Accessibility

Image courtesy of Richard Cocks

Previous sections have discussed accessibility when finding and creating OER. But accessibility also plays a role in the actual use of the OER. When using an OER in the classroom it is important to follow-up on accessibility. How you follow up will largely depend on the needs of your individual classroom. For example, if you have learners who are utilizing closed captioning, check with them to see whether the text is legible. Other examples might include whether everyone can see all the elements of an OER (e.g. text is too light, colorblindness). You can never be quite sure what types of accessibility issues may crop up during the use of an OER, so be prepared to change extemporaneously. Talk with your learners about how the OER can be adjusted to meet their needs.

The important thing is not to be discouraged by accessibility issues when using an OER. Accommodating persons with disabilities can take time and it is understandable if you are not aware of accessibility issues initially. If you are uncertain how to resolve accessibility issues, contact persons with disabilities staff at your institution.

Accessible assessment

Online assessment also needs to be accessible and it is important to determine what exactly is being assessed (e.g., is the student's understanding being assessed or the student's ability to use the technology). The JISC CETIS website has a series of webpages on Accessible Assessment, which covers:

• Guidelines and specifications for accessible assessment;
• Accessibility legislation relevant to assessment;
• Accessibility issues for assessment;
• Exam arrangements and strategy for accessibility.