AT/IT & Distance Learning ADA Symposium 2002 May 8, 2002 David Klein & David Dawson Law, Health Policy & Disability Center.

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.”