Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility

This page contains access to a paper on "Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility" which was published in the Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology. The paper was included in a special issue on E-Learning Standards - Looking Beyond Learning Objects published in 2004, Volume 30 issue 3.

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Paper

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Citation Details

Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility, Kelly, B., Phipps, L. and Swift, E. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, Vol. 30, Issue 3, Autumn 2004. ISSN: 1499-6685

Abstract

The importance of accessibility to digital resources is now widely acknowledged. The W3C WAI has played a significant role in promoting the importance of accessibility and developing a framework for accessible Web resources. The accessibility of e-learning provides additional challenges that may not be faced when providing access to other Web resources. The authors argue that there is a need for a more sophisticated model for addressing e-learning accessibility which takes into account the usability of e-learning, pedagogic issues and student learning styles in addition to technical and resource issues. The authors expand on these issues and propose a holistic model for the development of accessible e-learning resources.

Acknowledgements

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Paper Details

Title

Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility

Authors names, complete affiliations, addresses

Brian Kelly UKOLN The Library University of Bath BATH UK BA2 7AY

Elaine Swift CDNTL Wessex House University of Bath BATH UK BA2 7AY

Lawrie Phipps Techdis The Network Centre 4 Innovation Close York Science Park YORK UK

Name and contact details of author to be contacted for correspondence

Brian Kelly
Email: b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk
Phone: +44 1225 383943
FAX: +44 1225 386838

Short abstract

The importance of accessibility to digital resources is now widely acknowledged. The W3C WAI has played a significant role in promoting the importance of accessibility and developing a framework for providing accessibility to Web resources. The accessibility of e-learning resources provides additional challenges. The authors argue that there is a need for a more sophisticated model for addressing e-learning accessibility which takes into account the usability of e-learning, pedagogic issues and student learning styles in addition to technical and resource issues. The authors expand on these issues and propose a holistic model for the development of accessible e-learning resources.

CV of Authors

Brian Kelly provides advice and support to the UK Higher and Further Education Communities and the museums, libraries and archives sector in the area of the Web. Brian is also the project manager of the QA Focus project and the NOF-digitise Technical Advisory Service, which provide support for digital library programmes. Brian is based in UKOLN - a national centre of excellence in digital information management, based at the University of Bath, UK. Correspondence on this article should be sent to Brian Kelly, UKOLN, University of Bath, BATH, UK, BA2 7AY

Lawrie Phipps is the TechDis Senior Advisor for Higher Education in the UK. His background is in staff development and e-learning, designing and developing virtual field trips and courses and supporting science lecturers in learning and teaching. Within TechDis Lawrie is currently working on issues of accessibility and pedagogy, e-learning as a tool for empowerment of disabled students and e-learning policy and strategy. Lawrie is also a Visiting Fellow at the Special Needs Computing Research Unit at the University of Teeside. The research group is looking at a range of issues including disability and mobile learning, the use of multimedia to support disabilities, computer assisted assessment and the development of Virtual Learning Environments to support students with learning difficulties.

Elaine Swift is an Educational Software Developer and Learning Technology Officer in the Centre for the Development of New Technologies in Learning at the University of Bath, UK. In addition to researching and developing new software, she advises members of staff on utilising learning technologies in their learning and teaching. She also specialises in the area of Computer Aided Assessment.

Citations Of The Paper

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