Including accessibility within and beyond undergraduate computing courses
Download as PPTX, PDF0 likes154 views
This document summarizes an approach to integrating accessibility topics throughout an undergraduate computing curriculum. It discusses how accessibility is taught as an integral part of design rather than a separate topic. It also describes how expertise in accessible design has been applied beyond students to web authors across the university through workshops and resources. The goal is to view user diversity as the norm and consider it in all coursework.
![Measuring Impact
Evaluation of the impact of the Service on accessibility awareness
of staff and accessibility levels of University Web content is a
significant task, and one that is ongoing, partly as a requirement of
the Disability Equality Duty (DDA 2005, [8]). Limitations in funding
and personnel mean the Service is unable to provide the all-
encompassing institutional accessibility monitoring framework as
described by WebAIM [41], while encouraging people to make
accessibility enhancements to specific Web content is always an
ongoing task. However, the adoption of a Web accessibility policy
by senior management, and the increasingly prominent role of the
Service in advising on central IT projects that have a significant role
in Web publishing quality are two indicators that the Service is
helping to ensure accessibility is a key consideration in the
University's Web publishing strategy.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/includingaccessibilitywithinandbeyondundergraduatecomputingcourses-111216231207-phpapp02/85/Including-accessibility-within-and-beyond-undergraduate-computing-courses-9-320.jpg)
Including accessibility within and beyond undergraduate computing courses
- 1. INCLUDING ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN AND BEYOND UNDERGRADUATE COMPUTING COURSES 9978607 劉志銘
- 2. ABSTRACT This paper presents a unique approach to undergraduate teaching in which accessibility topics are completely integrated throughout the curriculum, treating accessibility not as a separate topic, but rather as an integral part of design and development. Means of accomplishing this integration throughout the entire four-year curriculum are presented. We also describe how our expertise in accessible design has extended beyond the education of computer science and engineering students to include Web content authors across campus.
- 3. AN INCLUSIVE PROGRAMME Encouraging students to grasp the philosophy of accessible design through following the principles of user sensitive inclusive design, pioneered within the school – the needs of older and disabled people are integral to any consideration of usability without necessarily compromising on functionality or creativity; Embedding practical usability and accessibility material in modules such as Web design and internet programming, taking a pragmatic approach to accessibility rather than simply referring to guidelines or pseudo-‘standards’;
- 4. AN INCLUSIVE PROGRAMME Adopting a research-led teaching approach in which state-of-the-art research in assistive and accessible technology are used as exemplars; Providing lectures by experts with real-world experience in accessible design throughout the degree program. Expecting that students will view user diversity as the norm as opposed to a special case, e.g., regular coursework is marked down if user diversity is not considered.
- 5. Summary of Undergraduate Curriculum and accessibility instruction
- 6. Raising Awareness and Skill Levels Advice to the University’s central Web team Web Accessibility Training Workshops Development of an online accessibility resource One-to-one accessibility support: Meetings and events
- 7. Summary of Undergraduate Curriculum and accessibility instruction
- 8. CONCLUSIONS By taking advantage of the research expertise within the School of Computing, the School faculty teaches accessibility throughout the undergraduate degree programme in a holistic way. Through initiatives such as the Web Accessibility Service, the School aims to be active in sharing and promoting best practice in accessible and inclusive technology design and use across campus, supporting the University in creation an optimally accessible learning and working environment.
- 9. Measuring Impact Evaluation of the impact of the Service on accessibility awareness of staff and accessibility levels of University Web content is a significant task, and one that is ongoing, partly as a requirement of the Disability Equality Duty (DDA 2005, [8]). Limitations in funding and personnel mean the Service is unable to provide the all- encompassing institutional accessibility monitoring framework as described by WebAIM [41], while encouraging people to make accessibility enhancements to specific Web content is always an ongoing task. However, the adoption of a Web accessibility policy by senior management, and the increasingly prominent role of the Service in advising on central IT projects that have a significant role in Web publishing quality are two indicators that the Service is helping to ensure accessibility is a key consideration in the University's Web publishing strategy.
- 10. REFERENCE Assets '09: Proceedings of the 11th international ACM SIGACCESS conference on Computers and accessibility http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/staff/vlh/U ndergraduateComputing.pdf