Improving the accessibility of virtual learning environments using the EU4ALL framework

1
Improving the accessibility of virtual learning
environments using the EU4ALL framework

• Chris Douce
• Accessible Educational Media, Institute of
  Educational Technology, Open University, UK

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Outline

• Project overview
• Areas of investigation
• Framework overview
• Stories and services
• Further work
• Summary

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Project overview

• The EU4ALL project aims to develop a flexible,
  open, standards-based architecture of services to
  support lifelong learning within higher education
  institutions for all people.
• Materials
• Services

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Project overview

• 4 year EU FP6
• 13 partners (academic, industrial, non-profit)
• Groups requirements, standards, technical,
  services
• Open University
• 150,000 undergraduates
• 30,000 people taking postgraduate courses
• Over 600 courses towards 200 qualifications
• Over 10,000 students with disabilities

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Areas of investigation

• Embedding accessibility into learning
  environments
• Investigating personalisation of user experience
• Understanding how to efficiently provide services
• Exploitation of international standards
• Integration with institutional systems
• Support learner (needs and materials)
• Support staff (co-ordinate responses)
• Support institution (best practices and
  efficiencies)

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Framework overview (1)

• Different types of framework
• Institutional level
• Community level
• Personal level
• EU4ALL considers how technology can support
  these different levels

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Framework overview (2)
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Framework overview (3)
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Stories and services

• Studying at the Open University

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Stories and services

• Asking questions about courses

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Stories and services

• Using course resources

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Stories and services

• Assessment selection of assistive technologies

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Stories and services

• Effectiveness of the assessment

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Stories and services

• Creating learning materials

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Stories and services

• Ordering alternatives

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Stories and services

• Actors

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Further work

• Building of prototypes
• Connect different components together
• Identify barriers to implementation
• Continue to consider learning technology
  standards
• Approach to support the creation of alternative
  materials
• Evaluation

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Summary

• An open, standard-based architecture of services
• A conceptual and a technical framework
• Emphasises the need to consider different
  materials
• Contributes to e-learning body of knowledge
• Contributes to learning technology standards
• Contributes to policy development (internally and
  externally)

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Acknowledgements

• http//www.eu4all-project.eu
• IST-2006-034778

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Outline

• Project overview
• Areas of investigation
• Framework overview
• Stories and services
• Further work
• Summary