Activity 5.1 Legislation

Resource 1

In the Conclusion to the chapter, the author suggests that the introduction of standards, guidelines and legislation has not led to a significant improvement in accessibility.

• Is that how things appear from your context?

I agree that legislation has made an impact on the importance of accessibility, everyone knows they should try and make content/websites accessible. The problem is that they often don't know how or what is best practice. They often think the answer is to have an accessibility button which tells the users how to change windows accessibility functions, which isn't a huge help. One of the most commonly overlooked feature is ALT text, which seems to be one of the best accessibility features of current software.

Resource 2

• Which do you think benefits more from legislation: disabled students or educational institutions?

Disabled students benefit more from the legislation in place in the UK. It provides them with a legal right to education. However legislation does provide institutions with a framework to embrace disabled students which could help them attract more students to their institutions.

Resource 3

UN Enable

• Has your country ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

Yes the UK has ratified but with a number of reservations.

Resource 4

• Look at the author’s concluding comments. What common factor or factors does she identify as hindering progress?

The most common factors identified by the author is that of communication and the provision of resources.

• Disabled people, especially in rural areas in the townships, need to be informed and educated about the policies and legislation to protect their rights.
• The implementation and enforcement of the legislation need to be monitored by a monitoring committee.
• Disabled persons organizations need more resources to strengthen their monitoring and implementation roles.

Resource 5

• Do you think that there are specific issues relating to disability and accessibility that are different from those arising with regard to other aspects of equality and human rights, such as racial discrimination?

I don't think so, to be honest I don't understand the question.

Activity 4.1

As you read the materials, make a list for yourself of activities that might be challenging for students who have disabilities. Your list should include activities that are:

• common to all post-compulsory education
• specific to campus-based modules
• specific to online learning
• related to particular subjects or contexts

Common to all post-compulsory education

Writing (paper based) cannot easily erase mistakes.
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Getting to campused based classes
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Accessing campused based building
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Computer programming
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
The Sciences (mathematical expressions, lab work (danger if visually impaired))
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Reading written instructions, books, guides or handouts
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Taking part in exams
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Time keeping
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Organisation (in essays and in general)
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Note taking
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Lectures being given too fast
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Sitting for long periods of time
Mobility and Physical Impairments
Registering
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Completing written assignments
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Group activities
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
University Jargon
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Using a mouse (hand eye coordination)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Listening to audio (will need a visual representation)
Deaf
USB Drives
Mobility and Physical Impairments,
Field Work
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Heavy Doors
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Accessing books in a library (can be confusing)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities

Specific to campus-based modules

Writing (paper based) cannot easily erase mistakes.
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Campus Based Accommodation (Needs ground floor easy access)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Getting to campused based classes
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Accessing campused based building
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Computer programming
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
The Sciences (mathematical expressions, lab work (danger if visually impaired))
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Reading written instructions, books, guides or handouts
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Taking part in exams
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Time keeping
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Organisation (in essays and in general)
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Note taking
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Lectures being given too fast
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Sitting for long periods of time
Mobility and Physical Impairments
Registering
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Completing written assignments
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Group activities
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
University Jargon
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Using a mouse (hand eye coordination)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Listening to audio (will need a visual representation)
Deaf
USB Drives
Mobility and Physical Impairments,
Field Work
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Heavy Doors
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Accessing books in a library (can be confusing)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities

Specific to Online Learning

Computer programming
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
The Sciences
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Reading written instructions, books, guides or handouts
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Time keeping
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Organisation (in essays and in general)
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Note taking
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Completing written assignments
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Group activities (wikis, forums)
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Viewing online images
Vision Disability
University Jargon
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities
Using a mouse (hand eye coordination)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability
Listening to audio (will need a visual representation)
Deaf
USB Drives
Mobility and Physical Impairments,
Accessing books in a library (can be confusing)
Mobility and Physical Impairments, Vision Disability, Cognitive or Learning Disabilities

The main challenge in the fire service is making online learning that is accessible to dyslexic users. Most of the issues above concerned with online learning are already known and hopefully we have put in place mechanisms for helping such users. We don't have any mobility, physical impairments or vision disabilities due to medical examinations prior to becoming a firefighter.

Activity 3.1 Models

Medical/Rehabilitation Model of Disability

You are the problem and you need to change/adapt to it, with help.

Social Model of Disability

Society is to blame for disabilities as it creates barriers discriminating against disabled people.

Charity Model

Used to portray disabled people as helpless and in need of protection, it is now more positive.

Administrative Model

Does your disability tick a box? If not then you don't have a disability.

Moral Model

Disability is a result of sin, I guess that depends if you believe in God or not.

Activity 2.4 Definition

How would you define ‘accessibility’?
The inclusion of everyone in any situation.

Who do you think is responsible for accessibility?

Everyone is responsible for accessibility.

What do you understand by accessibility in an educational context?

Creating an environment that is accessible to students. This ranges from access to school, access to the building/rooms and access and retention of the information presented in the class.

What do you understand by accessibility in the context of online learning?

Creating content that every user can use and get the same knowledge from.

Why is accessibility a concern today in your context or country?

There are 2 reasons in the fire service the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Fire Service National Framework. The second states that we need to account for individual needs in our training programmes. The Fire Service colleges answer is e-learning. Whether its any good is something else!

Activity 2.2 What is Accessibility?

According to Seale, all the players in accessible online learning have their own perspectives and their own stories to tell.

My perspective is that of a content developer, who works in the fire service. Because of this the main disability present is Dyslexia, this is something that is close to my heart as my wife is Dyslexic. Because of my wife's struggle through education I try and do everything I can to make my training packages accessible.

If you were to conduct an analysis at this point in time, of the costs and benefits for you personally as a learner in studying this module online, what would the analysis look like?

Studying online definitely has more benefit than cost. There is no chance I could leave work for 1/2 days per week to take part in a residential course. Being able to study at a time and in a place of my choice is brilliant. It's also nice to see how the experts at the OU have gone about creating a completely online course.

Seale uses the imagery of a magic fairy to make the point that many of us are waiting desperately in the hope that we don’t have to take responsibility for accessibility because somehow or other it has been ‘miraculously’ taken care of for us.

In my situation I believe every tutor is aware of accessibility issues, sadly the answer to all of them is "make it a cream background"

If you attended a conference where the main theme was making online learning accessible, what kind of information or evidence would you wish to hear from the presenters that would help to inform or change your practice?

I would like to hear from end users on how they think online learning can be made accessible. With these views it would inspire me to do all I could to make my online training accessible.

Thinking about accessibility:

Why do you think some students do not declare their disability to the institutions in which they are studying?

They dont feel their disability will hinder their study. Also they don't want to stand out from the crowd.

Does it matter if an institution does not know the exact numbers of disabled students registered on its modules and the exact nature of their learning needs?

Students need to know that help and support is available but I dont think a number helps, shouldn't all courses be accessible?

How necessary do you think this information is, in helping institutions develop accessible learning?

They should be making it accessible as a matter of course.

In our working lives we are all constantly managing our identities – both public and private.

The fire service is very open, there isn't much that I wouldn't reveal.

Better make a start

Well IT have unblocked Blogger which is great! I can now start writing thing and hopefully get them out of my head. Apparently this is supposed to work...... we'll see.