Accessibility of teaching-learning: handbook and

workshop for academic staff Ariella Hellwing

Yael RoitmanSusie Russak

Support Center for Students with Special NeedsBeit Berl Academic College, Israel

Introduction

General thoughts that we hear around campus• Theory versus performance.• physical accessibility.• Budget issue.• Time investment.• Legislation.

Introduction

Our working assumptions• Circle of Life• Implementation process• Awareness• Proper planning

Introduction

The structure of our talk

ImplementationWorkshopWorkbook

Introduction

Workbook

Workbook

Presentation of the workbook

Why a workbook was needed

Table of contents

The model

Workbook

The rationale for writing the workbook• Responsibility of the institution to be accessible• Co-operation with the Instructional Development Center• Broad response to different learners including people with disabilities• Workbook model based on modules of instruction and not on

disabilities • Presentation of the self assessment tools to professors for their

immediate use based on the Spooner model (2007)

Workbook

principles that guided the writing process

Co-operative writing•With professionals from the field• With students

Implementation goals as integral part of

writing process

Accessibility of the workbook

•Auditory •visual

Workbook

Table of contents:instruction-learning workbook

Workbook

Legislation

Accessibility

Universal design

Challenges in accessibility

Dilemmas through case studies

College policies and the support center

A model for accessibility of instruction and learning – central principlesRecommendations based on instructional modules

Challenges in accessibility that are addressed in the workbook

Workbook

Academic freedom

Academic standards

Affirmative action

Academic codes and norms

Differences between students

score

Objective2 points 1 point 0 pointsDiscusses three or more modifications of materials to provide equal access to all students; gives clear and precise explanations

Discusses one or two modifications of materials to provide equal access, but needs to be explained more in depth

No clear description of modifying materials to provide equal access to all students

Representation

Discusses two or more alternative communication method; gives clear and precise explanations

Discusses at least one alternative communication method, but needs to be explained more in depth

No clear description of providing alternative communication methods

Expression

Discusses three or more strategies to involve students with disabilities; gives clear and precise explanations

Discusses one or two strategies to involve students with disabilities, but needs to be explained more in depth

No clear description of strategies to involve or engage students with disabilities

Engagement

Workbook

Accessibility of instruction – the model and assessment table (Spooner et al, 2007)

Workbook

Instructional modules and recommendations for making them accessible

Engagement Expression Representation Learning modules

Ask guiding questions during the lesson

Publish syllabus with course expectations and procedures

Add an oral explanation to visual materials

Frontal lectures

Supervise level of participation Plan intermediary tasks Ensure the quality of scanned materials

On-line learning

Check that everyone can hear and see each other

Ensure immediate feedback Provide summaries of meetings workshops

Familiarize your self with the individual profiles of each student

practical experience

Ensure that all students present their work in class

Publish the assessment rubrics for the final paper

Review rules for academic writing seminars

Plan time for breaks during the visit Allow choices among the sites Verify the location of the visit and ensure it is accessible

On-site visits

Allow students to work in pairs Publish in advance the schedule for the laboratory

Organize all equipment beforehand laboratory

Workshop

Workshop

Workshop W

orkshopPrinciples of building the workshop

Structure of the workshop

Survey

Practical experience

Case studies and the model - expansion

Teaching staff responses to the workshop

Workshop

Principles for building the workshop• Not talking about it but doing it• use of the principles of the model in building it

• Emphasis on components of participation • stimulate dialogue • discussion • relevance • practical experience

• Components of interaction during workshop • writing, discussion, sms messaging

Workshop

Structure of the workshop

Opening question

clarification regarding positions and agreements regarding accessibility

Experiencing

what it is like to be a student with disabilities

Discussion

the importance of accessible instruction

Presentation of the topic accessibility

- definitions- legislation- situation in Israel

Discussion

the dilemmas of accessibility in academia - clashing values

Workshop

Use of surveys through clicker tools

Workshop

Discussion question: What is the importance of accessible learning and teaching

Workshop

Example of a case study • A student with a visual disability requests to be accommodated

during a test by having open materials• Content overload vs. exam purity and uniformity • Recommended solutions:• Help in making the texts accessible, visual organization, transforming to voice

files, enlarged texts • Focusing and targeting on specific course material• Dividing the test materials into two test sections

Workshop

Components of universal design- the model and assessment table

PointsPrinciple

2 points 1 point 0 points

3 or moreExample:

1-2 adaptationsExample:

No adaptationsExample:

Representation

[Adaptation of learning

material]2 or moreExample:

At least 1 alternativeExample:

No preplanning of alternative optionsExample:

Expression

[Expression of

knowledge/learning

throughout course]3 or more methodsExample:

1-2 methodsExample:

No specified methodExample:

Engagement

[Promotion of student

engagement]

Workshop

Components of universal design- Practice through lesson analysis

Representation

ExpressionParticipation

• Choose a course that you teach or plan to teach• Choose three activities that you

use in the course• To which field does each activity

belong?• Check the table to see if these

activities promote accessibility

Implementation

Implem

entation

Implementation process – from the stage of writing the workbook

First draft

Cooperation with different professional and pilot of workshop

Drafting and rewriting the workbook

Distribution of the workbook

Editing and designing the final workbook

Outside consulting, support center staff,

students, administrative staff

Dean of students, lecturers from the special education department, Head of

the department for instructional promotion and director of the library

Implem

entation

Presenting the workbook as an implementation strategy

Outside of the college

•Head of department for the promotion of instruction•Directors of support centers•Cooperation with National Social Services

Inside the college

•The department of the promotion of instruction•Discussion about implementation with 4 school directors•Workshops•Educational committees of each of the 4 schools•Department heads•New lecturers

Support Center

• Study day• Learning

meetings

On-

line

dist

ributi

on

Implem

entation

Challenges of implementation • Recruiting veteran lecturers• Implementation of the process and long term consideration of the

workshop• Maintaining relevance of the topic over time

Implem

entation

Thank you for your attention and participation

Ariella Hellwing .hellwing@bezeqint net Yael Roitman .yooilr@gmail com

Susie Russak . .susie russak@gmail com

Thank you