Universal Design for online courses

Week 7

Communication tools accessibility

 

Objectives:

Identify asynchronous and synchronous communications tools accessibility techniques;

review existing course in terms of communication tools accessibility.

 

Activities:

Watch multimedia presentation

Take part on discussion forum

 

Introduction:

Synchronous communication and collaboration tools, such as synchronous text chat, audio-conferencing, video-conferencing, and whiteboards, are increasingly important components of online learning. In order to ensure the full participation of learners with disabilities, these synchronous tools must be made accessible to them. 

In general, this means ensuring that the user interface of the tool, as well as the real-time communication managed by the tool, are both accessible, for input and output equally.

Asynchronous communication and collaboration tools such as threaded message boards, e-mail messaging, listservs, document repositories, calendar systems and presentation tools must be rendered in formats that facilitate the full participation of learners with disabilities in online interactions.

The navigation system for these utilities should allow users of assistive technologies to operate without encountering barriers to any aspect of the functionality. Users must have flexibility in their choice of browser, input and output modalities, and be able to use assistive technologies. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion forum:

Analyse your own course based on the accessibility techniques mentioned.

What are de areas in wich your course needs improvement?

How could it happen? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will be graded for an original post and at least one reply to peer posts during this week. Posts must be related to subject, occur in the week while the topic is under discussion, expand concepts and encourage others to participate. You will be graded for use of new arguments and relationship established with other parts of document.