Videos in higher education, accessible to everyone?

1. Videos in higher education, accessible to everyone? Nanne Roos Vonk 14-06-2018

2. Outline of presentation • Role of handicap + studie centre of expertise • Reasons for accessibility • Perspectives on current and future legislation • Opportunities of upcoming legislation • Current situation • Moving forward • Conclusions • Questions and discussion

3. handicap + studie • What we do • Our role in digital accessibility • 10% of students encounter obstacles • Who depends on digital accessibility

4. Reasons for accessibility • Lifelong learning, flexible education, personalised learning • Verify whether each component is usable by all • Ambition: no person left behind • If educational institutions fail to take action, society or government will • New legislation as a helping hand

5. Legislation • Current legislation follows 'comply or explain' approach • New legislation derives from: - UN Declaration of Human Rights - European Directive on the accessibility of the websites of public and semi-public sector bodies • Dutch legislation (no later than 23 September 2018): Digital Government Act (Wet digitale overheid)

6. Invalid reasons for website inaccessibility • Lack of funds or disproportionate costs • Technical incapacity • Lack of knowledge among suppliers or organisation • Organisational incapacity or lack of support • Complex content • Outdated technology • Old content

7. Legislation on audio and video (1) • Legal definition of audiovisual materials: - Sound (without image) - Moving image (without sound) - Film (combination of sound and image) • Until 23 September 2020  audiovisual materials must comply with accessibility requirements • Exception: temporary non-compliance included in accessibility statement • Further exception: live broadcast of audio or video

8. Legislation on audio and video (2) • After 23 September 2020  audiovisual materials must comply with accessibility requirements • No exceptions apart from live broadcast • Live broadcasts remaining online must also be made accessible • Rapid technological development  automatic subtitling

9. Legislation on audio and video (3)

10. Opportunities • Starting in time prevents complications • Enabling full participation of a wider audience • Improving search engine optimality • Accommodating visually and textually minded

11. Current situation • More policy plans on studying with disabilities include digital accessibility • Access to websites and student information systems remains poor • More lectures available to view or review online

12. Moving forward (1) • Paying as much attention as possible to the  Equal Treatment Act (Wet gelijke behandeling) • Prioritising individual adjustments over inclusive design • Accommodating as many people as currently possible • Much cheaper than individual adjustments retroactively • Only by request of educational institutions themselves

13. Moving forward (2) • New Act also includes reasonableness • Opinion of handicap + studie and drempelvrij: • Feasible  no disproportionate burden • Ensure accessibility, even if only 1 student requires it • Monitor your students' profile • Video materials in restricted environment  video materials retrievable for all

14. Moving forward (3) • Message is what counts, not design or details • Excessive visual information • Message is usually apparent • Script for an animation short • Idea in the mind of a lecturer

15. Automatic description of pictures • Two people laughing outside

16. Conclusions • September 2018: entry into force of new legislation! • Avoidance of American model: no going back to square one • Message must be made accessible. Design and details are secondary

17. More information • http://www.handicap-studie.nl/home.aspx • https://www.accessibility.nl/ • https://www.digitoegankelijk.nl/ • http://www.drempelvrij.nl/

18. Thank you for your attention! • Questions? • Nanne.Vonk@handicap-studie.nl