Truly Inclusive Learning:
Bringing Accessibility to
Everyone
Foong Yee Leong
Operations
Teaching & Learning Platforms
(Moodlerooms, Collaborate, Ally)
Disabilities
Different	Learning	Styles
Who Are We Talking About?
Bringing	Accessibility	to	Everyone
(Who	faces	barriers	to	learning	
in	the	classroom?)
Bringing	Accessibility	to	Everyone
3
…raise barriers to
learning when content
is presented in one
format only…
(Universal Design
for Learning)
Different
Learning Styles
A.	…	5%
B.	…	10%	
C.	…	20%
Bringing Accessibility	to	Everyone
Disabilities
impacting learning
Low	vision/blind
Colour blind ADHD
Bringing	Accessibility	to	Everyone
Effective	models	of	inclusive	education	
not	only	benefit	students	with	
disabilities,	
but	also	create	an	environment	in	
which	every	student,	including	those	
who	do	not	have	disabilities,	has	the	
opportunity	to	flourish.
Inclusive	Schools	Network,	Texas		US
http://inclusiveschools.org/together-we-learn-better-inclusive-
schools-benefit-all-children/
6
Blackboard’s Commitment to Accessibility
ContentPlatforms
7
Challenges around Providing
Accessible Content
Unaware	of	own	learning	disabilities
Not	disclosing	to	institution
Long	delays	on	receiving	
requested	format
Manual	remediation	process
No	insight	into	/	difficult	to	track	
how	institution	is	doing
Lack	of	understanding	on	how	it	
affects	students
Lack	of	awareness	on	what	to	do
8
Ally Workflow
Machine	Learning	
Algorithms
Accessibility	Checklist
Alternative	Accessible	
FormatsInstructor	
Feedback
Institutional	
Report
…influencing	
behavioural
change…
(Enterprise)
(Enterprise)
9
DEMO
10
Oct	2017
Blackboard’s Commitment to Accessible Education
April	2017
July	2017
Q4 2017Enterprise	3.3
11
Ally User Group
2nd	Accessibility	MOOC	starts	Oct	16:	
http://go.blackboard.com/AXMOOC
Choose to:
ü Be Informed
ü Participate
Blackboard	Ally	User	Group
http://tinyurl.com/blackboard-ally-user-group
Accessibility – Bringing Education to Everyone
“Educational	equity	comprises	many	
different	aspects,	including	
appropriate	access	to	education	and	
inclusion.	It	can	be	a	challenge	for	
teachers	to	be	inclusive	in	a	class	of	40	
where	some	students	may	have	
greater	needs	than	their	peers.	
But	it	is	not	impossible.”
A/P	Kenneth	Poon,	NIE
SingTeach Issue	56
http://singteach.nie.edu.sg/issue56-research01/
Truly Inclusive Learning: Bringing Accessibility to Everyone | Foong Yee Leong - Blackboard | TLCANZ17

Truly Inclusive Learning: Bringing Accessibility to Everyone | Foong Yee Leong - Blackboard | TLCANZ17