On 24 April 2024 I attended an AL professional development event that was all about accessibility. What follows is a short blog summary of the event, sharing some of the key points that I found of interest. I’ve written this summary as a part of an eSTEeM writing project, which has the aim of providing useful help and guidance to tutors.
Twenty Tips for more Accessible AL practice
This first session was facilitated by Simon Ball, Associate Lecturer for the faculties of WELS and STEM. The sub-heading for his session was: quick wins and essential adaptations. Simon worked for the Jisc TechDis accessibility service. For a while, we worked together, tutoring a module about accessible online teaching.
He also made the point to me that there is a lot of detail that lies underneath each of his tips, which I’ve tried to summarise concisely as I can:
1: Set up documents. When you create, use, and share documents, always use the Word in-built headings. This makes them navigable for users of assistive technologies, such as screen readers. Plus, it makes documents easier to work with then they get bigger.
2: Images - Inline or floating? Make sure that images, tables, charts, or anything else are embed within Word document ‘inline’ rather than floating. This makes sure that the navigability of a document is clearer. You can check this using the Word Accessibility checker.
3: Punctuate bullet points. Add a full stop at the end of a bullet point. This adds a pause and will make documents more understandable if read through a screen reader.
4: Don’t convey information by visual means alone. In other words, don’t use colour to convey information. If you find that colours are useful in a diagram to share information, make sure that the information presented in the diagram is shared in another way. Screen readers won’t be able to pick up on colours.
5: Avoid relative instructions. Simply put, to use Simon’s words, ‘avoid using only phrases like ‘the box on the right’ or ‘at the bottom of the page’ as learners using a screen reader will not have a clue what is on the right or at the bottom’. This applies to both documents, and to instructions shared within tutorials.
6: Choose accessible fonts. Use sans-serif fonts, and ‘never use smaller than 12 point (RNIB recommends 14 point), or 20 point on slides’.
7: Avoid footnotes. The add complexity when trying to navigate through a document. Simon shares a clear option that they should only be used ‘for providing supplementary information that isn’t essential to the reader, so they can safely be ignored without material loss’.
8: Avoid obliques. In other words, avoid slashes, such as ‘and/or’, since this can cause screen readers to read them as ‘and slash or’. If you can, try to ‘phrase the sentence without the oblique’. It is obviously okay to use them within web addresses and within the subjects that specifically use them.
9: Alt text. Provide alt text, or alternative textual descriptions; ‘all images or graphics that contain useful information (as opposed to purely decorative images) must have alternative text (alt text)’. Give only the essential information that is needed.
10: Set up tables carefully. If you can, do prioritise rows over columns since a screen reader will read a row at a time.
11: Avoid adding textboxes. There is a simple reason for this: they are not read by screen readers. Even if a screen reader did read them, the reading order would be ambiguous.
12: Colour contrast. To ensure readability there must be a good level of contrast between foreground and background colours.. The following specific guidance is offered: ‘for body text you need a ratio of >7 to 1; for headings or isolated words you need a ratio of >4.5 to 1.’ To help, there are some useful free tools available.
13: Make feedback usable. Tell students how they can find on script comments; ‘say where it can be found, and what colour it is’ also invite feedback from students about whether the approach you use is accessible. Give dates of next events and TMA cut off dates, and provide explanations if a student has not gained full marks. Don’t say “9 out of 10, very good”, say something about what needed to be done to get the final mark.
14: Inclusive feedback. Ensure that feedback is ‘directive, constructive and clear’ whilst avoiding ‘metaphors or colloquialisms’. Offer helpful examples. Always consider how your feedback can be read.
15: Keep in touch with students. Keep an eye on which students have disability marker – ask your student about their specific needs, and be driven by them. Check in before assignments. A key point that Simon shared was that the personal touch cannot be overstated.
16: Synchronous sessions (lectures and tutorials). Give each slide a title and a number. Consider using the camera, but do check on student needs and bandwidth. Use anonymous activities such as polls, and encourage the use of raised hands. If you are making a recording do dedicate some time for some unrecorded Q&A discussions at the end of a session. Finally, consider sharing slides before a tutorial.
17: Breakout rooms. Breakout rooms are difficult. Make sure you practice before running a session that has a breakout room. Make sure that students are clear about what is going to happen before moving them into a breakout room. Ensure that there is a helpful slide that describes the task within each room. Allow time; some students may be using assistive technology. Check to make sure there are no sound issues. Give a clear warning before brining students back to a plenary room.
18: Supporting deaf students in synchronous sessions. Allow time for an interpreter to convey messages to and from a student. Ensure that your webcam is on and the pod or window that is used is as large as practically possible; this is to facilitate lip reading. Be sure to summarise any questions asked by students. Ensure that tasks are written onto text chat areas. An additional tip is do turn on any subtitling or transcription tool.
19: Ask about language. Ask students how they would like to be referred to. Different students will have different preferences.
20: Get creative, be a voice. Some subjects will require creative solutions. Consider the challenges that exist within your own discipline. Do contact module teams and line managers for advice and guidance.
20.5: Bonus tip: every tutor always does their best. Don’t worry if you get things wrong. Learn from the experience, and move on.
Proactive motivational support
The second presentation was by Annie Storkey, Associate Lecturer for the Faculty of WELS, who is also an EdD student. Her presentation had an important subtitle, ‘online students with mental health challenges’. Annie shared a number of useful recommendations, which I hope I have summarised effectively:
- Make early contact with students, especially those who may have disclosed difficulties. Make sure that regular contact is maintained.
- Use data analytics tools, such as OU Analyse, to find out which students are at risk of withdrawing, and make contact, especially at important points in the module such as TMA cut off dates.
- Communicate regularly: send regular emails; this can be motivating.
- If the module addresses sensitive subjects, make sure that students are told of these in advance. In other words, embed resilience into your teaching.
- Remember that tutors are only able to provide academic support to students, but do feel able to signpost and refer students to the student support team and other support resources.
- It is really important that tutors look after their own mental health and wellbeing.
I found Annie’s thought provoking. She referenced a former IET colleague, John Richardson and work carried out by Kate Lister, who wrote about barriers and enablers to student mental wellbeing.
AL Support for Dyspraxic Students
The final session was by Angela Eyre, Associate Lecturer from FASS. Angela spoke about a FASSTEST scholarship project, Dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder): Understanding students’ requirements, which carried out a survey to explore the barriers and enablers that are faced by students who are dyspraxic.
Students who are dyspraxic face a number of barriers, which may include memory difficulties, time management, and find it difficult to find information from resources such as module websites. Other challenges may include reduced confidence about articulating thoughts and ideas, and difficulty proofreading and decoding questions.
I made a note of some key enablers, which can include the positive impact that tutors can make, the design of a module, and early access to module materials. Tutors can help by sharing direct and clear encouragement, share checklists for the completion of TMAs, and help students to decode the TMA questions through one-to-one sessions.
I noted the following words: “give students permission to try [their study approach] their way”; everyone is likely to be an expert in their own condition. Since all students are different, seek guidance from them in terms of their needs and preferences. I also made a note about feedback: model solutions to illustrate alternative ways of forming solutions.
Towards the end of the session, I noted down a couple of resources that were specific to dyspraxia:
Resources
What follows are some useful resources which address some of the themes that were shared during this session:
Reflections
I really enjoyed Simon’s session; I liked how he shared a lot of detail in a concise way. His tips offer a useful practical framework. I’m mindful that I don’t always follow all the points that he highlighted, but I really ought to. When it comes to accessibility of teaching resources, there is always room for improvements.
Annie’s session emphasised the importance of mental health. Her session covered a lot of ground which related to her EdD research, and I took away a number of helpful suggestions. It was interesting that Angela’s presentation described research that considered the barriers and enablers, echoing Lister’s research about student wellbeing.
These three presentations have made me remember another lesson that I once learnt: positive adjustments for one group of students are also likely to help everyone.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all the presenters. Thanks are also extended to the ALSPD team who organised this event.
