Accessibility barriers for users of screen readers in the Moodle learning content management system

In recent decades, the use of the Internet has spread rapidly into diverse social spheres including that of education. Currently, most educational centers make use of e-learning environments created through authoring tool applications like learning content management systems (LCMSs). However, most of these applications currently present accessibility barriers that make the creation of accessible e-learning environments difficult for teachers and administrators. In this paper, the accessibility of the Moodle authoring tool, one of the most frequently used LCMSs worldwide, is evaluated. More specifically, the evaluation is carried out from the perspective of two visually impaired users accessing content through screen readers, as well as a heuristic evaluation considering the World Wide Web Consortium's Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines. The evaluation results demonstrate that Moodle presents barriers for screen reader users, limiting their ability to access the tool. One example of accessibility problems for visually impaired users is the frequent inability to publish learning contents without assistance. In light of these results, the paper offers recommendations that can be followed to reduce or eliminate these accessibility barriers.This study has been partially funded by the MA2VICMR (S2009/TIC-1542) research project.Publicad

Using learning styles theory to improve on-line learning through computer assisted diagnosis

Despite the success in a number of education and training environments of a variety of Learning Styles diagnostic tools1,2 and particularly the success of Honey and Mumford3, there still appears to be a scarcity of research, development and action on the application of this work to e-learning. When we compare developments around the issues of, for example, content development and pedagogy4, authoring and packaging tools5, virtual and managed learning environments and interoperability6, or accessibility of learning products and services for disabled people7, we find comparatively little research and comparatively very little application of Learning Styles thinking to the development of e-learning products, services, environments and practices

E-learning for the vision impaired: a holistic perspective

Problems faced by vision impaired students are different from those experienced by sighted students. Most e-learning environments are designed for sighted students, utilizing complex visual images and interactive features; however students with acute vision impairments are not able to utilize these features and must rely on applications to translate the contents of screen displays and documents into forms that are accessible. Learning environments for people with physical disabilities need specific considerations in design and implementation to ensure their appropriateness and accessibility. This paper initially discusses specific problems faced by students with acute vision impairments and how e-learning environments need to address these problems in order for the student to achieve the same learning outcomes as sighted students. A brief outline of the research method is followed by a description of the holistic model proposed for accessible e-learning environment design

The VIVID model : accessible IT e-learning environments for the vision impaired

Sighted learners and vision impaired learners experience different problems when accessing e-learning environments. Web designers use complex visual images and interactive features which learners with vision impairment are unable to access. Learners with vision impairment must rely on assistive technologies to acquire the information they are seeking. Vision impaired learners must have conversion facilities to translate the contents of these displays into readable and accessible formats.This research identifies problems faced by learners with vision impairment and demonstrates how e-learning environments must be modified to ensure success. The most significant problems are the lack of accessibility to teaching materials and an inability to participate in the learning experience to the same extent as sighted learners. Learning materials designed for sighted learners are often unsuited to those with vision impairment. Frequently, text provided is too small and unable to be altered; colour graphics are of little value unless accompanied by text or audio description and interactive Web sites present numerous challenges in navigation. Most courses are designed for sighted learners and learners with vision impairment struggle to maintain the required timeframe because of difficulties in reading texts and documents, completing assignments and sourcing reference materials due to their inaccessible formats and presentation.These problems result in lower academic achievement for vision impaired learners, which in turn lead to a lack of choices in employment opportunities. Learning environments for people with vision impairment need specific consideration in design and implementation. This ensures that the learning materials meet their needs and allow maximum accessibility so that the learners can achieve the same outcomes as their sighted peers.There is a small number of existing models to assist the design of e-learning sites for people with a disability. Kelley’s holistic model (2005) and Seale’s contextualised model (2006) are designed for people with disabilities in general and not specifically for those with vision impairment. Lazar’s Web accessibility integration model (2004) does not take into account the importance of social elements. Prougestaporn’s WAVIP model, (2010) whilst it has generic guidelines, the model is limited in its scope.Venable’s Design Science Research method was chosen to investigate the specific problems faced by vision impaired learners enrolled in IT e-learning courses. The characteristics of approximately one hundred adult vision impaired learners were investigated using two case study environments. The data were collected by observation and semi-structured interviews. Additionally, data were collected from these same learners to identify their specific needs in a Web-based learning situation. Accessibility needs were also identified and analysed. These activities involved the Problem Diagnosis stage in the Design Science Research model. Accessibility guidelines and legal and statutory requirements from several sources were also investigated. The components needed to deliver an effective, fully accessible IT curriculum in two Web-based e-learning environments for the vision impaired was then identified.Information was compiled from studying two learning environments for the vision impaired. Data instruments used in this phase were observations and semi-structured interviews with vision impaired learners and teachers. These activities involved the Problem Diagnosis and Theory Building stages of the Venable model. The relationships between the characteristics and needs of the learner, and the components of the learning environment for an Information and Communications and Technology (ICT) curriculum were analysed and then synthesised to build a conceptual model of an effective Web-based e-learning environment for the vision impaired.A new theoretical model, the Vision Impaired using Virtual IT Discovery (VIVID) was then developed. This holistic framework takes into account the specific needs of vision impaired learners. It also includes a social element which vision impaired learners identified as being extremely important to the success of their learning. This activity involved both the Technology Design/Invention state and the Theory Building stage in the Venable model.An evaluation was carried out by a focus group of eight experts in the field of accessible and e-learning course design and the model was then modified to incorporate their suggestions.The resulting model is a high level, comprehensive conceptual model that can be applied in differing pedagogical environments relating to IT education for adult learners with vision disabilities. It provides a framework to guide education managers, instructional designers and developers who are creating accessible IT e-learning environments for the vision impaired.Whilst this model relates only to the IT area, further research could extend its use to other curriculum areas and to those learners with multiple disabilities

Creating a Virtual Library Classroom Tool for Digital Age Youth

This article considers the changing learning practices of today’s digital youth, the Net Generation, and the use of digital technologies to create collaborative and interactive learning spaces to meet their needs.  Specifically, the author details the creation of SD62’s Online Library website, a project designed to explore the impact of e-reading on digital age youth in the classroom.  Through the concepts of connectivity, interactivity, and accessibility, it is argued that SD62’s Online Library highlights alternate approaches to online learning and provides a foundation for better integration of Web 2.0 technology into learning environments

Assistive technologies and environmental design concepts for blended learning and teaching for disabilities within 3D virtual worlds and learning environments

3D Virtual Learning Environments (3D VLEs) are increasingly becoming prominent supporters of blended learning for all kinds of students including adult learners with or without disabilities. Due to the evidenced effect of architectural design of physical learning spaces on students’ learning and current lack of design codes for creating 3D virtual buildings, this case study aims at evaluating the suitability of the architectural design elements of existing educational facilities and learning spaces within 3D VLEs specifically for delivering blended e-learning for adult students with disabilities. This comprises capturing student contentment and satisfaction levels from different design elements of the 3D virtual spaces in an attempt to issue recommendations for the development of 3D educational facilities and hence initiate a framework for architectural design of 3D virtual spaces to augment accessibility, appeal and engagement for enhancing the e-learning experience of under-graduate, post-graduate and independent-study adult learners with disabilities within these virtual worlds

Between unsafe spaces and the comfort zone? Exploring the impact of learning environments on ‘doing’ learning

This paper explores how learning can be understood as a liminal space or transitional journey from one way of knowing to another; and where ‘doing’ learning is as much about being inculcated into the un-noticed rules and conventions of education itself as it is about developing understanding of the content of a subject discipline. By starting from Meyer and Land’s notion of threshold concepts and from ethnomethodological approaches which explore the ‘problematic accomplishment’ of everyday social and spatial practices, this paper considers how both new e-learning environments and more traditional face-to-face settings intersect with, and impact on, our conventional routines for producing and recognizing learning. Through a case study of a design project with interior architecture students, it explores what happened when attempts were made to inculcate a complex threshold concept - offering an alternative understanding of the relationship between disability and architecture to ‘standard’ conventions of accessibility – in both the ‘normal’ studio environment and online, via a blog. The paper concludes by suggesting we need to understand much more about what kinds of unspoken social and spatial practices frame the learning process in different disciplines in order to explore how we can create effective liminal spaces for both teachers and learners

Atención a la e-accesibilidad y usabilidad universal en el diseño formativo

Nuevas políticas avalan la importancia de la accesibilidad Web, y fomentan que los entornos, productos y servicios puedan ser practicables y la posibilidad de ser utilizados para lo que han sido concebidos. La cuestión es qué se debe hacer para empezar de forma diferente a alcanzar la accesibilidad educativa. A nivel tecnológico, tanto software como hardware especializados en ayudas técnicas, se están llevando a cabo numerosas propuestas por parte de las Administraciones Públicas y otras organizaciones privadas. Sin embargo, no se puede olvidar la oportunidad de la educación a distancia a través del e-learning. La Accesibilidad Universal debe llegar a este nivel de integración del usuario en el campo de la formación a distancia a través de las Nuevas Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación. La finalidad de este artículo es desarrollar una base de datos común a nivel internacional, que cubra la carencia de investigación educativa en el campo de la e-accesibilidad y que proporcione a los docentes una fuente de recursos para la creación de materiales didácticos flexibles para entornos de educación en red (e-learning) que promuevan la integración de las personas discapacitadas, específicamente en el ámbito académico.New policies support the importance of Web accessibility, and promote the environment, products and services can be practical and can be used for what they are designed. The question is what to do to start in a different way to achieve the accessibility of education. A level of technology, both software and hardware technical support specialist, is being carried out numerous proposals from government and other private organizations. However, we can not forget the opportunity for distance education through elearning. Universal Accessibility to reach this level of integration of the user in the field of distance learning through the New Information Technologies and Communication. The purpose of this paper is to develop a common database at the international level, covering the lack of educational research in the field of e-accessibility and to provide an educational resource for the creation of learning materials for flexible environments education network (e-learning) to promote the integration of disabled people, specifically in the academic field

Avaliação de acessibilidade em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem: um estudo utilizando método automático de avaliação

To allow education using the internet to be more inclusive, the Web should be accessible to all users. A virtual learning environment concerned with accessibility makes it possible for any student, regardless of their limitations, can perform tasks on the Web. This paper presents a study about the evaluation of accessibility in virtual learning environments using the Automatic Method of evaluation. It is an applied research. Using the automatic web accessibility evaluators: Aces and Hera with the Moodle virtual learning environments at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) and the Manor of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). The results show that the evaluation of accessibility, in virtual learning environments using the Automatic Method of evaluation, becomes a viable strategy for assessing the accessibility on portals. As a continuation of this study, wanted to expand the discussion about requirements used by automatic accessibility evaluators.Para permitir que a educação utilizando a internet seja mais inclusiva, o ambiente Web deve ser acessível a todos os usuários. Um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem preocupado com a acessibilidade possibilita que qualquer aluno, independentemente de suas limitações, possa realizar tarefas na Web. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo acerca da Avaliação de Acessibilidade nos Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem utilizando o Método Automático de Avaliação. Trata-se de uma pesquisa aplicada. Utilizaram-se os avaliadores automáticos de acessibilidade web: Ases e Hera com os ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem Moodle da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) e o Solar da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). Os resultados mostram que a Avaliação de Acessibilidade, em Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem utilizando o Método Automático de Avaliação, torna-se uma estratégia viável para avaliar a acessibilidade em portais. Como continuação deste estudo, procuram-se ampliar as discussões acerca de requisites utilizados pelos avaliadores automáticos de acessibilidade