Accessibility for e-learning quality

Article Sidebar

Cover illustration by Valeria Sechi
PDF (Italian)
Published: Dec 31, 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17471/2499-4324/88
Keywords:
Accessibility, E-Learning, Educational Quality, Qualitative Research, Rubric, Higher Education, Educational Technology, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL),

Main Article Content

Patrizia Ghislandi
Dipartimento di Psicologia e Scienze Cognitive Università degli Studi di Trento, Trento
Federica Cumer
Dipartimento di Psicologia e Scienze Cognitive Università degli Studi di Trento, Trento

Abstract

How can we evaluate the quality of academic constructivist e-learning? How can we guarantee its accessibility? These are the research questions addressed in a three-year research project called “Net@ccessible: teaching - learning for one and all in a lifelong plan”. Undertaken within Italy’s FIRB (Fund for Investment in Basic Research) programme, the project involves Trento University and other five Italian universities and institutions. Its mission is to promote learning and socialization among university students with and without disability by way of an e-learning environment. To evaluate the quality of this environment, the Trento research unit has created adASTRA, a set of rubrics for scaffolding the design and delivery of elearning. One of the adASTRA rubrics is dedicated to the accessibility of e-learning environments. In this paper we present a literature review of online accessibility and go on to describe the design of the accessibility rubric and its validation through qualitative research with the Net@ccessible eTutors.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 21 No. 3 (2013): TD60 - General Issue On Educational Technology
Section
Articles - Special Issue

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Attribution 4.0 International License.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access)

References

Battaglia G., Simeoni E., Serpelloni G. (a cura di) (2008). Apprendere e lavorare nell’era digitale - On-line collaborative e-learning per le organizzazioni sanitarie e sociali. Verona, IT: Cierre Grafica. http://issuu.com/dipartimentodipendenzeverona/ docs/e-learning (ultima consultazione 03.05.2012).

Burgstahler S., Corrigan B., McCarter J. (2004). Making distance learning courses accessible to students and instructors with disabilities: A case study. The Internet and Higher Education, 7 (3), pp. 233-246.

Diodati M. (2004). Siti ad elevata accessibilità. http://www.diodati.org/scritti/2004/guida/ (ultima consultazione 03.05.2012).

Ehlers U., Goertz L., Hildebrandt B.M., Pawlowski J.M. (2005). Quality in e-learning: use and dissemination of quality approaches in European elearning. European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), Panorama Series, 116.

Englander M. (2010). L’uso dell’intervista nella ricerca descrittiva fenomenologica nel campo delle scienze umane. Encyclopaideia - Rivista di fenomenologia pedagogia formazione, XIV (27), pp. 33-56.

Fondazione CRUI (2007). Indagine sull’e-learning nelle università italiane. http://old.fondazionecrui.it/HomePage.aspx? ref=694# (ultima consultazione 03.05.12).

Garrison D. R., Anderson T., Archer W. (2000). Critical inquiry in text-based environment: computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2 (2-3), pp. 87-105.

Giorgi A. (2009). The descriptive phenomenological method in psychology: A modified Husserlian approach, Pittsburgh, PA, USA: Duquesne University Press.

Ghislandi P., Pedroni A., Pellegrini A., Franceschini D. (2008). e-learning e qualità. Il giornale dell’elearning, 2 (3). http://www.wbt.it/index.php?pagina=580 (ultima consultazione 03.05.2012).

Ghislandi P., Pedroni A. (2011). Progettare e-learning: le rubric adASTRA per la valutazione di corsi accademici online. Didattica universitaria online: Teorie, esperienze e strumenti. Napoli, IT: Scriptaweb.

Guglielman E. (2010). E-learning e disabilità. Progettare l’accessibilità, promuovere l’inclusione. In Atti del VII Congresso Nazionale SIe-L (Politecnico di Milano, 20-22 ottobre 2010). http://www.scribd.com/doc/48568200/E-learning- e-disabilita-Progettare-l’accessibilita-promuovere- l’inclusione (ultima consultazione 10.07.2012).

IMS Global Learning Consortium Inc. (2002). IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications. Version 1.0 White Paper. http://www.imsglobal.org/accessibility/ (ultima consultazione 03.05.2012).

Karampiperis P., Sampson D. (2004). Supporting accessible hypermedia in web-based educational systems: defining an accessibility application profile for learning resources. New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia, 10 (2), pp. 181-197.

Kim-Rupnow W.S., Dowrick P.W, Burke L.S. (2001). Implications for improving access and outcomes for individuals with disabilities in post-secondary distance education. The American Journal of Distance Education, 15 (1), pp. 25-40.

Kinash S., Crichton S., Kim-Rupnow W.S. (2004). A review of 2000-2003 literature at the intersection of online learning and disability. The American Journal of Distance Education, 18 (1), pp. 5-19.

Lorenzo G., Moore J. (2002). The Sloan Consortium Report to the nation. Five pillars of quality online education. New York, NY: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Mortari L. (2009). Programma di ricerca PRIN 2009. MIUR - Bando 2009 - Modello A.

Parker N.K. (2008). The quality dilemma in online education revisited. In T. Anderson (ed.). The theory and practice of online learning, 2nd edition. Edmonton, Canada: AU Press, Athabasca University. http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/ 99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_ of_Online_Learning.pdf (ultima consultazione 10.07.2012).

Seale J.K. (2006a). E-learning and disability in higher education: accessibility research and practice. London, UK: Routledge.

Seale J.K. (2006b). A contextualized model of accessible e-learning practice in higher education institutions, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 22 (2), pp. 268-288.

Seale J., Cooper M. (2010). E-learning and accessibility: an exploration of the potential role of generic pedagogical tools. Computers & Education, 54 (4), pp. 1107-1116.

Visciola M. (2006). Usabilità dei siti web. Curare l’esperienza d’uso in Internet. Milano, IT: Apogeo.

NORMAZIONE ISO http://www.iso.org

ISO 9241-11 (1998). Ergonomic requirements for visual display terminals.

ISO/IEC 19796-1 (2005). Information technology - Learning, education and training - Quality management, assurance and metrics.

ISO/IEC 24751 (2008). Information technology - Individualized adaptability and accessibility in e-learning, education and training.

LEGISLAZIONE NAZIONALE L. 9 gennaio 2004, n. 4, in materia di “Disposizioni per favorire l’accesso dei soggetti disabili agli strumenti informatici”-

D.M. 8 luglio 2005, n. 61, in materia di “Requisiti tecnici e i diversi livelli per l’accessibilità agli strumenti informatici”-

Circolare del Ministero della Funzione Pubblica 13 marzo 2001, n. 3, in materia di “Linee guida per l’organizzazione, l’usabilità e l’accessibilità dei siti web delle pubbliche amministrazioni”.