E-learning Toolkit Activity: Accessibility
E- learning Toolkit – Accessibility
Instructions:
Take a look at your LMS (Vista or Moodle) site, including images, multimedia, links, tables and frame. Check the “Quick Tips” on WAI and check your work at Markup Validation Service. See updated Web Accessibility Quick Tips based on WCAG 2 at a glance. What did you find? How accessible is your site? What sorts of things might you need to do to ensure it is accessible to all of your students?
Reflection:
This toolkit activity has been very eye opening. I took a look at my moodle site and used the Web Accessibility Quick Tips to reflect on the overall accessibility of my site.
Here is a summary of the points that I took into consideration:
1. Images & animations:
I used the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual.
2. Multimedia:
This is an area where I could improve. The checklist recommends providing captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video. The next time I embed a video, I would also include a written text of the audio and a short description of the video. That being said, I was able to include audio files using Audacity to support students with the reading components of the course. For more information about multimedia used in my course site, please visit my Multimedia Inventory.
3. Hypertext links:
Throughout my course, I endeavored to use text that makes sense when read out of context. I avoided “click here” and generally used text that described the activity. For example, on my splash page, instead of saying “astronaut”, I say “Start Here”.
4. Page organization:
I have used headings, lists, and consistent structure. My course is organized around three (3) modules, A, B and C.
5. Check your work:
I validated my site at the Markup Validation Service and it found 4 errors. All 4 of them were a XML Parsing Error where I had an opening and ending tag mismatch. The report tells you where the error has occurred; however, I am not sure how to find the specific lines and columns. More learning is required in this area!
Overall, because my site is to be used with teacher support and the SMART Board, I believe that my site is accessible. At my school, we are very focused on Universal Design for Learning; therefore accessibility and differentiation are forefront in my mind when planning lessons to meet learning outcomes.