Learning Outcomes in your Context (Week 5 - Activity 1.1)

What are the issues in achieving learning objectives in your context?

I need to make sure the online materials I produce are accessible, written using compliant code and following best practices, with multimedia in accessible formats (or with alternative formats available). Michaels case study highlighted the benefits of having all materials available digitally and how this very much helps with his visual impariment. A lot of my work is linked with getting information online and so fits in with that practice.

Are there fundamental challenges for students with particular impairments in the subject that you teach?

I don't teach a particular subject, I support teaching staff who teach pretty much every subject! The challanges thier disabled students are likely to encounter with the multimedia learning materials I produce are ones that are linked to computer/multimedia use in general.

What would you need to consider if you were designing a module in art history that includes the ability to analyse visual primary sources as a core competence?

Analysing visual primary sources as part of an art history module is likely to provide challenges for visually impaired students. However, Michael's case study highlighted the fact that this would need to be assessed on an individual student basis. Although Michael was blind, he had been able to see until he was in his twenties and also had prior knowledge of some art work that had been described to him by his academic tutor. Verbal descriptions of visual sources might help visually impaired students with this core competence, as might the opporunity to discuss the source with a support worker and ask questions about the resource they were required to analyse.