IMS has released a public draft of the Accessibility for Meta-Data specification, step two of addressing accessibility issues for learners (Step one being the Accessibility for Learner Information Profile (ACCLIP).
Wilbert Kraan of CETIS provides a thoughtful analysis of this spec, in CETIS-Matching content to learners. He outlines the positive aspects of the spec, as well as pointing out some perhaps “un-intended” applications…
All and all — an exciting thing, I think, and we’ll need to start looking into this right away…. a key focus for us (Office of Learning Technology) this year is to raise the profile of accessibility — I can’t wait to talk with my colleagues about the possibilities that open up with these two specs.
Underlying it all is the simple fact that accessibility principles are not about fixing problems, they are about opening up new pathways… these two specs certainly provide a strong foundation. Personalizing the learning environment, making it your own — it’s all about owning the process – -which I think is the key to learning.