![\"Clearing](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/Clearing-a-path.png?resize=450%2C482\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNowadays, retrofitting for physical access usually only happens to very old public buildings. We expect that there will be ways for people with physical disabilities to access new public buildings. Equally importantly, this is how we should view educational materials that are online. Any student should be able to access them without it being a major undertaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) benefit all students. During the session, we discussed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Inclusive design<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Equality<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Equity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Usability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Removing barriers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Overall, we can view Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as inclusive excellence and methods to get the greatest number of students succeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWho are your learners?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/Fair-selection.png?resize=755%2C529\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nConsider the diverse learners you have in your classroom. What needs do they have? Most importantly, what are you doing to meet those needs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When considering accessibility, many people only think of severe permanent disabilities (e.g. blindness rather than having a level of visual impairment). The diagram below from Microsoft Inclusive Design can help you to consider the temporary and situational impairments that many people will face at some point during their lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/Inclusive-Design.png?resize=444%2C801\")
\u00a9 Microsoft Inclusive Design<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Robin Tamez<\/a>, Learning Architect, argues that “Accessibility starts with complying with standards and goes beyond by removing barriers for as many digital learners as possible. Universal design is a framework of principles to achieve accessibility for the greatest number of learners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you use accessibility features?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It is estimated that 60% of people without disabilities use some kind of accessibility feature. The following images are some examples of accessibility features that are now in common use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"OXO](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/OXO-peeler.jpg?resize=755%2C755\")
The OXO good grips vegetable peeler was originally designed for someone with arthritis.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-09-at-12.41.50.png?resize=755%2C472\")
Predictive text was designed for users with motor problems to avoid having to tap keys repeatedly on old-style mobile phones.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Phone](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/nokia-3310-sms.jpg?resize=600%2C374\")
Finland\u2019s Matti Makonen is credited with inventing SMS texting. The first SMS was sent in 1992. Makkonen invented SMS texting for deaf people to communicate<\/a>, but when SMS offered an incredible new method for saving telecom bandwidth, the world of cellular telecommunications changed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n In the USA, 26 000 people lose an upper limb each year. However, the number of people with temporary and situational disabilities is over 20 million. In consequence, creating accessible resources\/products means that we go from benefitting less than 0.01% of the population to around 7%. I couldn’t find any UK statistics about temporary and situational disabilities, but general disability statistics are available:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 13.3 million people in the UK have some kind of disability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 8% of men and 0.5% of women are colour blind<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 10% of the UK population are dyslexic<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Over 2 million people in the UK live with sight loss<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 19% of the UK population have a hearing loss \u2013 of whom 6.5 million are over 60 years old<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning difficulty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2.4 million people in the UK have a manual dexterity issue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Equality vs equity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/Screenshot-2019-04-09-at-13.53.55.png?resize=615%2C354\")
When it comes to equity, we don’t start with a level playing field. \u00a9 Paul Kuttner<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n We should think about universal design to ensure our learners have equitable access to education. When it comes to traditional education in the UK, learners are treated equally. They are all given the same resources and their knowledge and understanding are tested in the same way. In the last 50 years, we have moved towards equitable education. Consequently, accommodations, modifications and support are based on the needs of specific (identified) students. Many educators are now moving towards flexible learning experiences, which is a step on from accessible learning to inclusive learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What are our obligations?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Person](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/digital-learning\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/321\/2019\/04\/iStock-148160283.jpg?resize=300%2C200\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn addition to the moral imperative to improve what we are doing, there is the legal imperative. Moreover, you have a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010<\/a>. It is also good practice to observe WCAG 2.1 AA Web Content Accessibility Guidelines<\/a>. In September 2018, The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Application) (no. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018<\/a> came into force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new regulations cover website and app content as well as digital resources produced by public sector bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Common accessibility problems include websites that can\u2019t be navigated using a keyboard, inaccessible PDF forms that can\u2019t be read out on screen readers, and poor colour contrast that makes text difficult to read, especially for visually impaired people. (www.gov.uk<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
At the moment, many UK Higher Education Institutions are still considering the implications and actions that need to be taken. (You can read the latest discussions on the JISC Accessibility Mailing list<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We know that increasing numbers of students with disabilities are participating in Higher Education<\/a>. However, the Disabled Students’ Allowance has not significantly increased as there is an expectation that universities will be more inclusive<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n