Assistive Technologies
As an online instructor, what assistive technologies do you have available to assist students with disabilities?
Great question. As of right now, our main focus is to make the courses as navigable as possible, while limiting the use of confusing graphics, and compartmentalizing topics.
Our courses are going through a 508 compliance overhaul, but aside from that, we currently do not provide students any special keyboards, mice, or monitors to assist them in the courses. Should students need assistance on where to purchase those items however, we try to guide them to the right place.
Parrish,
I am surprised that you don't provide special keyboard, etc through your disability services office. But it is great that you can guide them to the right place.
Renee Shaffer
Even before the Americans with disabilities act became law, assistive technology was recognized as an area of its own… and assistive technology devices include everything from text readers, to speech recognition software, to sophisticated mice, and just about everything in between. Thank you. M Crowley
I teach web design and 508 is actually a topic. The students research different assistive technologies then try them out. JAWS is a class favorite.
Claire,
Any ideas why JAWS is a favorite.
Renee Shaffer
The material is available to students in several different formats including audio/video recordings with transcripts; written (the textbook); and interactive with me on a synchronous and asynchronous basis. Attendance at chats is not required but these are recorded so that students may review them at their convenience. I also use PowerPoints in the class and avoid some of the bells and whistles mentioned such as fade ins/outs for transitiona. I post PowerPoints and other supplemental materials to the Learning Materials Section for students to review at their leisure. I've also made myself available to students with disabilities (and students without them) via telephone and voice messaging. It's sometimes easier to discuss a question "live" using "old" technology such as the telephone rather than online.
Mara,
You really try to incorporate a lot of ways for all students to participate in your courses. While the chats can be recorded though, it still does not allow students with disabilities to have the same experience as though who can manuever through the chats in real time. So true about the "old-fashioned" telephone. Good work!
Renee Shaffer
I use Blackboard and Moodle - Blackboard has some ways for students to modify the LMS - see http://ualr.edu/disability/students/blackboard-help/ and for Moodle these include http://www.moodlerooms.com/accessibility
Jaclyn,
Good point. It has some modifications but it does not help entirely.
Renee Shaffer
I find presenting the same material in different formats is important so it is more accessible to students. Also this is one reason I favor asynchronous courses, the eliminate the time pressure with makes them easier for a range of disabilities.
Thomas,
That is so true. The pressure of time can be detrimental for students with disabilities such as those with PTSD or panic disorders.
Renee Shaffer
As an online instructor, you really have to be assessable to the students. Their computer skills on how to upload assignments and they need to complete their assignments but they really need your assistance because most of them are not visual learners.
All assignments are time management and I have found that they are well versed at time management.
Jeannette,
How true. Being there for all of your students is a necessity for the successful online course.
Renee Shaffer
To ensure that online courses meet the needs of a of different students, I make sure to provide a variety of ways for the content delievered. Some of the methods I use are videos, audio recordings, powerpoints posted to the portal and I stress to them that phone calls and emails are great as well.
Ashley,
Wonderful! It is so good to see instructors using a variety of content delivery options.
Renee Shaffer
I am new to online instruction.
Howevver I have been in leadership postitions for 30 years in hospitals and healthcare systems.
When I worked for a large Medical Center in suburban Chicago, the HR department worked very hard at educating the staff about employees with disabilities.
They put together training material that was disseminated at orientation and tested annually as part of the required learning each year.
They would identify a specific disability and provide education to the staff. Here is one on blindness:
People who have not had vision since birth may have difficulty understanding verbal descriptions of visual materials and abstract concepts. Consider the example, "This organizational chart looks like an upside down tree." If one has never seen a tree, it may not be readily apparent that the structure of note has several lines which can be traced up to one central point. However, a person who lost her vision later in life may find this verbal description easy to understand. Additionally, demonstrations based on color differences may be more difficult for people with blindness to understand than demonstrations which emphasize changes in shape, temperature, or texture. During presentations, meetings, and job-site demonstrations, a clear, concise narration of the basic points being represented in visual aids is helpful.
People who have no sight cannot read written materials in standard formats. Ready access to printed materials on computer disks or via the Internet allow blind workers, who have the appropriate technology, to use computers to read text aloud and/or produce Braille. Some materials may need to be transferred to audiotape. Since it may take weeks or even months to procure specific materials in Braille or on audiotape, it is essential that career counselors and employers select and prepare materials that are needed by a worker who is blind well before the materials are going to be used.
Blindness, Transparency
Blindness
• Describe visual aids
• Audiotaped, Braille, or electronic text to substitute printed materials
• Raised-line drawings and tactile models of graphic materials
• Adaptive equipment (e.g. tactile timers, calculators)
• Computers with optical character readers, voice output, Braille screen displays, braille printers
Other examples of accommodations for people who are blind include the provision of tactile models and raised-line drawings of graphic materials; adaptive equipment, such as talking calculators and tactile timers; and computers with optical character readers, voice output, Braille screen displays, and Braille printers.
In communicating with a worker who is blind, it is important to remember that the visual impairment does not affect his ability to think or to hear. Speak in a normal tone. In addition, consider the following suggestions.
• To start a conversation, touch the person lightly on the arm or address him by name to gain his attention.
• Ask the person if he would like you to orient him to a room and any obstacles you may perceive that it contains.
• Use descriptive words such as, "in front of you at eleven o'clock," instead of vague language such as "over there." Keep in mind that a person who is blind cannot relate to hand or facial gestures.
• Feel free to use visual words such as "look" and "see." Expressions such as these are commonly used by people who cannot see.
• Always ask permission before interacting with a person's guide dog.
I have used this example in my class to alert and educate students about impairments in the workplace.
My learning instiutions alert me to any student who has an impairment. So far the only accomodation has been to grant more time for assignment and test completiion.
Ralph Fornari
Ralph,
Oh I wish that there were more people like you.
Renee Shaffer
We had a student with a visual impairment who used JAWS. The software was on the student's computer, not the school's computer. Unfortunately, the student had not received adequate training in use of the software which made using it difficult. We spent a lot of time working together to coordinate the reading material with the software, but not having the software available in-house made learning the program well a challenge. It seems as though it would be a very useful tool, however.
