Managing digital accessibility at universities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Lazar, Jonathan

doi:10.1007/s10209-021-00792-5

Cited by 29 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The findings in this study indicate that many teachers in HEIs in Norway do not practice UD on their DLMs, and that many lack awareness and knowledge of the UD regulations and requirements, training, sufficient time, and practical support from their HEIs to make DLMs universally designed. Practicing UD on DLMs is essential to ensure all students can access education, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic [11]. Further, the findings uncovered that most of the teachers in the study do not think that the guidelines are hard to follow when they are aware of the UD regulations and have enough time for practicing UD, but even then, many did not practice UD on their DLMs, which corroborates existing research [12].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Challenges in Implementing Universal Design of ICT Among Teachers in Higher Education in Norway

Hussain

Sanderson

2022

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

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Equal access to education for all is a prioritized goal in many parts of the world and included in several national and international regulations. Universal Design (UD) of information and communication technology (ICT) can ensure accessibility of digital learning materials (DLMs). However, until recently the implementation of UD of ICT in higher education institutions (HEIs) has been lacking. This study investigates the practical implementation of UD of ICT of DLMs among teachers in HEIs, challenges experienced by them, and what support is offered by their HEI or what support they believe would be helpful when implementing UD in DLMs. Data was collected through interviews and an online survey from a total of twelve faculty members recruited from eight universities in Norway and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that teachers in HEIs do not practice UD of ICT on their DLMs, and that they lack training, sufficient time, and practical support from their HEIs to make their DLMs universally designed. The paper concludes that although HEIs appear willing to provide the necessary support and actions to implement UD of ICT, there seems to be a lack of internal policy on UD.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Challenges in Implementing Universal Design of ICT Among Teachers in Higher Education in Norway

Hussain

Sanderson

2022

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

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“…The research demonstrates the pressing need to provide training in universal design and digital accessibility for faculty members. This need is even more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic when students, faculty and staff with disabilities at universities have faced many digital accessibility barriers [ 58 ]. In order to gain such knowledge, faculty members need time to learn and practice.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What do faculty members know about universal design and digital accessibility? A qualitative study in computer science and engineering disciplines

Sanderson

Kessel

Chen

2022

Univ Access Inf Soc

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Purpose Students in higher education are a diverse group comprising people with different backgrounds and abilities. Regulations require that digital learning materials and platforms employed in higher education accommodate this diversity. Furthermore, they require faculty members to have an understanding of universal design and digital accessibility, as well as practical knowledge of how to make learning materials and courses accessible for more students. The goal of this research is to gain insight into the status of such knowledge among faculty members. Methods The research presented in this paper involved a qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 faculty members employed in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Norway and Poland. The participants worked in the computer science and engineering disciplines. The data was analysed using thematic analysis, and two main themes and six sub-themes were identified. Results We found that most participants lack sufficient understanding of digital barriers and assistive technologies. Very few were aware of legislation and guidelines related to universal design. Most importantly, the majority lack practical knowledge on how to make digital learning materials and courses accessible. Furthermore, the solutions they propose for addressing the barriers are intuitive and only encompass barriers that are easy to recognise and identify. Conclusion The findings indicate that there is a gap between legislation and implementation in practice when it comes to making digital learning materials accessible in higher education. The lack of knowledge among faculty members shows that training is necessary to increase understanding and practical knowledge, and HEIs should prioritise this in strategies and action plans going forward.

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“…With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions worldwide made an instant pivot, primarily to remote teaching (e.g., Besser, Flett, & Zeigler-Hill, 2020). Although there are numerous papers dealing with the impact of the pandemic on post-secondary students with (Lazar, 2021) and without disabilities (Browning et al, 2021), little is known about which technologies faculty expected students to use and how well these worked. This is important to know because lessons learned during the pandemic can provide the foundation for sustainable inclusive practices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Tools Faculty Expected Students to Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2021: Problems and Solutions for Future Hybrid and Blended Courses

Fichten

Havel

Wileman

et al. 2021

JETS

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Covid-19 resulted in a pivot to remote teaching and learning in most North American colleges and universities. All of a sudden faculty expected students to use a variety of digital technologies. Here we report on the technologies post-secondary students had to use and on the problems experienced by students with and without disabilities (e.g., mobility and visual impairments, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental health related disabilities). In a sample of 24 post-secondary students, we found a series of problems related to: software and platform issues; connectivity; how professors managed their courses; classmates’ computer behaviors; and equipment issues. We also learned about several beneficial practices and ways to avoid problems that can be retained for future hybrid and blended courses. By giving a voice to post-secondary students our research can inform policies and practices to create a more resilient and inclusive society.

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Managing digital accessibility at universities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Cited by 29 publications

References 12 publications

Challenges in Implementing Universal Design of ICT Among Teachers in Higher Education in Norway

Challenges in Implementing Universal Design of ICT Among Teachers in Higher Education in Norway

What do faculty members know about universal design and digital accessibility? A qualitative study in computer science and engineering disciplines

Digital Tools Faculty Expected Students to Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2021: Problems and Solutions for Future Hybrid and Blended Courses

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