A Review of the Literature on Examinee Choice in Test Development: Implications for Universally Desi

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NorthEast Regional Computing Program
Shifting the Focus Technology Tools for
Inclusive Instruction June 3, 2008

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Presentation Objectives

• Re-conceptualizing access from
• Accommodations to Universal Design to Usable
  Access
• Creating technology scaffolded learning
  environments from two perspectives
• faculty and students
• 3. Demo of mix and match no cost and low
  technologies to create usable access

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Current Trends

• Changing landscape with respect to technology
• Tech savvy profile of college students
• Increasing blurring of lines between AT and ICT
  (mainstream technologies)
• Continuum among faculty with respect to
  technology use
• Inclusive instruction
• proactive vs. retrofit (accommodations)

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Redefining Access Usable Access
Usable access implies convergence of
technology/software
Sourcehttp//www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ers0
706/rs/ERS0706w.pdf
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(No Transcript)
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An Issue of Access

• Demographic characteristics of students with and
  without disabilities who participate in
  postsecondary programs indicate differencesand
  similarities (Horn Bobbitt, 1999).
• Yet, individuals with disabilities are
  significantly underrepresented in postsecondary
  education and a significantly lower percentage of
  students with disabilities eventually earn
  degrees (Horn Berktold, 1999 National Council
  on Disability, 2000)
• The primary difference between individuals with
  and without disabilities continues to be one of
  access. (Burgstahler, 2003).

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Traditional Approach to Instructional Access
Accommodations Student Support Services

• Focus on individual limitations
• - burden of adaptation is on the learner, not
  on the instructor or the learning environment
• Limited empirical evidence to support
  accommodation decision-making and monitor
  effectiveness of accommodation selection for
  postsecondary students
• (Gregg, in press).
• Many accommodations are losing their relevance
  in todays technology mediated learning
  environment
• (Banerjee, 2006)

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Emerging View of Access Universal Design (UD)

• Focus on the environment and products rather than
  deficiencies within the individual
• UD proposes the creation of physical environments
  and products that afford maximum use by the
  largest numbers to the greatest extent possible
  (Center for Universal Design, North Carolina
  State University, 1997)

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Universal Design Buildings Teaching and
Learning

• Universal Design for Instruction (UDI)
• - Nine Principles of UDI
• (Scott, McGuire, Foley, 2003)
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• - Multiple means of representation
• - Multiple means of expression
• - Multiple means of engagement
• (CAST, 2008) http//www.cast.org/publicati
  ons/UDLguidelines/UDL_Guidelines_v1.0-Organizer.pd
  f

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Principle One Equitable Use
Principle Two Flexibility in Use
Principle Four Perceptible Information
UDI is the proactive design and use of
inclusive instructional strategies that benefit a
broad range of learners including students with
disabilities.
Principle Three Simple and Intuitive
Scott, McGuire, Embry (2002), University of
Connecticut
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Principle Five Tolerance for Error
UDI is the proactive design and use of
inclusive instructional strategies that benefit a
broad range of learners including students with
disabilities.
Principle Seven Size and Space for Approach and
Use
Principle Six Low Physical Effort
Scott, McGuire, Embry (2002), University of
Connecticut
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Principle Nine Instructional Climate
Principle Eight A Community of Learners
UDI is the proactive design and use of
inclusive instructional strategies that benefit a
broad range of learners including students with
disabilities.
Scott, McGuire, Embry (2002), University of
Connecticut
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Emerging View of Access Inclusive Instruction
through Technology

• UDI at the postsecondary level must be realized
  in the context of an explosion of learning
  technologies.
• Most learning technologies introduced in the last
  25 years are not accessible to many students
  (Hitchcock Stahl, 2003)
• Students with disabilities are less likely to
  own and use learning technologies
• ( Anderson-Inman, Knox-Quinn, Szymnski, 1999
  Burghstahler, 2000 Goldberg ONeill, 2000
  Kaye, 2000 Parker Banerjee, in press)

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Redefining Access Usable Access

Preference Technologies
Instructional Technologies
Usable Access
Assistive Technologies
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Redefining Access Usable Access
Usable access is (Usability Index) (1)
Efficient (is not burdensome does not create
parallel learning) (2) Ubiquitous (not location
specific available any place any time) (3)
Intuitive (user-friendly no steep learning
curve) (4) Economical (freeware, budget
friendly) (Banerjee Gregg, in press, LD A
Multidisciplinary Journal)
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Applying the Usability Index to Access Software

• There are very few validated tools that
  students and DS service providers can use to
  evaluate software for students
• (Boone Higgins, 2007)
• - Software v - List (Boone Higgins,
  2004)
• - Tech matrix - www.Techmatrix.org
• (National Center for Technology
  Innovations Center for Implementing
  Technology in Education)
• Difficult to identify tech skills and
  competencies given the changing nature of digital
  literacy

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Defining Usable Access for a Tech Mediated
Postsecondary Environment Skills Set
Commonly used skills in tech blended courses

• Navigate (search/find from multiple
  sources)
• Sift (sort /filter/determine relevance
  authenticity)
• Compile (organize into interconnected and
  networked digital silos for efficient
  retrieval)
• Produce (i.e., create output/assignment,
  and communicate or publish the product)

Adapted from Leu et al. (2007)
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Defining Usable Access for a Tech Mediated
Postsecondary Environment Tool Set

• Suggestions for usable access tech tools
• Split screen
• Copy - Paste - Embed
• ..\..\..\EPSY 369 Policy, Law and Ethics in
  Spl Education\Legal History of Special
  Education\Legislative and litigation history of
  Spled.pdf

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Defining Usable Access for a Tech Mediated
Postsecondary Environment Tool Set

• Suggestions for usable access tech tools (cont)
• Modify on-screen display
• Hyperlink (syllabus)
• Text to Speech (WordTalk)
• www.wordtalk.org.uk
• Sound editor for audio recording (Audacity)

http//audacity.sourceforge.net/
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Caveats regarding Accessible Technology

• The digital divide can affect classroom access
• Learning technologies can both hinder and
  facilitate implementation of UDI
• Finding the right balance of challenge and
  support with technology is not easy

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Food for Thought

• Which media are easily transformable?
• What is digital pedagogy?
• Which among the vast range of tools and
  strategies should be embedded into instructional
  environments from the start? (Hitchcock Stahl,
  2001)
• How can systemic change about digital pedagogy be
  facilitated?