ALT-C ILSIG 2012

Schedule

Background and remit ILSIG;ALT-C 2011 discussion outcomes;Activities over the year;Highlights of the previous year;CMALT Scheme;Next steps.

Background

This Special Interest Group was set up to focus on using Web 2.0 to discover how inclusive learning is taking place in HE, FE, schools, the wider educational community and BCE from the view of teaching and learning participants. These are:-

Teaching staff (producers / organisers)The students (consumers) The developers of materials and other resources including online educational materials

ILSIG Steering Group

Terry McAndrew – ChairShirley Evans – Secretary

Steering Group CommitteeNick JeansDonal FitzpatrickJulia WainesRon Mitchell

Remit of ILSIG

The remit of this SIG is to:Discover and share evidence and experiential practice in the area of inclusive learning;Highlight day-to-day experience of those using assistive technologies for the benefit of the practitioners who use or develop solutions;Provide a forum for discussion and collaboration of the use of appropriate technologies and practices to support the development of inclusive solutions in the ALT community.

ALT-C 2011 questions

What do we mean by Inclusive Learning?What do users want?Sectoral differences and similarities;Disciplinary/subject differences and similarities;How can we enhance ‘harvesting’?How can we join it all up?

Highlights

Online meetings to explore Inclusive Learning practice with ALT community ~ 30 members

Regular online presentations – quality contributionsExtending networkLinks between TechDis and LT community improvedLess high – Closed network spaces – GroupspaceFinding significant accessibility ‘stories’ with Learning

TechnologistsWhat to do with FaceBook if students do not wish to

expose disability issues?Surfacing student and other stories via Web 2.0 –

making the use of Social Networks;

GroupSpace

ResourcesScoops – the arrival of social curationA disability tag list for twitterPresentations – slides and recordings

CSUN HEAT Projects

Key DocumentsHEA: Teaching for Inclusion (NTF Project)

Disability Legislation for Academics

November online

Xerte Developments;ENABLE;Surfacing student and other stories via Web 2.0 – making the best use of Social Networks;CMALT Scheme

Xerte DevelopmentsEveryone familiar with Xerte?Nottingham site: http://nottingham.ac.uk/xerteMain Techdis xerte info: http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte Xerte Fridays: http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xertefridayTechdis Sandpit: http://techdisplayxerte.info

Relatively recent developments:New Window page and Embed Content pageAndroid App http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/xerte/downloads/applicatin.apk

Current developer team developments:Internationalisation & Modulerisation

ENABLE ProjectEuropean Grundtvig Project – 3 years started November 2011Activities relevant to ILSIG:-

Providing networking tools and carrying out a range of networking activities which support and encourage the development of new approaches to the use of ICT for disabled adults and implementation of best practice, including the development and dissemination of case studies of good practice Reviewing the current state of the art with regards to the use of ICT to support lifelong learning by disabled adults and identifying innovations and changes that have occurred over the project lifetime.Developing tools for categorising and evaluating existing ICT systems to support learning by disabled people. Promoting good practice in the use of ICT to support lifelong learning by disabled adults Developing an international network of partners, which is sustainable beyond the end of the project funding period and which will use the project results to develop national and international follow-up projects.

Feb Steering discussions

Raising EngagementJISCMailGroupSpaceCSUN

March online

CETIS report; Visualising social networks for accessibility and the learning Registry. (TM)CSUN Report: Using social networks with disabled students (SE)ACTOER Project  (TM)ATIS4ALL Project (SE)Learner Analytics and Accessibility (Martyn Cooper)Updates from network members (ALL)

CETIS

Visualising social networks for accessibility and the Learning Registry.

CSUNCSUN Conference 2012

From February 27th to March 3rd 2012 – San DiegoMain Conference 29th Feb to 2nd MarchClose to 5,000 attendees and exhibit hall visitors. 350 speaker sessions An increase in exhibitors’ product and services. Number of sessions around Web 2.0

- Makayla Lewis - An aOSN-cp model to support online social network users with cerebral palsy when providers introduce change

- Sarah Lewthwaite - Peer-to-Peer Accessibility in Social Networks, a paper exploring how web accessibility can be socially mediated by peers within social networks, using evidence from research with disabled students at UK Universities. 

ACTOER Project 

ATIS4all Project 

ATIS4all

ia European Thematic Network of which the main objective seeks to facilitate everyone's access to the most suitable AT or accessibility device and service according to their needs, preferences and contextual characteristics (e.g. ICT solution, environment constraints, user device, language, etc.).will start and maintain an open, collaborative portal offering reliable information on AT and inclusive products and services, and cutting-edge technological trends. ATIS4all will contain Web 2.0 participation tools in order to encourage online discussion exchange of knowledge and expertise, and sharing of information among key actors and end users.

An introduction to Learning Analytics supporting disabled students learning and accessibility in eLearning Systems

Martyn CooperInstitute of Educational Technology, Open Universitym.cooper@open.ac.uk

ALT - Inclusive Learning SIG 29th March 2012

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What is Learning Analytics?Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimising learning and the environments in which it occurs.1st International Conference Learning Analytics & Knowledge 2011 LAK’11 The Learning Analytics Cycle

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Accessibility and disabled student support use cases for Learning Analytics1. Monitoring withdrawals (active and passive)

Retention a high-stakes issueComparing disabled vs. non-disabled students across all modulesCan identify where there might be critical accessibility issues

2. Feedback to students on their own learning via a Student Analytics Dashboard (Must be accessible to disabled students!)

Personalised recommendations (resources, people, etc.)Reflection on learner behaviour via visual ‘mirrors’ Suggestions towards becoming a more effective & strategic learner

3. System determined/student peer-peer accessibility recommendations

4. Tutors Analytics Dashboards highlight where disabled students need support real-time as courses are delivered

5. Analytic information to course managers identifying predictors of poor attainment – identify issues particular for disabled students

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LinksMartyn’s initial thoughts blog post:http://martyncooper.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/learner-analytics-for-accessibility/Linkedin Group on Learning Analytics for Accessibilityhttp://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4369422&trk=hb_side_g

Google Group on Learning Analytics generallyhttps://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/learninganalytics

Pending PublicationsCooper, Sloan, Kelly, and Lewthwaite, “A Challenge to Web Accessibility Metrics and Guidelines: Putting People and Processes First” (Accepted for W4A2012 which is 16-17 April) http://www.w4a.info/2012/Cooper, Ferguson, and Wolff, “What Can Learning Analytics Contribute to Disabled Students Learning and Accessibility in eLearning Systems?” (For HCI2012 about to go to peer-review) http://hci2012.bcs.org/

June onlineGEUG12 – Google event for users in HE INBook and The DART Project (Trevor Mobbs – Beaumont College) Disabled Students and Social Networking (Sarah Lewthwaite – Kings College London) News from ILSIG members ILSIG and CMALT

ACTOER

Accessibility Challenges and Techniques for Open Educational Resources (ACTOER)Evaluating OERs in context with specialists in HE, FE, WBL, Specialist CollegesImproved tools for OER producersRaise profile of accessible open accessNew Wiki building at actoer.referata.com

Geug12

Geug12GEUG12, the Google Apps for Education European User Group meeting, was held at the University of Portsmouth, UK, on June 15th 2012;

GEUG12 followed on from GUUG11, an event for UK Google Apps for Education users in 2011. The site gathers together the presenters' slides and in many cases streamed recordings of the sessions using Google's Hangouts on Air;

Topics covered at GEUG12 included developing for Google App Engine, transition to and current use of Google Apps at institutions, VLE integration and replacement, legal issues and the Google Apps Marketplace, mash ups and other creative uses for Google products, and pedagogical feedback from use of Google+ in teaching and learning AND accessibility.

The InBook ProjectThe Pilot has gone well

Students have contributed to feedback and developmentStudents have developed an InBook code of conductStudents have visited and video-conferenced between the three pilot colleges

InBookA ‘walled garden’ safe social networking training tool

The InBook Project

InBook is a pilot project run byJISC RSC NWJISC TechDISThree Partner Colleges

Beaumont College (main developer)Bridge CollegeLancaster and Morecambe College

The InBook ProjectThe project aims to:

Provide a safe social networking toolHave a more controlled (limited access) membershipTo be used in both a classroom environment and more widelyBe a training tool for establishing the principles of safe social networkingProvide much of the familiar web 2.0 functionsProvide a forum for e-safety discussions

The project is not aiming to:Replace other social networks such as Facebook

The InBook ProjectThe project is based on open source softwareRuns on a standard web server:

Uses PHP / MySQLUtilises the Word Press CMS (Content Management System)Buddy Press is installed on top of Word PressOther theme and module customisations are made on top of this platform

The InBook Project

The InBook Project

The InBook Project

A second stage extended pilot is being undertakenThis process is being overseen by JISC TechDISTest the system with a larger number of usersWill feature improved accessibilityWill enable issues to be identified and addressedColleges will be invited to take part in the second pilot by JISC TechDISIf you wish to express an interest in taking part please let us know – cannot guarantee places

The InBook Project

The intention is to scale the projectThere are a number of options

Centrally hosted instances of InBook perhaps for different age groups or clientsMaking available an FAQ and the Word Press Custom Theme so the system can be replicatedProviding configured virtual machines so that other providers can ‘roll their own’ instances of InBookThe pilots will answer some of this and will address other issues as well

The InBook Project

InBook has been designed with students who have learning difficulties and disabilities in mindMay have an application beyond the original client group to a wider audience such as younger peopleThe second round pilots will begin around October 2012 and conclude by Easter 2013The project will be developed by Beaumont, JISC RSC NW and JISC TechDISA report will be made available

The InBook ProjectThe Project website

Will shortly be updated with more information

http://inbook.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/

Thank you for listening

Any Questions?

Interested in AT?We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter

@ kevinhickeyuk

The InBook ProjectThe Project website

Will shortly be updated with more information

http://inbook.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/

Thank you for listening

Any Questions?

Interested in AT?We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter

@ kevinhickeyuk

DARTCreating a sustainable future for Assistive Technology in Education

The DART ProjectDART – ‘Disseminating Assistive Roles and Technology’Working in partnership, Beaumont College and National Star CollegeOriginal project was funded by the LSIS flexibility and innovation fund between 2010 and 2012The new project is funded by JISC AdvanceCrucially this means we can work with partners across the UKThe original project was oversubscribed and we wanted to integrate it with the JISC service offer

The DART ProjectDART - Creating a sustainable future for Assistive Technology in Education

The project aims to:Improve Assistive Technology practice in the sector Enable the replication of the innovative Assistive Technologist roleDisseminate the Beaumont College Technology service modelProduce Assistive Technology case studies for the sector

The DART Project

The DART2 Project Provider Colleges:Beaumont College, National Star College, Henshaws College

• Also working with bothScotland's CollegesNATSPEC (The association of National Specialist Colleges)

We are now inviting expressions of interest from either Sector Colleges with an LLDD provision or other Independent Specialist Colleges.In addition to direct work with colleges a workshop series is planned.

The DART ProjectBeaumont College is the lead partner and will work with four providersHenshaws and National Star college will engage with three providers eachNATSPEC to undertake research to inform the development of three workshopsThe workshops will run in central Scotland and in central England.An end of project conference will include a presentation of case studies by supported providers

The DART Project

The project is being run by a project board:Partner college membersJISC RSC and TechDIS members

We are now taking expressions of interest from colleges who wish to participateThe project will run for the 2012-13 academic year

The DART Project

Identify what the college wishes to develop as part of the project, could include:

Elements of the Technologist role to be embedded in an existing roleTransfer of assistive technology knowledge to specific staff, work shadowing etcTraining and development for staff in the partner collegesAdvice on sourcing equipment, software etcAdvice on adapting mainstream hardware

The DART ProjectThe Project website

Hosts information about the projectWill be updated regularlyHas a number of case studies available nowMore case studies to be added soon

http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/

Thank you for listening

Any Questions?

Interested in AT? We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter @mobbst

Student experiences of disability and Facebook

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Social networks matter to students: “If you haven’t got Facebook, you don’t exist” (Edward).Methods: 34 internet-enabled interviews with 19 studentsOver-the-shoulder, co-located, participatory accessible methods

Drivers:Necessity of Network for Social InformationCritical Mass‘Network Creep’

Effects:Unknown audience/Context collapseConsolidation of Identity / Loss of anonymityExtent of the Network / Contraction in Degrees of Separation

Disabled Experience

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So could you show me your profile page?

Yeah. I hate it. I really, I worry about it all the time. I just, I just hate the thought of being judged so much.

(Gemma, student with unseen spina bifida)

Yeah, I mean during the, the time that I was not very well, my Status didn’t show that at all. You know, it was 'Naomi is.' I never put 'is so depressed she wants to go home and never come back to uni'. It was just left blank, it wasn’t, I never put anything, it was just dot dot dot.

(Naomi, student with visual impairment)

Conclusions

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Facebook is normative. It propels users towards disabled or non-disabled perspectives. Users are compelled to adopt non-disabled interactions or maintain disability within strict discursive limits. For those who adopt non-disabled interactions, disability is confirmed as a deficit, discredited identity. For those who cannot or will not perform a non-disabled self, the network is experienced as punitive and disabling.In each case, experiences of impairment and the recognition of disability as part of normal human experience becomes inhibited. In this way, social networks produce disabled subjectivities whilst systematically erasing them from view.

Dr Sarah Lewthwaite: sarah.lewthwaite@kcl.ac.uk @slewth http://www.slewth.co.uk

Resources

Scoops – the arrival of social curationA disability tag list for twitterPresentations – slides and recordings

CSUN HEAT Projects

Key DocumentsHEA: Teaching for Inclusion (NTF Project)

Disability Legislation for AcademicsS. Lewthwaite Thesis ‘Disability 2.0: Student

dis/Connections.’

ILSIG CMALT SchemeWe are delighted to offer ILSIG members the opportunity to be part of the JISC Techdis CMALT Scheme. There are a number of places available (on a first come first served basis) as part of the Independent Specialist Colleges (ISC) Initiative.

CMALT is a peer-based professional accreditation scheme developed by ALT to enable people whose work involves learning technology to:

have their experience and capabilities certified by peers;demonstrate that they are taking a committed and serious approach

to their professional development.

Links - http://www.alt.ac.uk/sites/default/files/assets_editor_uploads/documents/cmalt_initiative_techdis_v2_20100901.pdf

Please email shirley.evans@virgin.net

Next Steps

How can we further raise the profile of good accessibility practice in the Learning Technologist Community?

Get involved

http://www.alt.ac.uk/get-involved/special-interest-groups-0