Narrator: It's been going on for generations:
teachers and students communicating long distance.
From mailboxes to Macs, it's a time-honored way of connecting.
Lindsey: I really like online courses
because I can go at my own pace in a quiet environment
outside of school.
Eric: I've taken a couple of language classes,
an anatomy class, another language class,
an art history class.
Lindsey: If you already know something
you don't have to go over it again and again
and you can just do the homework really quickly.
There's less of it.
Eric: It's helpful for me because I have a learning disability
so like you don't have to go super fast.
It's all at your own pace so you can learn at the speed of others.
Narrator: Distance learning allows students
to do other things like summer camp or a vacation with the family.
And that's the beauty of distance learning.
It makes educational opportunities available
anywhere, anytime to anyone.
Veronika: With distance learning classes,
I'd be able to go to work and still earn credits at school,
and do my work on my own time.
Tynesha: If I could work from home, that'd be a lot easier.
Narrator: The point of distance learning
is to give access to more students,
which has always included those with time or distance limitations.
For people with disabilities,
the way that information and content is delivered
is critical to success.
Sara: Distance learning actually utilizes various modes of delivery,
and each one of those modes
needs to be accessible for students with a variety of disabilities.
Narrator: That goes for instructors with disabilities, too.
Making a course accessible to qualified individuals
is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Narrator: Now, let's look at a typical, real-life situation.
This is Cliff, a young man signed up
for a distance learning class.
This is his instructor, Sheryl.
She's planning the resources for her class,
including a Web site, class discussions using email,
some printed information, and a little video as well.
What she doesn't know is that Cliff is blind.
Sheryl: He's blind?
Cliff: Yep.
Sara: What instructors need to think about ahead of time
is universal design.
And they need to think about that while they're planning
their course, so that they're ready for students
who may arrive with a variety of disabilities.
And it's a lot easier to do that during the planning stage,
rather than waiting til a student with a disability
shows up at your class.
Narrator: For Cliff, there are a number of challenges
in accessing Sheryl's course.
Cliff: I can't read standard print;
I can't see graphics on a Web site; and, sometimes on video,
it's hard to understand exactly what's going on if it's very visual.
Narrator: Other students may have disabilities
such as mobility impairments, learning disabilities,
hearing impairments, or speech impairments.
Student: I will have a note taker.
Narrator: People with disabilities
may use specialized hardware and software for their computers,
such as screen readers, alternative keyboards,
and speech input.
But even with this adaptive technology,
accessing course materials can be difficult.
Sara: When you're developing a distance learning course,
you're trying to make all the activities and all the course content
accessible to a student with disabilities.
And when you do that type of planning,
you're not only making it accessible for the student with a disability,
but you're actually making it more accessible for all the students.
Narrator: Okay.
Back to Cliff and Sheryl.
They're going to help us walk you through some strategies
for accessibility.
Narrator: For students with visual impairments
or with specific learning disabilities,
standard print just doesn't work.
Cliff: I can't read it, okay?
Narrator: Print can be converted
into Braille, large print, or electronic formats.
Cliff: Electronic format works best for me,
because with my screen reading software, I'm ready to go.
<v Screen reader announces characters as they're typed>
Narrator: Screen reading software
reads aloud text that appears on the screen,
such as in email or on a Web page.
Electronic access also works very well
for people whose learning disabilities make it difficult
for them to read.
Sheryl: Welcome to our first class discussion.
Screen reader: To get started, I'd like each of you to send
a bio to the whole group.
Narrator: Many email applications
are fully accessible to people with disabilities,
so email is an accessible choice for delivering a syllabus
or other course materials.
Students can use email to turn in their assignments and tests as well.
Cliff: Email works great because, if you have a disability,
you already have the technology to access the information
so the teacher doesn't have to change anything.
Narrator: In some courses,
participants might be required to communicate electronically
at the same time.
Although this works for Cliff, real-time chatting
can present access challenges for many screen reader users.
Or, someone with a learning disability,
who takes a long time to compose his thoughts,
might not be able to participate fully.
This would also be true for someone
whose input method is slow.
Sara: If you're planning to use synchronous communication online,
where people are talking live,
you might need to make it optional;
or you could offer an equivalent, alternative assignment
for the student with a disability.
Cliff: Web pages work well, as long as the designer
thinks about how I can read it.
For instance, my screen reader can't read graphics.
Narrator: Web pages should conform to accessibility standards,
such as the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
For example, images should include alternate text for screen-reader users.
Screen reader: Tab.
A Researcher reaches into a sealed box
to manipulate a small square of solar cells.
Narrator: And make sure all features accessible by a mouse
also work without a mouse.
Test this by navigating through a Web page
using only a keyboard.
Sara: If a test fails to access the material
that you need for content,
then you need to rethink your design.
Narrator: Keep page layouts simple, clear, and consistent.
This will help students with low vision
or learning disabilities.
Use HTML headings to clearly communicate
the structure of the page and use navigation choices that
do not rely on color alone,
since some students may be unable to perceive color.
Narrator: Learning Management Systems, or LMS,
are software applications often used to deliver courses online.
Most are Web-based,
so are subject to the same accessibility issues as other Web sites.
Even if a Learning Management System is accessible,
an online course using it can still be inaccessible
if the instructor fails to use accessible course materials.
Narrator: DVD, televised, or online videos
may be included in distance learning courses.
Cliff: Video's okay sometimes.
I can usually understand what they're, what's going on, just by listening.
But depending on if they're demonstrating something,
or if it's too visual, I may not quite grasp the whole idea.
Audio Description Narrator: On the computer chalkboard,
happy faces dot the screen.
Narrator: A separate audio track
to describe actions or graphics works well
for people with visual impairments.
Captioning makes audio content accessible for people
with hearing impairments.
Sara: The cheapest and easiest solution
is to find video that already has captioning
or audio description.
But sometimes that's not possible,
and you have to make your own adjustments.
Narrator: Text transcripts for videos
can be read by a screen reader using a Braille display
for people who are deaf-blind.
Transcripts also provide access for people
who have technical limitations.
Screen reader: A-M-U-N
Narrator: And for any user, text-based captions
make it easy to locate specific information at a later time.
Narrator: Teleconferencing puts together small groups of people
to work with an instructor who's somewhere else.
They can use video or, possibly, audio only.
Sara: The problem with this, is that it's a scheduling problem
for everyone.
A lot of people take distance learning classes
because their schedules are tight
or they already have conflicts.
Another issue is accessibility for a student who may be deaf
or has a speech impairment.
Instructor, via Computer: Another question from Matthew.
He wants to know what should I look for in regards
to accessibility resources?
Narrator: Web conferencing incorporates
live interaction and data sharing over the Internet.
It might include a video or audio chat; a text chat;
a slide show, or a whiteboard.
Instructor, via Computer: Here we have a building with lots of steps
and we want to somehow get in to this building.
Narrator: When purchasing or subscribing to a Web
conferencing system, many of the Web and video accessibility
questions apply, such as whether the system supports captioning,
screen readers, and keyboard navigation.
Narrator: Electronic documents can present accessibility challenges
similar to those of Web pages.
For example, images require alternate text,
and HTML headings and sub-headings
need to be marked up as such.
Narrator: On-site instruction that's part of a distance learning course
is similar to teleconferencing,
in that it requires students to meet at a shared location.
Some of the same difficulties apply.
If you do use this option, however, be sure the facility
is wheelchair accessible.
Consider class space, restrooms, and parking.
The instructor needs to speak clearly, facing the class,
for those who lip read.
An interpreter must be provided for students who are deaf.
And if any visual materials are used,
the instructor should describe them aloud
for students with visual impairments.
Narrator: The important thing in making your distance
learning course accessible is to be proactive.
Don't wait until someone with a disability enrolls to figure it out;
consider accessibility issues from the start.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind.
Think about the wide range of abilities and disabilities
potential students might have.
In promotional publications, include information on
how to request accommodations
and publications in alternative formats.
When procuring distance learning technologies,
ask vendors specific questions about the accessibility
of their products or services.
Make sure media can be accessed using sight or hearing alone.
Arrange accessible facilities for any on-site instruction.
Be prepared to offer additional accommodations as requested.
Narrator: By applying universal design,
your distance learning class will
be accessible to any student who enrolls
and any instructor who is hired to teach it.
It's the right thing to do, reduces legal risk,
and creates a better learning environment for everyone.
Cliff: Distance learning is a good option for a lot of people.
Classes can be made accessible and should be made accessible.
It's not that hard to do.