Web2Access

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Web2Access

• www.web2access.org.uk

2
Overview

• Web 2.0 integrated with elearning
• Ease of Use Accessibility -evaluation
  techniques.
• Strategies developed by students.

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Web 2.0 integrated with elearning

• Integrating elements of Web 2.0 type applications
  within a Virtual Learning Environment.
• Students collaborating using applications not
  provided by the institution.
• Categorising the features offered by Web 2.0
  applications.
• http//www.web2access.org.uk/activity

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Personalisation

• Will this do for all of you? Showing one size
  t-shirt
• No that wont fit me
• We are all unique with individual needs and
  requirements

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Evaluation for Ease of Use and Accessibility

• 14 checks based on WCAG 2.0 guidelines.
• From login to use of rich text editors.
• Plain text may not be best You Tube allows for
  captions and accessible players are available.
• Mind mapping and Time line applications tend to
  do badly.

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Brain with legs and arms juggling on a tightrope
What happens when you have several models for
making online applications easier to use and
accessible?

• Comment - There is only so much the brain can do
• Thinking as juggling - There are limits to
  multi-tasking!

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Description of 4 Models or Approaches to Web
Access
Courtesy of Gregg Vanderheiden Ph.D and Raising
the Floor http//raisingthefloor.net/about

• Image description
• The picture is composed of three main objects
  with interconnecting lines and features. The
  first object is a blue sphere in the upper right
  corner with the label "WWW." The sphere
  represents content available on the World Wide
  Web (or Web for short). To the left and center is
  a large white cloud which represents "cloud"
  computing.  The cloud includes servers on the Web
  that provide accessibility services and
  features that would be run on servers out in the
  Web somewhere.  The third main component is a
  rectangle across the bottom of the page labeled
  "Local Computer/Device".  This represents the
  device that a person would have in front of them
  such as a desktop computer, a laptop or a small
  screen mobile device.  The computer could be a
  personal computer or just a computer that a
  person runs into someplace.  
• There is a line labeled  "1" that has an arrow on
  the end and runs from the Web content directly
  down to the user agent (browser) in the Local
  Computer.  This represents Model 1, where a
  browser directly reads and processes Web content.
• There is an arrow line labeled "2" that runs from
  the browser in the Local Computer up into the
  cloud, through a box labeled "Transcoding
  Services" and then back to the browser in the
  local computer.  This represents Model 2, where a
  browser, content in the browser or the user sends
  content to a transcoding service that changes the
  content in some way and then sends it back to the
  browser for display.
• There is an arrow line labeled  "3" that runs
  from the Web content in the upper right to the
  box labeled "transcoding services" in the cloud
  and then to the browser in the local computer.
   This represents Model 3 where all content is
  routed through  a transcoding service in a proxy
  server that changes the content in some way
  before the user's browser ever receives it.
• The final arrow line labeled "4" runs directly
  from the Web content to a browser that is located
  mostly in the cloud, but partially in the local
  computer. This represents Model 4 where the user
  agent or browser with special access features
  built in is run as a service in the cloud.  Only
  the basic human interface parts (keyboard, mouse,
  display, sound) are run on the local computer.
   The Local Computer aspect could be a special
  program on the computer, but would usually run as
  an app within a browser on the local computer

Added Browser with or without additional
Assistive Technologies?.
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Digital Decisions

• Some students mentioned simplicity, skills,
  suitability and cost as a deciding factors.
• All students talked about their decisions being
  influenced by time considerations regarding use
  of assistive technologies, training and social
  networking applications.

when I got all my software in autumn last year,
and they said You need to have your training on
this as you quite rightly have said I did
feel like I was doing 2 courses and that was,
frankly, too much. I had to stay with my old bad
habits because I just didnt feel I had the time
to take out to learn something new to help me.
It was a viscous circle, really.
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Keep the tools simple

• Im just going to knock this nail in. (using a
  very complex bit of kit
• So why over complicate things? This would do the
  job perfectly well. (holding up a hammer)

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Mindmap of learning choices and digital decisions
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The technology hurdle

• Where technologies require Students to adjust
  their usual study practices, they can become a
  barrier. Such technologies require careful
  introduction and clear communication about the
  benefits of use.
• Quality academic digital content is regarded by
  Students as a significant benefit of FE/HE they
  become significantly more adept at using it as
  they mature in their studies

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My Technologies - 24/7 access

• Students really value 24/7 access to online
  learning materials which allows them to fit
  learning into their lives
• Students expect to be able to use personal
  technologies and services in institutional
  contexts
• Students are creating their own learning spaces,
  blending virtual with face-to-face, and formal
  with social networking.

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LexDis website

• There may be more than 1 direction open to us
• But as long as we have information
• We can make informed choices
• The Learner Voice
• Signposts to assistive technologies,
  applications, guides and strategies from
  students.

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Thank You

• E.A. Draffan
• Learning Societies Lab
• School of Electronics and Computer Science
• University of Southampton
• e-mail ead_at_ecs.soton.ac.uk
• http//www.web2access.org.uk
• Funded by