The document provides an overview of a workshop on universal design for educational technology. It discusses the importance of accessibility and outlines seven principles of universal design: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. Examples are given for how each principle can be applied when evaluating online courses and tools to ensure they are usable and accessible for all students. The document emphasizes that universal design benefits all learners, not just those with disabilities.

1. UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR
EDUCATIONAL
TECHNOLOGY:
Usable learning environments for all
students

2. Workshop Presenters
Web
tools Equity
Online
courses
Kelly Hermann, Lisa Rapple, M.Ed
Director, Office of Curriculum Instructional
Collegewide Disability Designer
Services SUNY Empire State College
SUNY Empire State College Center for Distance Learning
A shared vision for online
courses

3. Agenda for today…
 Setting the stage
 Legal landscape
 Access matters…to ALL
 Stocking
your toolbox
 Common tools and potential pitfalls
 Evaluating courses and tools
 …and how do you fix the problems you find?
 Some hands on practice
 Resources

4. Please fill in the blank:
“But, Kelly, we have always
done our courses this way.
And ___ ___ _____ ____
__ _____ ______”

5. “…IT HAS NEVER BEEN
A PROBLEM BEFORE.”

6. Part 1 Setting the stage
Legal mandates, recent cases and what we
now know we need to do to ensure
accessibility.

7. First, what are we talking
about?
Disability Major life activity
 Results from a  Those tasks or
medical, psychologi things we need to
cal, or cognitive do on a daily basis
diagnosis to conduct the
business of life
 Imposes a limit on a  Examples – reading,
person’s ability to thinking, walking,
perform one or more breathing, learning,
major life activities etc.

8. Other definitions…
Functional Reasonable
accommodations
limitation
 The restriction  Modifications made
imposed by the to the course to
symptoms or allow a student with
manifestations of a disability to have
the disability equal access to the
 The tasks a person learning activities
has difficulty and to demonstrate
completing because what he/she has
of the effects of the learned.
disability

9. Legal responsibilities…
 Section 504 of the  These require
Rehabilitation Act of institutions which
1973 receive federal funds
 Americans with to ensure that all
Disabilities Act of 1990 courses, programs or
activities of the
 ADA Amendments Act institution are
of 2008 accessible to students
 Also, keep in mind any with disabilities.
applicable state laws,
such as the NYS  All provide:
Human Rights Law  Protection from
discrimination on the
basis of disability
 Reasonable
accommodations

10. A note about Section 508
 Section 508 does contain standards and
guidelines
 HOWEVER –
 They only apply to the websites and software
procurement plans of the federal government
 UNLESS your state has adopted the 508
guidelines as state law. (NY has)
 Be wary of those vendors who assure you their
product is 508 compliant
 Additional guidance should be forthcoming
from the Department of Justice (ANPRM
closed, Jan. 2010)

11. Federal happenings…
 Joint Dear Colleague Letter re: Ebook readers
 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague
-20100629.html
 Penn State – National Federation of the Blind
 http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NewsBot.asp?ID=702&MODE=VI
EW
 Google Apps – Northwestern, NYU
 CA State Google accessibility project:
 http://ati.calstate.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=280
 Follow-up to Dear Colleague letter – FAQ document
 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-ebook-
faq-201105.html

12. Other communications…
 Blinding Technology of Online Learning, Inside
Higher Ed
 2010 EDUCAUSE: IT Accessibility Constituent
Group formed
 5/2011 Inside Higher Education: Elaborating on
Online Accessibility
 5/11 EDUCAUSE Blog posting: Developments to
Watch: Federal Accessible Instructional
Materials (AIM) Commission
 My Conversion Experience on Accessibility, Inside
Higher Ed blog

13. Which disabilities are covered?
 There are many ways that
a disability can impact a
student’s use of
Not just about technology:
 Anxiety
those students
 Social issues
who cannot
 Side effects of medication
see or hear.  Processing of language and
text
 Comfort with independent
learning

14. What technology use is
covered?
 Email to and from students
 Online and blended learning courses
 Course companion websites
 Electronic files shared with students
 Twitter feeds, blog sites, You Tube videos
 Textbook companion websites
 Google documents
 Etc….

15. Part 2 Accessibility Matters… to
ALL
Universal Design for Learning –considerations
for course design when using Web tools.

16. Importance of design
 “… the more a (design) needs to be
accommodated, the less universally designed
it is, because if it was well designed to begin
with for a broad array of students, it would not
need all those accommodations to make it
appropriate for these students who are
struggling.” -- Skip Stahl (CAST)

17. Why universal design?

18. Why Universal Design?
 A scientifically valid curricular
framework
 A strategy for making decisions about
learning with web tools that plans for
diverse learners.
 An impetus to provide the learner
multiple ways to access, participate
and progress in their learning.

19. What is Universal Design?
 Architectural concept
developed by Ron
Mace, a wheel chair
user
 His idea was novel in
1985.
 Today, we don’t
recognize it when we
see it because it is so
much a part of our every
day lives.
 Not just for individuals
with disabilities – all
benefit!

20. Seven guiding principles
•Equitable Use
•Flexibility in Use
•Simple & Intuitive Use
•Perceptible
Information
•Tolerance for Error
•Low Physical Effort
•Size & Space for
Approach & Use

21. The Curricular Framework of
UDL
 Revolves around individual variability.
disability.
 Encourages you to provide multiple ways
for:
Presenting content to the learner
Asking learners to present what they
learned
Engaging learners in learning activities

22. Presenting Content to the
Learner Curricular Framework: Representation
Design for All Learners:

PRACTICAL APPS: Key information is equally
WHO BENEFITS:
perceptibleAssists learners with: sensory
Provide variable features; text
size, volume, speed, zoom.
to all learners or
disabilities (e.g., blindness
 Language/symbols/icons are
Provide text equivalents, deafness); learning disabilities
captions, visual/emotional (e.g., dyslexia); language or
clear.
descriptors for prosody. Pre- cultural differences, multiple
teach and embed support for learning styles.
vocabulary, symbols, &
unfamiliar references within the BONUS: it allows all learners to
text. Access competent read- make connections within, as well
aloud readers and Text-to- as between, concepts.
speech software.

23. Learners present what they
learned Curricular Framework: Expression
Design for All Learners:
PRACTICAL APPS:
 Allow alternative navigation
WHO BENEFITS:
Learners express their knowledge
or chats, web
interaction with tool.
through interactive web tools & social
media; discussion forums,
Assists learners with:
physical
design, annotation tools, storyboards,
 Offer students a choice dysgr
comic strips, animation presentations disabilities, blindness,
aphia, or various kinds of
Allow learners to choose the multiple
media; such as text, speech, drawing, executive function
 Support executive functioning
illustration, design, film, music, visual art, challenges.
or video that suites their abilities.
Learners have the opportunity to choose BONUS: Learners are
what best interfaces with their particular prepared with 21st century
assistive technology.
media skills and are
Give clear direction and deadlines. realistically challenged.
Scaffold for planning and strategy
development, provide examples, guides
and checklists.

24. Learners engage in learning
activities
Design for All Learners: Curricular Framework: Engagement

PRACTICAL APPS: Recruit Interest BENEFITS:
WHO
Engage learners with
 Sustainthat
authentic, real-world activities
effort Assists learnersare motivated.
and they with variation
in the way
persistence Individual affect is influenced
have relevant value.
by neurology, culture, personal
Be conscious of novelty, sensory
 Encourage Self-regulation and
and social demands.
relevance, subjectivity,
background knowledge, along
Foster collaboration and with a variety of other factors
communication; communities of BONUS: Rich adult learning
learners. experiences are employed.
Personal journaling to self-
regulate, receive feedback and
monitor progress.

25. Part 3 Evaluating courses and tools
Finding the problems and fixing them!

26. Principle 1: Equitable use
 Guidelines:
 Provide the same
means of use for all
users: identical
 Thedesign is whenever possible;
useful and equivalent when not.
 Avoid segregating or
marketable to stigmatizing any
people with users.
diverse abilities.  Provisions for
privacy, security, and
safety should be
equally available to all
users.
 Make the design
appealing to all users.

27. Equitable use in practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or course:
 How are the features supposed to be used?
 Do the design elements separate users of varying
abilities from the other users?
 Does the language used to instruct users on the use of
the tool or component segregate users?
 Example:
 “Module at a glance” introductory page to a new unit
that lists all readings, activities, discussions and
assignments for that particular unit to serve as the
student’s “home base” for that unit.

28. Principle 2: Flexibility in Use
 Guidelines:
 Provide choice in
methods of use.
 The design  Accommodate right-
accommodates a or left-handed
wide range of access and use.
individual  Facilitate the user's
preferences and accuracy and
abilities. precision.
 Provide adaptability
to the user's pace.

29. Flexibility in use in practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 What options does the tool/course component
give the user?
 Is it obvious that there are multiple ways to access
the material?
 Can the user repeat a task or activity? Is it
possible to advance ahead?
 Example:
– offers multiple ways for the user to
 Voicethread
post a comment, either using audio, video, or text

30. Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive
Use
 Guidelines:
 Eliminate unnecessary
complexity.
 Be consistent with user
expectations and
 Use of the design is intuition.
easy to understand,  Accommodate a wide
regardless of the user's range of literacy and
experience, knowledge, language skills.
language skills, or  Arrange information
current concentration consistent with its
level importance.
 Provide effective
prompting and feedback
during and after task
completion.

31. Simple & intuitive use in
practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 How much text is there on the page?
 Are key pieces of information buried or well
distinguished?
 Does the user receive feedback when making a
selection or advancing to a new component?
 What type of language is used in the
directions/commentary? Is it consistent with other
parts of the course/tool?
 Example:
 Symbols and icons used – such as the “envelope”
for mail.

32. Principle 4: Perceptible
Information
 Guidelines:
 The design  Use different modes for
communicates redundant presentation of
necessary essential information.
information  Provide adequate contrast
effectively to the between essential information
user, regardless and its surroundings.
 Maximize "legibility" of essential
of ambient
information.
conditions or
 Differentiate elements in ways
the user's
that can be described
sensory  Provide compatibility with a
abilities. variety of techniques or devices
used by people with sensory

33. Perceptible information in
practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 What audio/visual media are used? Is the
information presented in more than one type of
media?
 What color is the text? The background? Is there
contrast between the two?
 Have alt tags and other descriptions been
provided where appropriate?
 Example:
 On MSNBC.com, videos are embedded within an
article about the same topic so users can choose

34. Principle 5: Tolerance for Error
 Guidelines:
 Arrange elements to
minimize hazards and
errors: most used
 The design minimizes elements, most
hazards and the accessible; hazardous
elements
adverse consequences eliminated, isolated, or
of accidental or shielded.
unintended actions.  Provide warnings of
hazards and errors.
 Provide fail safe
features.
 Discourage unconscious
action in tasks that
require vigilance.

35. Tolerance for error in practice
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 Does the user receive a prompt or some other
type of feedback when a choice has been made?
 Are there means provided to “undo” and action?
Are warnings provided if an action cannot be
undone?
 How is the interface arranged? Is there enough
differentiation between the buttons/prompts to
reduce error in choice?
 Example:
 Moodle discussion forums – a post will not appear
for 5 minutes and the user has 30 minutes to go

36. Principle 6: Low Physical
Effort
 Guidelines:
 Allow user to
maintain a neutral
 The design can be body position.
used efficiently and  Use reasonable
comfortably and with operating forces.
a minimum of  Minimize repetitive
fatigue actions.
 Minimize sustained
physical effort.

37. Low physical effort in practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 How many clicks does it take to get to where the
user needs to go?
 Is the interface cluttered? Are there decorations
and design elements that take up more room and
make the user scroll through more “stuff” to get to
the desired information?
 Has the interface been designed to be easy to
read?
 Examples:
 Wordprediction or auto-correct – available on
most smart phones, allows the user to reduce

38. Principle 7: Size & Space for Approach
& Use
 Guidelines:
 Provide a clear line of
sight to important
elements for any seated
 Appropriate size and or standing user.
space is provided for  Make reach to all
approach, reach, manip components
ulation, and use comfortable for any
regardless of user's seated or standing user.
body size, posture, or  Accommodate
mobility variations in hand and
grip size.
 Provide adequate space
for the use of assistive
devices or personal
assistance

39. Size and space (etc) in practice:
 Questions to ask when evaluating a tool or
course:
 How clustered together are the icons/buttons?
 Where is the text positioned on the page? Can the
user see a good portion of the text without having
to scroll?
 Can the size of the display be modified?
 Example:
 Lefthand navigation on a page – allows the text to
rise up to the top of the page rather than being
buried under a top navigation bar

40. If I use universal design…
WRONG!!
 A universally designed,
it means I will course, training or
have no workshop or website is
the best start you can
no access ask for and will
issues? Right? eliminate some
people’s needs to
request
accommodations but it
is not the answer to all
access issues

41. Part 4 Accessibility Matters … for you
Your turn. Take a look at these pairs of tools
and give us your evaluation on how they
meet or don’t meet the seven principles of
universal design.

42. Evaluating tools
 Do web tools “make the grade”?
1. Doodle vs. Glogster
2. Voicethreadvs. Slideshare
3. Evernote vs. Diigo
4. Twitter vs. Blog
5. Facebookvs.Wiki
6. Google Docs vs. Dropbox
7. Second Life vs. You Tube

43. Part 5 Resources
Here are some of our favorites

44. DO-IT
 University of Washington:
 Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, Technolog
y
 http://www.washington.edu/doit/
 Wealth of resources regarding the use of
technology and computers for students with
disabilities
 Many resources related to universal design and
how to incorporate the principles into teaching
and learning

45. Firefox - Fang
 Add in that you can download for Firefox
browser
 Screen reader emulator
 Allows you to see how the screen reader will read
the text of the website to the student
 Useful to see how much other information the
student has to listen to before she/he can get to
your content.

46. Web AIM
 Web Accessibility in Mind (Web AIM)
 Multiple resources on their site, including
informational articles, blogs, and simulators
 Screen reader simulator:
 http://webaim.org/simulations/screenreader
 Allows you to experience what it would be
like to use a screen reader to access the
computer.

47. Web2Access
 Provides tests and ratings for common web
tools
 Developed by the University of Southampton
in the UK
 Also provide information related to various
disabilities and how certain web tools rate for
individuals with that particular diagnosis.
 http://www.web2access.org.uk/

48. Web Accessibility for All
 Program provides a wide array of information
and tutorials related to how to design
accessible activities
 Tutorials are included for the proper formatting
of MS Power Point and MS Word documents
 Other tutorials for popular programs – such as
SPSS
 http://www.cew.wisc.edu/accessibility/

49. There’s an app for that…
 Vision Sim
 http://www.brailleinstitute.org/MobileApps/VisionSi
m.aspx
 SoundAMP R
 http://itunes.apple.com/app/soundamp-
r/id318126109?mt=8
 Dragon Naturally Speaking
 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dragon-
dictation/id341446764?mt=8

50. Final note…
“So, it’s a delicate line around accessibility
to eliminate the barrier while maintaining
the challenge.” – Skip Stahl