Week 7 Activity 3.2 - Benevolent Bill Part 2

I have just been trying out some of the activities from the TechDis presentation 'Impact of Assistive Technologies on the User'.

Using Microsoft's Built-In Assistive Technologies - The Magnifier

The magnifier splits the monitor into two sections. You move your curer over the original application window and it is displayed in the magnification window according to your magnification settings. I have never used before so I was keen to give the activities from the presentation a try.

The first was a seamingly simple reading exercise. Click on a link to open a word document and read it using the magnifier. How hard can that be? Well the first problem that I encountered was that when I clicked on the link to open the readin exercise a "Do you want to open or save this file?" dialogue box popped up outside the area I was magnifying so it looked like nothing had happened. Once I figured that out however, I was getting along perfectly fine with the reading ... until i had to scroll down the page. I moved the magnifier over to the right hand scroll bar and scrolled down a little, but because the magnifier was now focussed on the scrollbar and not the text i couldn't see how far I had scrolled and lost my place. I had to go back to the beginning and start again using the keyboard to scroll instead.

The second exercise was a drag and drop. The first problem I had with this was the format ... Microsoft word isn't exactly the ideal medium for a drag and drop activity. when you click to drag a label it dissapears (apart from an outline) and where I thought I was dragging one label I was actually dragging another and ended up putting it in the wrong box. I also had problems with scrolling again because the drag and drop activity was put together with drawing objects so I couldn't just use the up and down arrows to navigate (although now I think about it I might have been able to use 'page down'?)

Using Microsoft's Built-In Assistive Technologies - The Narrator

Narrator is Microsoft's built in screen reader for the XP operating system. When using this the first thing that I noticed was that I had made tabbing through the controls with the keyboard very difficult for myself by having lots of icons enabled at the top of my browser. When I finally reached the website I didn't realise I had got to them menu because the links were graphics with no alternative (alt) text.

I have to say, navigating this website using the screen reader was impossible for me ... even when cheated and I switched the monitor back on!!! I found it difficult to understand the computer generated voice, I couldn't not figure out how to get Narrator to read any page content apart from the links and I if I tabbed past the link I wanted I couldn't get it to go backwards. This page was completely inaccessible, very frustrating and the Narrator got pretty annoying after a while.

Week 7 Activity 3.1 - Benevolent Bill Part 1

I am currently running a linux OS with Open Office, however I read the presentation about microsoft accessibility features with interest. In a comparison of MS Word with Open Office Writer it would seem that Microsoft have some more advanced accessibility features than Open Office, which I suppose is understandable given the resource available to Microsoft and their closed working practices.

Open Office programes are completely operable using keyboard shortcuts, and these are quite straight forward to operate. I don't think it would take long to get become accustomed to this way of working. The interface of their programmes is also customisable so users can change default font size and colours, background colours, icon size and layout, mouse pointer properties etc.

I needed to consult the Open Office help guides in order to find out how to access various accessibility feature and I needed to do this using traditional methods i.e. using a mouse. A disabled person may require some assistance on first use to find out the accessibility features.

Introduction to Block Two : One Step Behind

I am just about to begin working on block two. Admittedly this is happening slightly belatedly, particularly as I was planning to work ever so slightly ahead of schedule for the beginning of this block. Unfortunately I was struck down with a very yukky flu bug during week 7 and was completely unable to look at a computer screen for more than five seconds at a time and then I was away on a week's annual leave so as everyone else starts week 9 I'm only just getting started. I am confident about my ability to catch up however, especially as I have been given a confidence boost after receiving my TMA grade which I was rather pleased with. (Although I was unable to unzip my feedback using my laptop. I have an asus eeepc with a linux operating system and the download from the etma system is a windows executable. I had to go and wait ten years for my desktop computer to load up vista before I could get at it!!!)

Looking at the introduction to the block on the course website it claims to be more practical than Block 1 which I am pleased about. I hope that means a little less reading and a bit more doing! I suppose there's only one way to find out ... so I had better get on with it!

Block One Complete

Hoorah! I've just sent in TMA01. I had a horrendous job keeping to the word count ... so much I wanted to say and so little space to say it. I had the arduous task of cutting 510 (!) words out of my first draft but I got there in the end, and I think I covered all the points I was supposed to. Hopefully :)

I'm going to have a rest from study now until after the weekend (I may even attempt some DIY on Sunday) and then begin block 2 in ernest. I have a week's annual leave coming up at the end of October so I want to try and get a little ahead of myself before then so I don't have too much catching up to do afterwards.

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.

Accessability history (Week 4 - Activity 3.1)

Make notes in your blog about the circumstances that lead to the successful implementation of assistive technology.

After reading the week 4 resources a couple of things stuck out as being particularly significant to successful implementation of assistive technology.

1. Finance. Assistive technologies very often require significant additional investment, either on the part of the institution or the individual learner (Worcerster College for the Blind had ongoing financial difficulties throughout it's history, Léonie mentioned the cost of Screen Reader technology)
2. Customisation/Adaptation. Disabled students may adapt thier computer, use additional hardware and even change thier desk to make using technology easier. Customisation options within software are also beneficial, for example allowing the user to change colours, sizes and layouts of software.
3. Assumption. Don't make assumptions about what a disabled person may or may not be able to do. Each individual will have different needs, which we've mentioned briefly in previous weeks, so consultation is key.

Student Strategies (Week 4 - Activity 1.1)

Time Pressures

• Having to double check arrangements
• Researching available assistive technologies
• Planning accessible routes around campus
• Finding alternative temporary support while waiting for long term solutions to be arranged
• Waiting for course materials in alternative formats

Flexibility

• Alternative assessment arrangements (extra time, separate rooms, breaks etc.)
• Alternative emergency procedures (vibrate/flashing light alarms, assembly points)
• Working from home rather than on campus

Family Support

• Getting used to independant living
• Being able to make contact with friends and family (phone lines, internet connection)
• Proof reading / reading aloud

Experiences Common to All Students


I identified the following experiences that would be common to many students starting higher education. Depending on the individual these experiences may be more pronounced for disabled students.

• Feeling nervous, venerable and homesick.
• Tiredness and lack of sleep / trouble sleeping in new surroundings.
• Culture Shock.
• Meeting and dealing with new people.
• Feeling confused about what they should be doing, where they should be and what is expected of them.
• Becoming independent.

Unresolved Challenges

• Delays in allocation of Disabled Student Allowance (DSA), or delays in the delivery of DSA funded equipment.
• Mobility issues that cannot be resolved due to listed buildings etc.

Good Practice

• Institutions making anticipatory decisions when producing materials
• Institutions making arrangements in advance of the arrival of disabled students
• Institutions accommodating alternative learning methods/activities

Other Issues

• Choosing accessible courses/modules
• Ensuring access to suitable local healthcare for medical treatment