Tablets in Education – Possibilities and Challenges

1. Tablets in Education – Possibilities and Challenges torbjorn.helland.solhaug@funkanu.se Torbjørn Helland Solhaug Twitter: @solhell

2. Background • Use of tablets increases in primary education • Some schools are funding tablets • Some schools are allowing use of private tablets

3. Objective • Capabilities on different platforms • How tablets are used • Accessibility status on popular app’s for education • Implications for children with disabilities

4. It’s About Children • Not fully developed visual, motoric or cognitive skills

5. Key Features • Multi-touch increases association between user action and tablet reaction

7. Key Features • Multi-touch increases association between user action and tablet reaction • Range of available apps is staggering on all major platforms

8. “Apple recently announced that the App Store application count had grown beyond 700,000 live apps…”

9. Some of the Features Needed • One finger operation • Zoom the entire interface • Screen reader • Adjust on-screen keyboard content • High contrast/invert colors

10. Challenges • Wide range of gestures – hard to remember • Complex gestures – hard to understand and perform • Activating aids changes multi-touch gestures to perform actions – more gestures to remember

11. It’s More Than…

12. Even More Than…

13. Platform Capabilities

14. Evaluated Platforms • iOS • Android • Windows RT

15. Platform Comparison – Screen Reader iOS Good voice quality Desktop-like functionality Alternative No alternative found Windows RT Good voice quality Desktop-like functionality No Norwegian Voice Strange activation Alternative Beta version of NVDA Android Poor voice quality Poor functionality Alternative SVOX with separate Norwegian voice

16. Platform Comparison – Magnification iOS Easy to activate Decent content quality Demanding to operate Alternative No alternative found Windows RT Strange activation Poor content quality Easy to operate Alternative No alternative found Android No preinstalled Alternative No alternative found

18. Platform Comparison – Text Enlargement iOS Good range of enlargements Doesn’t affect everything, even inside the OS Windows RT Small enlargements Affects most elements Android Small enlargements Doesn’t affect everything, even inside the OS

20. Platform Comparison – High Contrast iOS Pure invertion Works everywhere Windows RT Structured color changes Depends on correct setup of elements Android No preinstalled No alternative found

22. Platform Conclusion • Issues with all platforms • Android falls short • iOS and Windows RT neck-and-neck • Select platform based on functionality needed

23. Usage

24. Some of the Possibilities • Alternative pedagogics • Distributing lessons and tasks • Tablets as assistive technology (AT) • Common in special education

25. Subjects • Primarily reading and math • Creative teachers use it for all subjects • Common in special education

26. Tablets as AT • Enlarge textbook content and similar • Watch movie shown on movie screen • Have content read to you • Communicating with images or written text

27. Challenges • Wide range and huge number of apps • Hard to find apps that works for entire class • Limited number of Norwegian apps • Teacher competence • Teacher time and commitment • Learning platforms not compatible with tablets

28. Apps

29. Checklist • From guidelines for accessible mobile interfaces • From Funka’s accessibility audit • 15 checks performed on 13 apps

30. Frequent Issues Instructions are limited or nonexistent Screen reader receives no or limited input Poor contrast Small clickable areas Confusing interfaces

32. Some Quotes “My son practices numbers, communication, language and more. Great tool! “ “Great tool, very motivating“ “Works fast and catches attention “ “My children don’t use tablets due to lack of competence at the school“ “More methods for learning“ “School can’t afford to buy tablets“

33. Conclusion • Beneficial for pupils in general • Great as assistive technology • Requires competence, time and commitment • Pupils with impairments often needs a dedicated tablet

34. References Reports (in Norwegian):https://www.blindeforbundet.no/internett/nyheter/fokus-pa-nettbrett-i-grunnskolen "Tilgjengelige mobilgrensesnitt" et prosjekt gjennomført av Funka Nu AB. 2011www.funkanu.se/no/Funka-tilbyr/Analyser/Gransking-av-mobile-grensesnitt/ "Surfplattor – en utvärdering av teknik og användbarhet" av Usify på oppdrag av PTS. 2011http://libris.kb.se/bib/12427312 "iPad og svaksynte – hvordan bruke iPad i skolen". Heftet er utviklet som et ledd i samarbeidet mellom Tambartun Kompetansesenter og NAV Hjelpemiddelsentral Sør-Trøndelag. 2012www.statped.no/Tema/Syn/Publikasjoner/iPad-og-svaksynte---hvordan-bruke-iPad-i-skolen/ “iPad i skolen“. Blogg av Jan Gamre om bruk av iPad i undervisning. http://jangamre.wordpress.com/ “IKT og skole, prosjekt nettbrett“. Blogg om prosjekt der en hel klasse og deres lærere har blitt utstyrt med hvert sitt nettbretthttp://www.iktogskole.no/?page_id=1609)

35. There is no such thing as an average user