The evidence is IN(clusive)

1. The evidence is IN(clusive) Dr Mary Dracup – Inclusive Education Project Dr Carolyn Malkin – Inclusive Education Project Ramon Martinez Mendoza – Diversity and Inclusion Adviser Karen Brassington – Digital Accessibility Project Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

2. Deakin’s Inclusive Education Principles Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

3. Deakin comparative statistics Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

4. Empirical evidence underpinning the Principles Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

5. Principle 2: Provide accessible and usable learning resources and environments All teaching materials, learning activities and learning spaces should be accessible and usable by all students so that no student is disadvantaged. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

6. Evidence for Principle 2 Not offering an accessible environment is costly Not providing accessible content and services can have significant ramifications. As well as generating negative publicity, it can lead to legal action and financial penalties. Another large cost is the rework involved, as it is much more expensive to retrofit accessibility after implementation. For example, in the US in 2017, more than 800 federal lawsuits were filled in response to web inaccessibility. And the number is significantly increasing, with over 1,000 lawsuits already in the first six months of 2018. Numerous cases in the past have included universities – occasionally with unintended consequences. For example, the University of California, Berkeley, removed public access to tens of thousands of video lectures and podcasts in response to a Justice Department order that it make the educational content accessible to people with disabilities. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

7. Evidence for Principle 2 Captions help everyone Numerous studies have shown that captions benefit a wide range of people – those with and without hearing difficulties, viewers from a non English Speaking Background, those who have a learning disability, as well as a wide range of others. For example, an Office of Communications study in the UK found that 7.5 million people had used closed captions. Of that 7.5 million, only 1.5 million were deaf or hard of hearing. This suggests that 80% of viewers used captions for reasons other than hearing loss, and that captions benefit many more people than just those who require them for accessibility. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

8. Principle 7: Assess equitably Inclusive assessment means creating assessment activities that allow all students to show they can meet the necessary standards. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

9. Principle 7: Assess equitably continued Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

10. Evidence for Principle 7 Inclusive assessment: Portfolio instead of Extended Essay The portfolio assessment was designed around criteria based on the learning outcomes of the module, giving students flexibility in how they met those criteria. This provided students with some independence in selecting ways of delivery best suited to demonstrate their strengths and abilities through articles, lab reports and coursework. It provided a student-focused assessment more suited to the increasingly diverse student group (on average 52% mature students and 12% disabled students). Results: Since the introduction of the portfolio, students’ overall marks have improved. Also 80% of students reported that the portfolio had effectively supported their learning on other parts of the course and students felt they had been well supported in developing their portfolios. The portfolio also reduced plagiarism and marking time. Waterfield and West (2006:231) Case Study 3 Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

11. Evidence for Principle 7 Deakin students with disability and Assessment Over 2200 Deakin students have ‘active access plans’. Over 1800 of these feature some type of recommendation for academic adjustments (which are negotiated through Unit Chairs). These adjustments may include (flexibility with timelines, modifications to group work or oral presentations).   How many of these special arrangements might not have been needed if an alternative approach was offered in the first instance? How many students might have benefited or been more engaged, if an inclusive approach was simply there? Source: Deakin Diversity & Inclusion Unit, November 2018 Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

12. Principle 4: Represent diversity in the curriculum Learning resources and activities should reflect the diversity of the wider community. Students of all types need to see themselves mirrored in the curriculum, not be invisible in that which is read, discussed, written about and assessed. Design / choose examples, images, case studies, texts and assessments representing the legitimacy and contributions within the discipline of people with a wide range of cultures, ethnic groups, religions, abilities, geographical locations, genders and sexual orientations. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

13. Principle 4: Represent diversity in the curriculum continued Allow students to contribute readings and topics that reflect their lived experience. Written and spoken language should reflect diversity by using gender-neutral pronouns (‘they’ instead of ‘he’ and ‘she’). Classrooms and discussion forums need to provide safe places for critical discussion of diversity issues that arise in the context. Introduce weekly topics on diversity issues. This needs to be done in a way that avoids overt tokenism or reinforcement of stereotypes. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

14. Evidence for Principle 4 ‘According to a report by the [UK] Equality and Human Rights Commission, a high number [of LGBTQ students] have experienced negative treatment on the basis of their sexual orientation: 49.5% of their survey respondents reported problems with fellow students, 10.4% saw negativity from tutors and lecturers, and a further 10.6% from other staff within their institution … [at Birmingham University] We compared discontinuation (‘drop out’) rates from our heterosexual and LGB students. These showed higher discontinuation rates for LGB (19%) students compared to heterosexual students (11%) across the University. (University of Birmingham 2017, LGBTQ-inclusivity in the higher education curriculum – a best practice guide,  https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/teaching-academy/documents/public/lgbt-best-practice-guide.pdf, p. 8.) Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

15. Evidence for Principle 4 In terms of language, students were quick to observe when lecturers used inclusive language (‘Language used is open/gender neutral. This includes consideration that characters and authors are not always straight. His ‘partner’ rather than ‘girlfriend’) or did not (‘When talking about sexual orientations teachers and students only say gay or lesbian. As a bisexual, this is extremely frustrating but I get tired of having to point it out all the time so often I don’t say anything’).  Staff provided examples of additive approaches (‘If I use an example involving a couple, I will sometimes use names/pronouns indicating that it’s a same-sex couple’) and transformative approaches to language use (‘[I] encourage students never to assume that people are heterosexual and to be aware of sexual and gender diversity; eg, in translation theory classes, I introduce issues of linguistic discrimination and choose examples that raise complex issues of representation.’). University of Birmingham. LGBTIQ+ Inclusivity in the higher education curriculum (2017:17) ‘Representation in Arts, Humanity and Law’  Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

16. More information Visit deakin.is/inclusive (especially: ICCB website: Exemplars & initiatives Digital Centre of Excellence: Accessibility) Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

17. References Deakin University 2018, Accessibility, Digital Centre of Excellence, Diversity & Inclusion Unit & eSolutions Division, Deakin University, Geelong. Deakin University 2018, Deakin’s inclusive education principles, Inclusive Curriculum Capacity Building, Diversity & Inclusion Unit, Deakin University, Geelong. Devlin, M, Kift, S, Nelson, K, Smith, L & McKay, J 2012, Effective teaching and support of students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds: Practical advice for teaching staff, Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney. Hockings, C 2010, Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research, Higher Education Academy, London. Inside Higher Ed. 2017. Berkeley Will Delete Online Content. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/03/06/u-california-berkeley-delete-publicly-available-educational-content. [Accessed 7 November 2018]. Kent, M., Ellis, K., Peaty, G., Latter, N. & Locke, K. (2017).Mainstreaming Captions for Online Lectures in Higher Education in Australia: Alternative approaches to engaging with video content. National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE), Curtin University: Perth Meme Centernd, For a fair selection everybody has to take the same exam. Ofcom. 2006. Television access services review. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/accessservs. [Accessed 7 November 2018]. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

18. References continued Pollard, L 2018, Remote student university success, an analysis of policy and practice, NCSEHE & University of WA, Perth. Seyfarth Shaw ADA Title III. 2018. Website Access and Other ADA Title III Lawsuits Hit Record Numbers. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.adatitleiii.com/2018/07/website-access-and-other-ada-title-iii-lawsuits-hit-record-numbers/. [Accessed 7 November 2018]. Stone, C 2017, Opportunity through online learning, improving student access, participation and success in higher education national guidelines, NCSEHE & University of Newcastle, Perth. Thomas, L, Hill, M, O’Mahony, J, Yorke, M 2017,What works? student retention and success change program, Higher Education Academy, London. University of Birmingham 2017, LGBTQ-inclusivity in the higher education curriculum – a best practice guide, University of Birmingham, Birmingham. University of Minnesota Duluth. 2018. Higher Ed Accessibility Lawsuits, Complaints, and Settlements. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.d.umn.edu/~lcarlson/atteam/lawsuits.html. [Accessed 7 November 2018]. Waterfield, J & West, B 2006, Inclusive assessment in higher education: a resource for change, University of Plymouth, Plymouth. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B