I found this one very interesting because a one-off investment has potentially so much pay off for a significant body of students across almost all disciplines and levels of studey. There is a great deal of scope for development of this project.
The University of Nottingham, Disability support in computer-based assessment
Context and aim of project
To enable learners with a range of disabilities to be assessed fairly with regard to their subject understanding by reducing or eliminating barriers arising from conventional assessment methods.
The project is focused on summative online examinations.
Level and nature of learners
Medical school students amongst whom 3% have declared a disability.
Training and experience required of teachers
The design of software for providing mitigation for a range of learner needs is carried out by trained software designers with advice from disability officers. An interface is then provided that untrained helpers can use to implement a particular learner’s requirements
Learning design
The format of the exam is publicized in advance to students so that they can feedback any requirements that may need to be accommodated (eg extra time, large fonts, coloured backgrounds). These can then be programmed, evaluated by the student concerned, and adjusted as necessary.
At the point of delivery of the exam, adjustments can be made by staff to accommodate a variety of student requirements. The specification can then be saved in a database and reproduced on any machine the student uses.
Special equipment and/or facilities
This system is applied to exams taken on computers.
Key benefits
Ensures students needs are as fully met as possible.
Enables testing and adjusting of accommodations.
Once settings are made, they are reproducible for future exams.
Promotes fairness of assessment and facilitate fulfilling legal responsibilities of educational body.
Key lessons learned
Despite interface designed for non-technical use, IT support staff were needed at delivery end.
Initial design is a lengthy process, mainly due to the range of accommodations that can be programmed in.
Potential for further development
A similar system for learning via the VLE is in the process of development.
Comments
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Although I'm in a different tutor group I wanted to share with you my enthusiam for this example of e.learning 'innovation.' It deals with a problem, it rights a wrong and once established here ought to be transferable to other courses & universities. The Disability Discrimation Act is the 'stick' to put things in place, while the 'carrot' is the reward of seeing deserving people succeed where the old examining process may have let them down.New comment
Thanks Jonathan. One reason I was impressed was because this is relatively simple. We tend to get quite hyped up about innovation as if it always has to revolutionise practice. This doesn't fall into that trap. It has straightforward aims and it mostly fulfils them.