties for non-complianceSimilar to checking that HTML complies with the
standard
• Advisory, with following characteristics:Useful guidelines, to be interpreted in contextIt's about providing useful, usable resourcesChecking mostly subjectiveIt's similar to checking that a Web site is well-designed
Which reflects your views most closely?
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WAI WCAG AA and AAA
In order to achieve WAI WCAG AA compliance:• Avoid deprecated features (e.g. FONT)• Use W3C technologies when available and
appropriate (no Flash, MS Word or PowerPoint)• .. use the latest versions [of W3C formats] • Create documents that validate to published formal
grammars (i.e. HTML must be valid)
In order to achieve WAI WCAG AAA compliance:• "Specify the expansion of each abbreviation or
acronym in a document where it first occurs" (BBC?)• Specify document collections with the LINK element
and "rel" and "rev"
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I think this means the format is appropriate (i.e. HTML for slides) but others argue it means resources, expertise, … available
I think this means the format is appropriate (i.e. HTML for slides) but others argue it means resources, expertise, … available
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The WAI Model
The WAI model for Web accessibility is based on three components:
• Content• Authoring Tools• Browsers
Get all three right and you'll have universal accessibility
But:• We have no control over browsers & authoring tools• The browsers and authoring tools aren't great• The content guidelines are flawed• Is universal accessibility really possible?
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WCAG and E-learningWCAG 2.0 draft (implicitly) acknowledges that accessibility to everyone is not possible:
“Our target is to make things as accessible to as many people as possible given the need to have practical techniques and criteria.”
But there are issues for learning e.g."Make text content readable and understandable"
Issues:• How practical are guidelines in e-learning (rather than for
informational resources)?• How practical are they in the HE context?• Contextual issues• Backwards compatibility issues
"Clearly identify who benefits from accessible content, and who will benefit from each requirement e.g
• Impairments of intelligence, memory, or thinking • The inability to interpret and/or formulate language symbols,
learning disabilities"
"Clearly identify who benefits from accessible content, and who will benefit from each requirement e.g
• Impairments of intelligence, memory, or thinking • The inability to interpret and/or formulate language symbols,
learning disabilities"BK LP
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The e-learning User Experience (in HE)
Fieldwork
Labwork
Lectures
Peer learning
Group work
Viva Voce
Library
Tutorials
Webresources
CAA
E-learning
Student
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Usability
Accessibility is not a product
Creating a resource that is inclusive is a process
The process must involve users
The experience of the JISC X4L programme• Creating learning materials• A tick list for accessibility
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Usability as a process
… of accessibility, objectives and needs• You need to consider your context• What do your community want or need to
access• Prioritise those areas – test them with the
users
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The Holistic ApproachAccessibility is only important in achieving a user's objective:• This objective does not
(usually) state “I want to read Wuthering Heights on a Web site that is XHTML Strict and complies with WCAG AAA”
• Create an ALT tag for pathos?
• You have resources other than the Web
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Pragmatism and Holism You have limited resources:
• Prioritise• Seek to implement a basic level of
accessibility – but test the important resources with users
• Usability of material is as important as accessibility
• Be flexible, state that you want to support users and provide a contact
LP BK
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TechDis – UKOLN Approach
Remember UK legislation expects organisations to take "reasonable measures"
Remember UK legislation expects organisations to take "reasonable measures"
UsersNeeds
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Holistic framework for e-learning accessibility published in CJLT:
• Focuses on the userand recognises importance of:
• External pressures e.g. funders, QAA, …
• Technical infrastructure • Resource implications• Learning & teaching outcomes
and requires quality assurance based on documented policies and systematic checking
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I-Map – A Case Study
Independently of our work Tate Gallery were using a similar approach:
• Need for an educational resources about Picasso/Matisse
• Aimed at visually impaired users
• Recognition that a universal approach was inappropriate
• Developed a hybrid approach
i-Map Web site breaks WAI guidelines (e.g. it uses proprietary formats) and took a user-focused and pragmatic (what expertise do we have) approach.Positive comments received from target audience
i-Map Web site breaks WAI guidelines (e.g. it uses proprietary formats) and took a user-focused and pragmatic (what expertise do we have) approach.Positive comments received from target audience
http://www.tate.org.uk/imap/pages/animated/primitive/picasso/nude_arms.htm
http://www.tate.org.uk/imap/pages/animated/primitive/picasso/nude_arms.htm
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Further Developments
Need to develop a more formal methodology to support holistic approach to IT development programmesJISC-funded QA Focus project developed methodology:
• Supportive of open standards & best practices• Recognises need for diversity (due to immaturity
of technologies, richness of usage scenarios, ...)Recommendation that programmes allow for diversity & experimentation:
• Argues for diversity rather than universality• Freedom to experiment on some areas• Tolerance of mistakes in some areas• Opt-out mechanisms
This approach is being further developed through joint work with UKOLN, TechDis, AHDS & CETIS
This approach is being further developed through joint work with UKOLN, TechDis, AHDS & CETIS
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Conclusions
To conclude:• WAI guidelines have been developed for a reason
– so seek to understand them and implement them if and where appropriate.
• Be flexible if implementation is difficult or conflicts with (for example) learning.
• Think holistically! Students don’t come to HE to only sit in front of a screen.
• Select guidelines / standards that mean something to the context of the resource.
• Document your processes.
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Questions
Any questions?
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to JISC for funding UKOLN and TechDis and the QA Focus project.
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to JISC for funding UKOLN and TechDis and the QA Focus project.