ALT-C ILSIG 2012

1. ALT-C ILSIG 2012

2. Schedule • Background and remit ILSIG; • ALT-C 2011 discussion outcomes; • Activities over the year; • Highlights of the previous year; • CMALT Scheme; • Next steps.

3. Background This Special Interest Group was set up to focus on using Web 2.0 to discover how inclusive learning is taking place in HE, FE, schools, the wider educational community and BCE from the view of teaching and learning participants. These are:- • Teaching staff (producers / organisers) • The students (consumers) • The developers of materials and other resources including online educational materials

4. ILSIG Steering Group Terry McAndrew – Chair Shirley Evans – Secretary Steering Group Committee Nick Jeans Donal Fitzpatrick Julia Waines Ron Mitchell

5. Remit of ILSIG The remit of this SIG is to: • Discover and share evidence and experiential practice in the area of inclusive learning; • Highlight day-to-day experience of those using assistive technologies for the benefit of the practitioners who use or develop solutions; • Provide a forum for discussion and collaboration of the use of appropriate technologies and practices to support the development of inclusive solutions in the ALT community.

6. ALT-C 2011 questions • What do we mean by Inclusive Learning? • What do users want? • Sectoral differences and similarities; • Disciplinary/subject differences and similarities; • How can we enhance ‘harvesting’? • How can we join it all up?

7. Highlights Online meetings to explore Inclusive Learning practice with ALT community ~ 30 members Regular online presentations – quality contributions Extending network Links between TechDis and LT community improved Less high – Closed network spaces – Groupspace Finding significant accessibility ‘stories’ with Learning Technologists What to do with FaceBook if students do not wish to expose disability issues? Surfacing student and other stories via Web 2.0 – making the use of Social Networks;

8. GroupSpace

9. Resources Scoops – the arrival of social curation A disability tag list for twitter Presentations – slides and recordings CSUN HEAT Projects Key Documents HEA: Teaching for Inclusion (NTF Project) Disability Legislation for Academics

10. November online • Xerte Developments; • ENABLE; • Surfacing student and other stories via Web 2.0 – making the best use of Social Networks; • CMALT Scheme

11. Xerte Developments Everyone familiar with Xerte? Nottingham site: http://nottingham.ac.uk/xerte Main Techdis xerte info: http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte • Xerte Fridays:http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xertefriday • Techdis Sandpit: http://techdisplayxerte.info • Relatively recent developments: • New Window page and Embed Content page • Android App http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/xerte/downloads/applicatin.apk Current developer team developments: • Internationalisation & Modulerisation

12. ENABLE Project European Grundtvig Project – 3 years started November 2011 Activities relevant to ILSIG:- • Providing networking tools and carrying out a range of networking activities which support and encourage the development of new approaches to the use of ICT for disabled adults and implementation of best practice, including the development and dissemination of case studies of good practice • Reviewing the current state of the art with regards to the use of ICT to support lifelong learning by disabled adults and identifying innovations and changes that have occurred over the project lifetime. • Developing tools for categorising and evaluating existing ICT systems to support learning by disabled people. • Promoting good practice in the use of ICT to support lifelong learning by disabled adults • Developing an international network of partners, which is sustainable beyond the end of the project funding period and which will use the project results to develop national and international follow-up projects.

13. Feb Steering discussions • Raising Engagement • JISCMail • GroupSpace • CSUN

14. March online • CETIS report; Visualising social networks for accessibility and the learning Registry. (TM) • CSUN Report: Using social networks with disabled students (SE) • ACTOER Project  (TM) • ATIS4ALL Project (SE) • Learner Analytics and Accessibility (Martyn Cooper) • Updates from network members (ALL)

15. CETIS Visualising social networks for accessibility and the Learning Registry.

16. CSUN CSUN Conference 2012 • From February 27th to March 3rd 2012 – San Diego • Main Conference 29th Feb to 2nd March • Close to 5,000 attendees and exhibit hall visitors. • 350 speaker sessions • An increase in exhibitors’ product and services. • Number of sessions around Web 2.0 - Makayla Lewis - An aOSN-cp model to support online social network users with cerebral palsy when providers introduce change - Sarah Lewthwaite - Peer-to-Peer Accessibility in Social Networks, a paper exploring how web accessibility can be socially mediated by peers within social networks, using evidence from research with disabled students at UK Universities. 

17. ACTOER Project 

18. ATIS4all Project ATIS4all • ia European Thematic Network of which the main objective seeks to facilitate everyone's access to the most suitable AT or accessibility device and service according to their needs, preferences and contextual characteristics (e.g. ICT solution, environment constraints, user device, language, etc.). • will start and maintain an open, collaborative portal offering reliable information on AT and inclusive products and services, and cutting-edge technological trends. ATIS4all • will contain Web 2.0 participation tools in order to encourage online discussion exchange of knowledge and expertise, and sharing of information among key actors and end users.

19. ALT - Inclusive Learning SIG 29th March 2012 An introduction to Learning Analytics supporting disabled students learning and accessibility in eLearning Systems Martyn Cooper Institute of Educational Technology, Open University m.cooper@open.ac.uk

20. What is Learning Analytics? • Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimising learning and the environments in which it occurs. • 1st International Conference Learning Analytics & Knowledge 2011 LAK’11 The Learning Analytics Cycle

21. Accessibility and disabled student support use cases for Learning Analytics • Monitoring withdrawals (active and passive) • Retention a high-stakes issue • Comparing disabled vs. non-disabled students across all modules • Can identify where there might be critical accessibility issues • Feedback to students on their own learning via a Student Analytics Dashboard (Must be accessible to disabled students!) • Personalised recommendations (resources, people, etc.) • Reflection on learner behaviour via visual ‘mirrors’ • Suggestions towards becoming a more effective & strategic learner • System determined/student peer-peer accessibility recommendations • Tutors Analytics Dashboards highlight where disabled students need support real-time as courses are delivered • Analytic information to course managers identifying predictors of poor attainment – identify issues particular for disabled students

22. Links • Martyn’s initial thoughts blog post:http://martyncooper.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/learner-analytics-for-accessibility/ • Linkedin Group on Learning Analytics for Accessibilityhttp://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4369422&trk=hb_side_g • Google Group on Learning Analytics generallyhttps://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/learninganalytics • Pending Publications • Cooper, Sloan, Kelly, and Lewthwaite, “A Challenge to Web Accessibility Metrics and Guidelines: Putting People and Processes First” (Accepted for W4A2012 which is 16-17 April) http://www.w4a.info/2012/ • Cooper, Ferguson, and Wolff, “What Can Learning Analytics Contribute to Disabled Students Learning and Accessibility in eLearning Systems?” (For HCI2012 about to go to peer-review) http://hci2012.bcs.org/

23. June online • GEUG12 – Google event for users in HE • INBook and The DART Project (Trevor Mobbs – Beaumont College) • Disabled Students and Social Networking (Sarah Lewthwaite – Kings College London) • News from ILSIG members • ILSIG and CMALT

24. ACTOER • Accessibility Challenges and Techniques for Open Educational Resources (ACTOER) • Evaluating OERs in context with specialists in HE, FE, WBL, Specialist Colleges • Improved tools for OER producers • Raise profile of accessible open access • New Wiki building at actoer.referata.com

25. Geug12 Geug12 • GEUG12, the Google Apps for Education European User Group meeting, was held at the University of Portsmouth, UK, on June 15th 2012; • GEUG12 followed on from GUUG11, an event for UK Google Apps for Education users in 2011. The site gathers together the presenters' slides and in many cases streamed recordings of the sessions using Google's Hangouts on Air; • Topics covered at GEUG12 included developing for Google App Engine, transition to and current use of Google Apps at institutions, VLE integration and replacement, legal issues and the Google Apps Marketplace, mash ups and other creative uses for Google products, and pedagogical feedback from use of Google+ in teaching and learning AND accessibility.

26. The InBook Project • The Pilot has gone well • Students have contributed to feedback and development • Students have developed an InBook code of conduct • Students have visited and video-conferenced between the three pilot colleges

27. InBookA ‘walled garden’ safe social networking training tool

28. The InBook Project • InBook is a pilot project run by • JISC RSC NW • JISC TechDIS • Three Partner Colleges • Beaumont College (main developer) • Bridge College • Lancaster and Morecambe College

29. The InBook Project • The project aims to: • Provide a safe social networking tool • Have a more controlled (limited access) membership • To be used in both a classroom environment and more widely • Be a training tool for establishing the principles of safe social networking • Provide much of the familiar web 2.0 functions • Provide a forum for e-safety discussions • The project is not aiming to: • Replace other social networks such as Facebook

30. The InBook Project • The project is based on open source software • Runs on a standard web server: • Uses PHP / MySQL • Utilises the Word Press CMS (Content Management System) • Buddy Press is installed on top of Word Press • Other theme and module customisations are made on top of this platform

31. The InBook Project

32. The InBook Project

33. The InBook Project • A second stage extended pilot is being undertaken • This process is being overseen by JISC TechDIS • Test the system with a larger number of users • Will feature improved accessibility • Will enable issues to be identified and addressed • Colleges will be invited to take part in the second pilot by JISC TechDIS • If you wish to express an interest in taking part please let us know – cannot guarantee places

34. The InBook Project • The intention is to scale the project • There are a number of options • Centrally hosted instances of InBook perhaps for different age groups or clients • Making available an FAQ and the Word Press Custom Theme so the system can be replicated • Providing configured virtual machines so that other providers can ‘roll their own’ instances of InBook • The pilots will answer some of this and will address other issues as well

35. The InBook Project • InBook has been designed with students who have learning difficulties and disabilities in mind • May have an application beyond the original client group to a wider audience such as younger people • The second round pilots will begin around October 2012 and conclude by Easter 2013 • The project will be developed by Beaumont, JISC RSC NW and JISC TechDIS • A report will be made available

36. The InBook Project • The Project website • Will shortly be updated with more information http://inbook.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/ Thank you for listening Any Questions? Interested in AT? We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter @ kevinhickeyuk

37. The InBook Project • The Project website • Will shortly be updated with more information http://inbook.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/ Thank you for listening Any Questions? Interested in AT? We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter @ kevinhickeyuk

38. DARTCreating a sustainable future for Assistive Technology in Education

39. The DART Project • DART – ‘Disseminating Assistive Roles and Technology’ • Working in partnership, Beaumont College and National Star College • Original project was funded by the LSIS flexibility and innovation fund between 2010 and 2012 • The new project is funded by JISC Advance • Crucially this means we can work with partners across the UK • The original project was oversubscribed and we wanted to integrate it with the JISC service offer

40. The DART ProjectDART - Creating a sustainable future for Assistive Technology in Education • The project aims to: • Improve Assistive Technology practice in the sector • Enable the replication of the innovative Assistive Technologist role • Disseminate the Beaumont College Technology service model • Produce Assistive Technology case studies for the sector

41. The DART Project • The DART2 Project Provider Colleges: • Beaumont College, National Star College, Henshaws College • Also working with both • Scotland's Colleges • NATSPEC (The association of National Specialist Colleges) • We are now inviting expressions of interest from either Sector Colleges with an LLDD provision or other Independent Specialist Colleges. • In addition to direct work with colleges a workshop series is planned.

42. The DART Project • Beaumont College is the lead partner and will work with four providers • Henshaws and National Star college will engage with three providers each • NATSPEC to undertake research to inform the development of three workshops • The workshops will run in central Scotland and in central England. • An end of project conference will include a presentation of case studies by supported providers

43. The DART Project • The project is being run by a project board: • Partner college members • JISC RSC and TechDISmembers • We are now taking expressions of interest from colleges who wish to participate • The project will run for the 2012-13 academic year

44. The DART Project • Identify what the college wishes to develop as part of the project, could include: • Elements of the Technologist role to be embedded in an existing role • Transfer of assistive technology knowledge to specific staff, work shadowing etc • Training and development for staff in the partner colleges • Advice on sourcing equipment, software etc • Advice on adapting mainstream hardware

45. The DART Project • The Project website • Hosts information about the project • Will be updated regularly • Has a number of case studies available now • More case studies to be added soon http://dart.beaumontcollege.ac.uk/ Thank you for listening Any Questions? Interested in AT? We are on Twitter: @rohanslaughter @mobbst

46. Student experiences of disability and Facebook • Social networks matter to students: “If you haven’t got Facebook, you don’t exist” (Edward). • Methods: 34 internet-enabled interviews with 19 students • Over-the-shoulder, co-located, participatory accessible methods • Drivers: • Necessity of Network for Social Information • Critical Mass • ‘Network Creep’ • Effects: • Unknown audience/Context collapse • Consolidation of Identity / Loss of anonymity • Extent of the Network / Contraction in Degrees of Separation

47. Disabled Experience So could you show me your profile page?Yeah. I hate it. I really, I worry about it all the time. I just, I just hate the thought of being judged so much. (Gemma, student with unseen spina bifida) Yeah, I mean during the, the time that I was not very well, my Status didn’t show that at all. You know, it was 'Naomi is.' I never put 'is so depressed she wants to go home and never come back to uni'. It was just left blank, it wasn’t, I never put anything, it was just dot dotdot. (Naomi, student with visual impairment)

48. Conclusions Facebook is normative. It propels users towards disabled or non-disabled perspectives. Users are compelled to adopt non-disabled interactions or maintain disability within strict discursive limits. For those who adopt non-disabled interactions, disability is confirmed as a deficit, discredited identity. For those who cannot or will not perform a non-disabled self, the network is experienced as punitive and disabling. In each case, experiences of impairment and the recognition of disability as part of normal human experience becomes inhibited. In this way, social networks produce disabled subjectivities whilst systematically erasing them from view. Dr Sarah Lewthwaite: sarah.lewthwaite@kcl.ac.uk@slewth http://www.slewth.co.uk

49. Resources Scoops – the arrival of social curation A disability tag list for twitter Presentations – slides and recordings CSUN HEAT Projects Key Documents HEA: Teaching for Inclusion (NTF Project) Disability Legislation for Academics S. Lewthwaite Thesis ‘Disability 2.0: Student dis/Connections.’

50. ILSIG CMALT Scheme We are delighted to offer ILSIG members the opportunity to be part of the JISC Techdis CMALT Scheme. There are a number of places available (on a first come first served basis) as part of the Independent Specialist Colleges (ISC) Initiative. CMALT is a peer-based professional accreditation scheme developed by ALT to enable people whose work involves learning technology to: have their experience and capabilities certified by peers; demonstrate that they are taking a committed and serious approach to their professional development. Links - http://www.alt.ac.uk/sites/default/files/assets_editor_uploads/documents/cmalt_initiative_techdis_v2_20100901.pdf Please email shirley.evans@virgin.net