The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology

Improving the accessibility of virtual learning environments using the EU4ALL framework

Chris DouceAccessible Educational Media, Institute of Educational Technology, Open University, UK

The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology

Outline• Project overview• Areas of investigation• Framework overview• Stories and services• Further work• Summary

Project overviewThe EU4ALL project aims to develop a flexible, open, standards-based architecture of services to support lifelong learning within higher education institutions for all people.

Materials

Services

Project overview• 4 year EU FP6• 13 partners (academic, industrial, non-profit)• Groups: requirements, standards, technical, services

• Open University– 150,000 undergraduates– 30,000 people taking postgraduate courses– Over 600 courses towards 200 qualifications – Over 10,000 students with disabilities

Areas of investigation• Embedding accessibility into learning environments• Investigating personalisation of user experience• Understanding how to efficiently provide services• Exploitation of international standards• Integration with institutional systems

• Support learner (needs and materials)• Support staff (co-ordinate responses)• Support institution (best practices and efficiencies)

Framework overview (1)• Different types of framework:

– Institutional level– Community level– Personal level

• EU4ALL: considers how technology can support these different levels

Framework overview (2)

Student Interface(VLE)

EU4ALL Framework

Staff Interface(Intranet)

CP

UM DMMR

ESSRS

Framework overview (3)

Abstract eService workflow

Process state

Task Task Task Task

Task

Stories and servicesStudying at the Open University

Stories and servicesAsking questions about courses

Stories and servicesUsing course resources

Stories and servicesAssessment: selection of assistive technologies

Stories and servicesEffectiveness of the assessment

Stories and servicesCreating learning materials

Stories and servicesOrdering alternatives

Stories and servicesActors

Further work• Building of prototypes• Connect different components together• Identify barriers to implementation• Continue to consider learning technology standards• Approach to support the creation of alternative materials• Evaluation

Summary• An open, standard-based architecture of services• A conceptual and a technical framework• Emphasises the need to consider different materials • Contributes to e-learning body of knowledge• Contributes to learning technology standards• Contributes to policy development (internally and externally)

The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology

Acknowledgements

http://www.eu4all-project.euIST-2006-034778

The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology

Outline• Project overview• Areas of investigation• Framework overview• Stories and services• Further work• Summary