General Goal
Web Accessibility becomes one of requirements in education, government, health care, recreation and employment. It is important to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. This curriculum web will be planned to use for training online faculty at Portland Community College (PCC). This curriculum web will focus on the PCC Accessibility guidelines for online course content, accessibility checker tools, a variety of online instructional materials, and demonstration of how blind students access web content. Leaners can attend this curriculum web anytime at their convenience. The goals for this course are to teach faculty to make their online course accessible.
Back to top
Description of learners
Making online courses accessible is one of the requirements for online faculty at PCC. Each institution has different standards and utilizes varied systems. The activities and subject matter in this curriculum web are primary designed for PCC online faculty who are new to web accessibility. The learners’ age is between 35-65, males and females. Some of them teach online courses for a period of time, but their course may not pass an accessibility review. Based on the Quality Matters Rubric that PCC uses as measurement for accessibility, every new course must pass the accessibility evaluation. For the course that is not passed, the instructor will need to fix and change their content materials to be able to use for teaching. This curriculum web will be helpful for them as a resource to improve and solve their accessibility issue.
Back to top
Subject Matter
Web Accessibility is a subject that can be confusing because it is hard to imagine how people with disabilities navigate through the web content. This curriculum web organizes the training subjects based on problem-centered. The subject matter will root from the accessibility issues that faculties encounter during the accessibility course reviews. Faculties have to fix their course materials and get approval before using for their class. The learning activities will cover the topics of how to run the accessibility check and make content in MS Word, PowerPoint, PDF, and HTML web pages accessible based on the PCC Accessibility Guidelines for web content.
Back to top
Learning Objectives
At the end of the class, learners will be expected to accomplish the following learning outcomes.
- Recognize the PCC Web Accessibility Guidelines.
- Demonstrate the accessibility checkers in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and web contents.
- Identifies course contents that are not accessible based on the PCC Web Accessibility Guidelines.
- Associate and apply PCC Web Accessibility Guidelines to different types of online course content.
- Create course content from scratch using a variety of applications (i.e. MS Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and Desire2Learn) and make them accessible, based on the PCC Web Accessibility Guidelines.
- Complete assigned activities to help them understand web accessibility.
- Understand and engage proactive web accessibility solution to online courses
Most of course content will include a variety of course materials. For example, web-based step-by-step instructions, videos that demonstrate how blind students use the screen reader to access web content, and interactive multimedia that assesses learning. After learners complete the course, they will overcome barriers in web accessibility.
Back to top
Prerequisite of Skills
There is no prerequisite for this curriculum web. However, learners are online faculty who should be familiar with the common applications that are used for online platform, such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and Desire2Learn (D2L). It’s not required that faculty need to know HTML since they can use WYSIWYG feature on Desire2Learn to edit web pages and make it accessible. In terms of attitudes, some learners might feel frustrated about web accessibility. For one reason, they may lack of understanding how people with disability use assistive technology access web content. This curriculum web will improve their view, enrich their knowledge and enhance their skills to make online learning accessible.
Back to top
Aim
This curriculum web will teach faculty how to make online course content accessible.
Back to top
Rationale
In average, 12% of students in community colleges have disability. As online instructors at PCC, they are required to make their online courses accessible. It is important and essential for distance learning students. Without accessible content, students with disability will not be able to learn and be successful.
Back to top
Teaching Plan
- Where will I conduct the curriculum web?
The curriculum web will be conducted in classroom. However students will be assigned to study, watch tutorials and complete their learning activities at their own time. - Which students are using the curriculum web?
This curriculum web is designed for training faculty who teach online classes. They are in varying level. Some might not teach online course before and some might teach online courses for many years and familiar with accessibility guidelines but have specific problems that want to explore more from the resources. - How many computers will be used?
There are 24 desktop computers in the classroom. However students are welcome to bring their own laptop. - What is the computer-to-student ratio?
One computer per one student. - Who will test my curriculum web?
One of my colleague and one online faculty. - How will I present the curriculum web to my students?
I will present the curriculum web in a classroom. However I will provide a URL link to students who cannot attend the session so that they can meet in virtual classroom using Blackboard Collaborate and it will be recorded. - How will I prepare my students technologically?
I will send out a reminder email to students who sign up two days before the class starts, inclding a URL link of virtual collaborate room. I will also provide the instructions how to access blackboard collaborate. - What is my back-up plan if I cannot get access to the technology as planned?
The classroom will be recorded using Blackboard Collaborate. Every student will receive the recorded video the next day so they don't miss any information. - Who can I ask for technological assistance?
Students can contact Distance Education Faculty Help Desk for the urgent assistance. - How will I monitor the students as they use the curriculum web?
Students are required to complete assessments. I used Google Forms to create the quizzes and they can be tracked with Flubaroo tool in a spreadsheet format whether they complete them or not. - What is my plan for students who misbehave?
Students who misbehave will be reported to The"Dean"of"Student"Development". - What follow-up activites will the students perfom?
Students will have to complete assignments from the first lesson before proceeding to the next level. At the end, they are expected to apply what they have learned to their own course. - When/where can I get extended computer access?
Students can use computer in the Faculty Production Lab where locates in the library. It opens from Mondays to Fridays from 7am to 10pm. - What are some back-up sites the students can visit, if necessary?
Students can go to PCC Web Accessibility website for back-up site. It combines multiple resources from different accessibility sites that they can explore in depth. - How will assess student progress?
Each lesson contains activity section that student will be assessed and complete progress based on the provided rubrics. - How will I allow for feedback?
Students will be asked to give feedback by taking a survey, located in the Web Resources page. - Strength and weakness for how each element will affect the use of your curriculum web
Element Strength Weakness People People will engage in learning because accessibility is important. It is required by the instituition and it's ADA compliance. Students have strong purposes and reasons to attend the class so that they can apply what they have learned to their own course. The differences of students' level affect teaching. Classrooms The classroom size and layout are large enough to fit 30 students at maximum. It includes a projector and podium with computer for teacher, electric power, internet network, a laser jet printer, computers, connectivity, and furnitures. All the provided facilities will support effective learning. Students who attend the classroom will need code to enter the door. It might be difficult for students who need special needs, such as students on a wheelchair. Computers There are 24 computers in the classroom with internet access and updated current software applications. Students can bring their own laptop and access the fast internet via Wi-Fi network using college email access. These facilities affect the uses of curriculum web in an effective way. Students can search and navigate the curriculum web individually or teacher can share it as a whole class using projector. Students who bring their own laptop might have to squeeze the space with other students. There is no empty space for personal laptop and it could affect the use of curriculum web. Connectivity Students can access Wi-Fi network although they use their personal laptop. The curriculum web is published on the college's server so it won't be any issue either students access the curriculum web from inside or outside the classroom. When students complete assignments, they can submit to teacher via email and store the files on Google Drive. The compacity is up to 30 GB. All of assignments are isubmitted n document format. There are a numbers of video tutorials that are used in the curriculum web. It may take some times for Student to wait until the video is full loaded. Software Most of the software applications that require for the class are common, such as MS Offices, Desire2Learn, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and Adobe Dreamweaver. They are available in all computers in the classroom and computer lab. Some lessons are required specific applications. Students won't be able to download because the computers in the classroom are not allowed to install software. The solution is to have Technical support team installs the software before the class begins. - The best ways to group your students in terms of number of computers, ranges of students' technology skills, etc.
Students who attend classroom will be grouped based on how much experience they have about accessibility. Is it the first time that they attend this training? They are required to familiar with the common software applicaions like Microsoft Offices, Desire2Learn, and Adobe Acrobat Pro. When lecture, teacher will use the projector to present the curriculum web to the whole class. This will allow students to follow the lessons at their own pace since everyone has their own computer.