Accessibility

One of the advantages of technology enabled classrooms, blended and online environments is the accessibility features that are built in to the devices, apps, software and web tools. These features make the integration of technology into your classroom not as much about changing your class or developing classes as providing assistance to students, especially in regard to text. Today's features focus more on the settings or design of tools already in use more than highlighting new tools.

 

Featured iPad Apps

 

Exploring Apps can be fun. The seemingly limitless options for creation, creativity and learning often take center stage. However, the power of the tool begins with the tool itself. One of the reasons iPad, and other Apple products, were introduced quickly into school settings are the built in accessibility features. As we move our students of all abilities to the more rigorous content of the Common Core, we need tools for scaffolding, especially for students in literacy.  While there are many accessibility options, today we will focus on Voice Over settings.

One way to set up "Voice Over", using the "Triple Click Home" option is intended for students with low vision rather than students who need assistance with reading at grade level. It is important to note that this setting is distinct in its ability to solve issues with voice over in Apps that do not work with the "Speak Selection" only accessibility setting. At AHS this includes documents in Google Drive as well as e-books that have been digitized through the Absolute Apps. The video below demonstrates how to change the settings. My experience is that the "Speaking Rate" setting will need to be moved toward turtle even more than the default is already set. 

 Mrs. Donna Russel has used the Accessibility features with her students to accommodate students with dyslexia, learning disabilities related to reading and processing as well as vision disorders. In the video below, a student is walked through the process of turning on the voice over accessibility features on her iPad. This particular setting is preferred by the students because it does not include the page introduction narration that is part of the "Triple-click" feature. The disadvantage is that this will not work with many apps, Google Drive docs and e-texts that students access through the Absolute Safe App.

 

 

 

 

\Maximizing Google 

For the second week, I want to focus on YouTube as way to maximize the power of  Google. Whether creating your own videos, or finding videos to use with your classroom or curriculum, there are two features that assist with accessibility. The first is Closed Captioning. Simply click on the "CC" button and YouTube will automatically add captions. 

                   

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However, if the person who created the video did not tranascribe and sync, or upload a transcript, you may find the words are not always exactly what is being heard on the video! When the creator has either used the transcribe and sync, or uploaded a transcript for closed captioning, then the YouTube video has a transcript that can be read by the viewer. To take advantage of the transcription feature, you will need to either send the students to the link on YouTube instead of embedding in your web presence, or you could copy and paste the transcript to provide as an alternative. 

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Getting the Most Out of Your Learning Platform

 

As teachers move more classroom material online, whether as a blended or online class or simply as a way to make material more accessible, it is important to consider accessibility issues. Using the iPad for student access, or ensuring that videos include closed captioning or transcripts is a good first step in design. The iPad accessibility voice options will allow articles and text instructions to be read from the platform itself or from web resources. Always try the features as part of your assignment creation and design to test that students can use the accessibility features.

The video below demonstrates the importance of color choice and heading designations, especially when using text readers.

Moodle also  has an "Accessibility" block available as a plug-in. When this block is turned on, users are able to customize headings, text and color individually for better accessibility. We are exploring this option on the ACS Moodle server. For those of you outside of the Algonac Community School district, check with your Moodle administrator to see if this plug-in is available.

Twitter Friday Follow 

From the Knowability website: Knowbility, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the independence of children and adults with disabilities by promoting the use and improving the availability of accessible information technology.

While the focus is mostly on business, the design principles apply to education. From a content design perspective, we need to make sure that what we produce is accessible to all of our students. Tweets include interesting studies and conferences as well as tips on making web resources more accessible. @knowability

 

Library News

 

As part of the library reorganization process, the collection underwent a weeding which result in books being removed from the shelves. In an effort to use resources and be creative with department budgets, the library collaborated with the art department to create an independent project upcycling books into art. The first of the projects are being submitted and show great creativity. Many will be featured as art in the new library learning commons.

Black and White movies poster

 

 Book Art Scene: Erupting Volcano