Adapting e-learning and learning services for people with disabilities

Providing learning materials and support services that are adapted to the needs of individuals has the potential to enable learners to obtain maximal benefit from university level studies. This paper describes EU4ALL project which has been exploring how to present customized learning materials and services for people with disabilities. A number of the technical components of the EU4ALL framework are described. This is followed with a brief description of prototype implementations. This is then followed by a discussion of a number of research directions that may enhance the adaptability, usability and accessibility of information and support systems can be used and consumed by a diverse user population

Evaluating accessible adaptable e-learning

Two different approaches can increase the accessibility of digital educational materials: content that has been built with the widest possible set of users in mind (universal design), or content that has been designed in such a way that it can be personalised to individual user needs and preferences (personalised design). This paper outlines a number of approaches that could be used to evaluate the provision of learning materials that have been adapted to or chosen for individual learners. A number of different perspectives are considered in this paper: a learner's perspective, the perspective of the tutor or teacher, and an institutional perspective. A number of complementary methodologies are presented. It is argued that the evaluation of a system that provides personalised learning content is a challenging activity that necessitates the application of multiple methods to effectively understand the underlying costs and benefits of providing personalised learning materials

Exploring the extension of learning technology systems for accessibility (ALT-C 2008)

Introduction The effective use and application of a learning technology system requires an understanding of the context in which it is used and deployed. The design of an 'off the shelf' system may not, in many cases, immediately reflect the needs of an organisation. As a result a system may have to be modified or updated to ensure it matches an institution or setting in which it is to be deployed. The EU4ALL project (European Unified Approach for Accessible Life Long Learning) is exploring how to enhance the provision of accessible services using MLE/VLE systems. This necessitates understanding how MLE systems can be modified or enhanced. Method There are two main areas of technical focus within EU4ALL: how to create a system that delivers learning material that matches the functional preferences of its users, and how to connect a MLE to an external infrastructure to enable learners to be directly connected to institutional support services. Both these areas require developers to extend and work with existing systems. Results This presentation outlines some of the preliminary findings surrounding the malleability of learning technology systems gathered in the context of the EU4ALL project. A number of dimensions of extensibility regarding two significant systems, .LRN and Moodle are highlighted, illustrating a number of challenges the EU4ALL project faces. Some of these challenges, especially regarding the area of service-oriented architectures (SOA) are outlined and potential solutions presented. Conclusion The participants will gain a greater awareness about how it is possible to extend MLE systems and connect them to external infrastructures and architectures. The work that is presented emphasises the importance of accessibility in e-learning and illustrates how the EU4ALL project could step towards presenting learners with materials and services that are customised to meet their precise needs

Decolonising imperial heroes:Britain and France

The heroes of the British and French empires stood at the vanguard of the vibrant cultures of imperialism that emerged in Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century. Yet imperial heroes did not disappear after 1945 as British and French flags were lowered around the world. On the contrary, their reputations underwent a variety of metamorphoses in both the former metropoles and the former colonies. The introduction to this special issue of the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History presents an overview of the changing history and historiography of imperial heroes half a century after the end of empire