Grant Broome
Ted Page
Lucy Pullicino
Jon Gibbins
e: [email protected]
w: diginclusion.com
Web Mobile PDF User experience
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
#DIGBETT
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
http://disabledaccessdenied.wordpress.com/
Introduction
• Issues we will cover:
– The impact of inaccessible exam materials
– Document and content accessibility
– iOS and Android apps, ebooks
– Capturing the needs of disabled students
– Embedding accessibility
– The future
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Steps by Cornelia Oberlander Vancouver
The good news
Between 2005/06 and 20010/11, the percentage of students with
special educational needs (SEN) achieving 5 or more GCSE or
equivalent qualifications, grades A* to C has gradually increased.
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The bad news
There’s still a significant gap between the number of students
with SEN achieving these grades at the end of Key Stage 4 and
non-disabled students.
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The impact
• In 2012, 46.3% of working-age disabled
people were in employment compared to
76.4% per cent of working-age non-disabled
people.
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
What can we do?
• Equality Act 2010
– From 1 September 2012 the reasonable adjustments duty
for schools and education authorities includes a duty to
provide auxiliary aids and services for disabled pupils.
• Auxiliary aids and services?
– “anything which provides additional support or assistance
to a disabled pupil such as a piece of equipment or support
from a member of staff.”
(Equality and Human Rights Commission)
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
What can we do?
• Auxiliary aids = Assistive technology
– Exam papers and other educational materials are
barriers to inclusive education unless they are
made accessible
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Exam papers: technical accessibility
• PDF: high level of technical
accessibility
• Simple text-based documents
straightforward (English GCSEs)
• But technical accessibility not
sufficient
• Approx 25% of Maths GCSE
questions are problematical
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Inaccessible content: example 1
• Problem: “A cuboid has … faces?”
– [Screen reader] “A cuboid has edit number of
faces type in text faces”
• Solution: “How many faces does a cuboid
have? ”
– [Screen reader] “How many faces does a cuboid
have? Edit number of faces, type in text”
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Inaccessible
content:
Example 2
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
• “… draw the graph of …”
• Requires the ability to use a pen/pencil and
paper
– Problem for blind people
– Problem for people with motor disabilities
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Example 2: approach/solutions
• Determine aptitudes being tested for to
determine the appropriate technology
a. Solve the equation for different values of x?
If just “a” this is doable in PDF
b. Physically draw a line on a graph?
If “b” also, additional technologies required
1) Older: tactile graphics/Braille ruler
2) Newer: eg, iPad (more on which in a moment)
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Inaccessible content: example 3
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Inaccessible content: example 3
• “Measure the length of the line AB. Give your
answer in centimetres.”
• Problems?
– Similar to example 2, problems for blind people or
those with motor disabilities
– but no aptitude being tested for here is doable via
a tagged PDF
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
• Stephen Hawking…
• Fields: general relativity, quantum gravity
• Notable awards: Albert Einstein Award
(1978), Wolf Prize (1988), Prince of
Asturias Award (1989), Copley Medal
(2006), Presidential Medal of Freedom
(2009), Special Fundamental Physics Prize
(2012)
• …may well be unable to
complete examples 2 and 3, as
currently formulated
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Identifying barriers and
finding practical solutions
• Ask students to ‘use’ an exam paper
– Observe and note areas that cause difficulty,
frustration, error, confusion or require assistance
• What are the key barriers to use?
– Prioritise according to the users’ needs
…
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Identifying barriers and
finding practical solutions
• Make changes, fixes and improvements
• Re-test
• Embed a ‘user-centred’ process
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Research has shown that 85% of
usability problems can be found with
just 5 users.
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Embed accessibility
• Inclusion is a process
• Develop and embed a formal process
– Educate all involved in examinations
– Plan ahead
– Refer to industry standards and develop guidelines
– Speak to disabled students and observe, using ATs
– User test
iterate
user test (continue…)
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Solutions
• Dialogue between accessibility specialists and
examiners, preferably informed by user testing
• Older technologies (practical problems)
• Newer technologies…
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The future
• Mobile devices such as tablets are making
assistive technology more affordable
– Screen readers
– Zoom features
– Braille support
– And more…
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The future
• Apps for SEN
– Large text and talking calculators
– Games for literacy, maths and dexterity
– Augmentative and alternative communication aids
– Sign language tools
• Scope for further innovation to be more
inclusive
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The future
• Accessible EPUB and Kindles
– Text books, journals, exam papers
– Accessible maths using Mathematical Markup
Language (MathML), supported by iOS since October
2011
• Scope for further innovation to be more inclusive
– more accessible, interactive learning
environments and examinations.
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The future
• Demonstration – a more accessible future for
educational materials
– Alternative means of input
– Alternative output methods
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
The future
• How to develop accessible apps for Android
and iOS devices
– Alternatives: images, audio, video
– Labels: form controls, headings, buttons
– Good structure: landmarks, lists, heading levels
– Content order
– Use native controls where possible
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion
Final thoughts
• How do we close the gap between SEN and
non-SEN students?
• How do we make exams more accessible to
all?
• How do we enhance technology to improve
learning?
Copyright 2014 DIG Inclusion