{"id":51,"date":"2022-05-03T05:31:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T05:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openbook.ums.edu.my\/iotb\/chapter\/accessibility-and-oer\/"},"modified":"2024-09-19T04:16:58","modified_gmt":"2024-09-19T04:16:58","slug":"accessibility-and-oer","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/openbook.ums.edu.my\/iotb\/chapter\/accessibility-and-oer\/","title":{"raw":"Accessibility and OER","rendered":"Accessibility and OER"},"content":{"raw":"

An overview of accessibility<\/strong><\/h1>\n

As instructors, we have legal and ethical obligations to ensure our courses are fully accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities. We use digital resources in our courses because we believe they enhance learning. However, unless carefully chosen with [pb_glossary id=\"301\"]accessibility[\/pb_glossary] in mind, these resources can have the opposite effect for students with disabilities, erecting daunting barriers that make learning difficult or impossible.[footnote]Open Washington. (2018). Module 9: Accessibility.<\/em> https:\/\/www.openwa.org\/module-9\/<\/span><\/a> is licensed under CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/i>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n

Accessibility and universal design<\/h2>\n

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0<\/a>, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, provide an international standard that defines accessibility of web-based resources. The principles of WCAG 2.0 are applicable to other digital assets as well, including software, video, and digital documents.[footnote]W3C. (2008). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.<\/em> \u00a0https:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/WCAG20\/<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n

Maintenance of accessibility with creation of online resources is guided by the RMIT Digital Accessibility Framework.<\/a>[footnote]RMIT University. (2021). Digital Accessibility<\/em>.\u00a0 https:\/\/www.rmit.edu.au\/staff\/our-rmit\/diversity-and-inclusion\/accessibility\/digital-accessibility<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n

A full range of resources to assist accessibility can be found here: RMIT College of Business and Law Learning and Teaching hub.<\/a>[footnote]College of Business and Law. (2021). L & T Toolbox: Supporting. <\/em>\u00a0http:\/\/www.learningandteachinghub.com\/supporting\/<\/a> is licensed under\u00a0CC BY 4.0<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n

Choosing accessible video, images, textbooks and course material<\/h1>\n

Choosing and using accessible video<\/h2>\n

When selecting video, be sure to choose videos that include closed captioning. Closed captions provide a text version of the spoken audio and other critical sounds, displayed in sync with the video.<\/p>\n

Closed captions make video accessible to students who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also benefit many others, such as second-language students.<\/p>\n

YouTube automatically captions most videos that are uploaded to its website. However, automatic captions, which are created by a computer, are not accurate enough to be relied upon (consider the effect of one missed \u201cnot\u201d on the meaning of the video).<\/p>\n\n

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Consult the following resources for additional information on finding videos that have captions:<\/p>\n

Searching YouTube for videos with captions<\/a>[footnote]YouTube help. (2021). Search for videos with captions.<\/em> https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/3029103?hl=en<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n

Turning YouTube captions on and off<\/a>[footnote]YouTube help. (2021). Manage subtitle settings.<\/em> \u00a0https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/100078?hl=en<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n

If you find an open-licenced video that is perfect for your course but does not currently have captions, or you need to edit the captions, here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n

YouTube: How to contribute subtitles and closed captions<\/a>[footnote]YouTube help. (2021). Add subtitles and captions. <\/em>https:\/\/support.google.com\/youtube\/answer\/2734796?hl=en&visit_id=637685705238440705-4018161768&rd=1<\/a>[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n \n

Remember, supplying captions is not sufficient for full accessibility. Always include a written transcript as well, for those unable to access the video.<\/p>\n\n

Choosing and using accessible images<\/h2>\n

If images are used to communicate information, they should include short text descriptions for individuals who are unable to see the images. These short descriptions are typically referred to as \u201calternate text\u201d or \u201calt text.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most authoring tools that support adding images to content also support adding alt text to an image. When you\u2019re adding an image to a web page or document, simply look for an \u201calt text\u201d field in the Image Properties dialog and enter a short description into the space provided.<\/p>\nThe [pb_glossary id=\"302\"]alt text[\/pb_glossary] that you enter for a particular image depends on the context. Think about what you\u2019re wanting to communicate by adding the image. Then, add alt text that will communicate the same idea to someone who is unable to see the image.\u00a0 The video below provides some hints on how to add alt text.\n\nInclusive Learning: Alt Tags\u00a0<\/strong>(0:34 mins)<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/CakyyMsVMpI\n\n(\u201cInclusive Learning: Alt Tags\u201d<\/a> by ADGProduction COB<\/a> is licensed under CC BY 4.0 <\/a>)<\/em>\n

Choosing and using accessible course material<\/h2>\n

When choosing among the wide variety of course materials, be sure to consider whether these materials present challenges or barriers for students with disabilities. Ask specific questions, such as:<\/p>\n\n