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AT/IT & Distance Learning
ADA Symposium 2002
May 8, 2002
David Klein & David Dawson
Law, Health Policy & Disability Center
OverviewDistance learning concepts and principlesWeb-based distance learningDesign of distance learningEmployment Services Training projectOur findings
Design of Web-based distance learning Designing for people with disabilities
Definition of distance learningStudents separated from instructor by
distanceTechnology used to bridge the gap
Principles of Learning Learning is an active process
Student has to DO something
Learning takes effort More effort makes better learning
Learning comes about by interaction with a community or environment Learning requires external guidance Remember that the focus is people, not technology
Distance learning vs. standup/classroom learningSimilarities
Learning can be active Learning takes effort Students interact with an environment that
includes a knowledge community
Distance learning vs. standup/classroom learningDifferences
Asynchronous learning common Students and instructor are not working at the same
time Technologies Examples
Independent/guided study E-mail Bulletin boards
Distance learning MediaPaperAudio/VideotapeCD-ROMWebBroadcast/Fiber optic television (ICN)Electronic media are potentially the most
accessible
Distance learning for people with disabilitiesTechnology can be a mitigating factor to
reduce dependence on one sensory modality (e.g., hearing)
Asynchronous learning can help those who might communicate slowly or with effort
Mobility can be less of an issue
Distance LearningWeb-based distance learningTools for Web-based distance learningThe design of Web-based distance learningEmployment Services Training ProjectES Services – What we learnedDL and people with disabilitiesES Services – Student comments
Types of Web-based distance learning Static Web pages (mostly linear)
Like reading a book Hyperlinked Web pages (nonlinear)
Will students read every page? Activities
How do you provide good feedback? Instructor-led
How does an instructor interact with students? Autonomous
Difficult and expensive to develop
Tools for Web-based distance learning activitiesE-mail!Telephone (that’s right)Bulletin board/ListservChat/Instant messagingCalendarWhiteboardAudio/Video (live or archived)
Accommodations tools for distance learning – Software Screen readers
JAWS Windows Eyes outSPOKEN
Talking Web browsers Home Page Reader WeMedia Browser
Voice recognition Dragon Naturally Speaking (Dragon Dictate) ViaVoice
Accommodations tools for distance learning – System Tools Windows: Control Panel->Accessories->
Accessibility Macintosh: Control Panels (Mouse, Monitors) Keyboard shortcuts
Microsoft:http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard/keyboardsearch.asp
Netscape:http://www.netscape.com/browsers/using/ieusers/browsing/shortcuts.html
StickyKeys BounceKeys SlowKeys
Accommodations tools for distance learning – System ToolsMouse
Slow mouse movement Double-click speed or single click Change the size of mouse arrow/animations
Monitor screen Screen density Colors – black & white, high contrast
Magnifier
Accommodations tools for distance learning – DevicesTrackballErgonomic keyboardBraille reader
Instructional design for distance learningDesignDevelopEvaluateDeploy
Design
Develop
Evaluate
Deploy
Why design? Start with effective instruction Lack of immediate access to a live instructor, so
problems can escalate quickly Can get the delivery system out of the way and put
the content to the front Can address the widest audience under the widest
conditions (human factors) Not a guarantee for success, but increases the
chances for it
Instructional design – DesignNeeds analysisAudience/Resources analysisContent analysisTask analysisResults – parameters defined
Instructional Design
Instructional design – Development Write content Produce text materials (Web pages) Develop dynamic components
Quizzes Evaluations Hypertext links Interface
Produce graphics and other multimedia components Integrate Develop instructor tools
Instructional Design
Instructional design – Evaluation Formative evaluations
Evaluate analyses in design phase Evaluate content – subject matter experts Evaluate interactive/dynamic components – instructional
designers Evaluate interface elements – designers Evaluate for accessibility – people with disabilities Evaluate the integrated instruction – instructors, students
Pilot Summative evaluation
Instructional Design
Instructional design – Evaluation for people with disabilitiesText-based browser (Lynx)Turn off frames, images, stylesheets,
soundsUse keyboard onlyUse accommodations tools Include people with disabilities in
evaluations
Instructional design – Deployment Pilot Develop student packet
Login and site use instructions Minimum requirements (hardware, software) Contact information Calendar E-mail, paper, CD
First course Modifications
Instructional Design
Employment Services Training Project (Region VII CRP-RCEP)DemoDesignDevelopment decisionsFeaturesWhat we learned
ES Training – Demo Can view demo http://www.its.uiowa.edu/law/crprcep7/es/ Click on “Already have a password” Type “User” Password “Demo” Click on the Help link in the sidebar (on the left)
and click on Course Tour for details about how students interact with the Web-based instruction
ES Training
ES Training – DesignNeeds
Covers a 4-state region, in place of a 2-day standup training in Kansas City
Can be offered more than twice a year Must be accessible
ES Training
ES Training – Design Audience/Resources
Employment counselors and job coaches who work with people with disabilities
High school education High turnover; probably about 9 month average People people (prefer to work with people rather than
technology) Technological resources relatively low; older
computers and slow Internet connections (phone lines) Usually training during work hours
ES Training
ES Training – DesignContent
Basic skills for employment counseling Basic concepts, such as values and person-
centered language Getting to know the customer, how to support
the customer Problem-solving Customer satisfaction
ES Training
ES Training – DesignTasks
Periodic assessments (quizzes) and course evaluations
Writing projects that help trainees organize and document their work activities
ES Training
ES Training – Development DecisionsWeb-based training
Saves traveling Allows for interactive instructor-student
feedback with writing projects as well as immediate, computer feedback on quizzes
Quick turnaround possible on feedback Can be instructor led (good for interpersonal
contact)
ES Training
ES Training – Development Decisions Active Server Pages with database - Pros
Student work saved online Don’t have to print work Can work from any computer with Web access Students can return to any page and view their last save (like a word
processor) Students can log on
Work privately Keeps track of student work Provides instructors with student usage information
Communication can be immediate Very flexible Very accessible
ES Training
ES Training – Development DecisionsActive Server Pages - Cons
Long development time – includes time for “debugging”
Requires developer with knowledge of ASP (we learned on our own)
Puts a load on the server, which could be an issue for a large class (e.g., hundreds of trainees)
ES Training
ES Training – Features Internal e-mail Internal bulletin board Guided instruction
Students click Next button to move to next page Application keeps track of where students have left off;
students can’t skip pages Instructors can require that students not advance until
they receive feedback on assignments Students can skip back to any previous page at any time
ES Training
ES Training – FeaturesParticipants can post personal information
(e.g., autobiographies, employment details)GlossaryFile Cabinet – resources and references
referred to often during training Instructor tools
ES Training
ES Training – Evaluations What We Learned Important to start with good instruction
Our writers were good trainers with a lot of experience and the high quality of the content is reflected in the evaluations
E-mail is vital, both internal and external We require that students have e-mail before signing up
Bulletin board hasn’t been well used Tends to be time-consuming for the instructors
ES Training – Evaluations What We Learned Carefully crafted information that students receive
prior to training is essential A calendar with due dates for assignments Times when instructor will provide feedback Detailed instructions on how access the site, log in, and
how to troubleshoot should be provided in multiple formats (e.g., paper, e-mail, online)
Training should be done on how to use the site before students start content (make it required)
ES Training – Evaluations What We Learned Instructors
Need training; mentoring with experienced instructor works best
Using the interface Responding to student needs Content
Technical proficiency, such as knowing how to get on the Internet from a hotel room or knowing how to use e-mail
Instructor tools need to have a lot of options but also be speedy (repeated complaint)
ES Training – Evaluations What We Learned Students wanted feedback from instructors
immediately Most students would prefer standup training, but
online was an acceptable alternative Testing for accessibility should be done with
accommodations tools; piloting should include people with disabilities
Trainees with disabilities really like it
ES Training – ResultsNumber of students registered so far: 114Number completed: 88Percentage completed: 77%Target percentage completed: 60%
ES Training – Exit Survey Questions I have learned something new about being
an Employment Specialist in this training. – 100% strongly agree or agree
This training was satisfying. – 100% strongly agree or agree
I would take another distance learning course like this one if it were offered. – 81% agree or strongly agree, 19% not sure
ES Training – Types of Attrition Students don’t complete course and no
notice to instructorStudents leaving employment or getting
transferred/promotedSome supervisors take the course to view
the content and then stop when satisfied
Distance Learning that Includes People with Disabilities Know Web accessibility guidelines
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines: www.w3.org/WAI/
Bobby: www.cast.org/bobby/ Use technologies in electronic text format
HTML and text (.txt) files Minimize multimedia Have a text alternative planned and available for
multimedia technologies Provide a fallback procedure when technology doesn’t
work
Distance Learning that Includes People with Disabilities Think simplicity
Navigation Provide guidance
If instruction is designed for student exploration, consider allowing students to take a guided path
Make directions clear and brief Reduce decision making and student options when it
isn’t called for in the content Minimize number of fonts, font sizes, colors, and focal
points on a page Use plain language
Distance Learning that Includes People with DisabilitiesSelective redundancy
Navigation should be consistent Page layout should be the same or similar from
one page to the next Similar tasks should use similar procedures,
when possible
Playoff between making the instruction “smart” versus speed and development time
Distance Learning that Includes People with DisabilitiesProvide opportunity for communication
(student-student-instructor) E-mail Bulletin boards
Yet avoid distractions Links to offsite Web pages Bulletin board “emoticons” :-)
Distance Learning that Includes People with Disabilities If possible, select students
Self-starters Motivated learners Independent workers
Instructors need as much design and development consideration as students
ES Training – Sample student comments Student exit comments are overall positive. Most praise the instructors for the quality of the
content and the feedback they provided. Some note that they’d prefer standup training but
that this was a good alternative. Negative comments tend to focus on specifics
such as how a button works or to avoid scheduling the course with a timeout for a conference in the middle.
ES Training – Sample student comments“From my perspective as a person with
severe hearing impairment. This training has been affective for me, because I'm able to participate more. I learn more by using technology as a delivery system, and would be interested in learning more about your on line accredited courses.”
ES Training – Sample student comments “Although this training was beneficial and I feel I
have learned something, I think I would have gained more from interacting with others and hearing about their experiences. The computer just doesn't capture that.”
“I spent more than the three to four hours per week working on lessons and not because I had trouble managing my own time, feedback was not happening quick enough for me.”
ES Training – Sample student comments “[T]his is the first on-line course I've taken. I
loved it because it was well designed for on-line presentation and because it felt like a good use of the time and money provided by my employer. The only down side of the class I can think of is that we as classmates don't really get well acquainted.”
“Once I started this class it was hard for me to stop.”