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Accessible STEM Education through Multimodal Resources

Learn how the DIAGRAM Center empowers diverse learners with accessible materials like tactile graphics and 3D models in STEM education. Get insights on alternate resources and best practices for creating inclusive content. Interact with our platform for search, discover, and contribute capabilities. Engage with experts in adapting 2D production for various learners' needs.

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Accessible STEM Education through Multimodal Resources

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  1. Addressing Diverse Learner Needs Through Multimodal Access NFB Tactile Graphics Symposium November 11, 2018

  2. Today’s Presenters Sue-Ann Ma Project Director, DIAGRAM Center Senior Product Manager, Benetech Labs Nicole Johnson PhD Student, University of Colorado at Boulder Acknowledgements: DIAGRAM Center’s Tactile working group members Lucia Hasty, Rocky Mountain Braille Authorities

  3. The DIAGRAM Center Making STEM Education Accessible for ALL Learners The DIAGRAM Center strives to make STEM education accessible to students who learn differently. Our goal is to create equal educational opportunities by providing accessible learning tools and materials to students with a variety of disabilities. In partnership with a community of experts, we develop technologies and best practice guidelines that make it easier, faster, and cheaper for content creators and educators to produce accessible material that support STEM education.

  4. DIAGRAM’s Approach “It was an amazing opportunity to be able to share ideas that could further support all learners. I wish more organizations would take action like this!” – Jennifer Larson, Co-founder of My City School

  5. Imageshare Platform

  6. Goals of Imageshare • Make popular STEM concepts accessible to learners with various disabilities & learning differences • Create a multimodal platform for the community to access various alternative resources (e.g., 2D tactile graphics, 3D models, captioned videos) • Eliminate redundancies in AEM production • Facilitate ease of search & discovery of accessible content, across multiple repositories • Empower the community to help grow & test the materials

  7. Alternative Resources Image descriptions Audio files 2D tactile graphics 3D-printed models Interactive Simulations Videos

  8. Imageshare’s Target Users • Contributors: content creators who produce accessible alternatives, such as 2D tactile graphics & 3D models • Accessible media producers • Content creators (OER, publishers, service providers) • Disability student services • Special education teachers • Teachers of the visually impaired • Tinkerers (often friends & family) • Consumers: end users or facilitators likely to search and use accessible image alternatives • Disability student services • Teachers of the visually impaired • Special education teachers • Tinkers (often friends & family) • End users

  9. Search & Discover

  10. 1. Search Using Accessibility Metadata https://imageshare.benetech.org/

  11. 2a. Review Search Results by Topic

  12. 2b. Review Search Results by Resource

  13. 3. View Associated Resources STEM topic Related Resources

  14. 4. Access Resource Details Resource Description Metadata & Reviews Instruction & Production notes

  15. 5. Share Comments & Feedback

  16. Contribute to Collection

  17. Create the STEM Topic

  18. Create an Associated Resource

  19. Attach files to the Resource

  20. Content Curation Examples

  21. Extended Image Descriptions https://poet.diagramcenter.org/index.html

  22. Best Practices & Feedback on 3D Models • DIAGRAM Resources: 3D Printing, Tactiles and Haptics • Printing of Braille with 3D printers • 3D Printing for Accessible Materials in Schools • 3D designs selected by DIAGRAM’s Tactile working group, tested with • College of the Dessert • Lighthouse, SF • Texas School for the Blind (coming up)

  23. Traditional 2D Tactile Graphics Files • Design principles based on BANA Guidelines and user feedback • Provided: PDF and Illustrator files for editing • Digital master files, intended for swell paper but can be adapted as template for handicraft

  24. Traditional 2D Tactile Graphics Files Questions about usability as a tactile graphic designer Intent: files to reach as wide an audience possible • What file formats do users prefer? • Label style: should multiple variations of a concept be included? • Is there a way to design so the file can be utilized through multiple media? • For example, used for both swell paper and embossing software

  25. Adapting 2D Production • Exploring ways to address the needs of other special needs learners (i.e., Autism, cognitive disabilities, language processing disorders, low vision) • Modifications to the files include: • Converting braille to print • Application of color • Extra emphasis on context • Exploring combination of texture & color • …

  26. Adapting 2D Production Summer 2018 • Produced graphics for a range of educational concepts • atoms, cells, bones, brain, eye, female reproduction, frog anatomy, geometry of circle, normal distribution, Pythagorean theorem • Explored simple design adaptions for a range of learners • Braille (labels/no labels) • Print, color (labels/no labels) • Print, greyscale (labels/no labels) • Print, texture (labels/no labels) • When applicable in anatomy, include a graphic illustrating overall location in body for context

  27. Adapting 2D Production Remaining Design Principles • Simplified details • Consistency in presentation • Contrast between elements

  28. Adapting 2D Production

  29. Adapting 2D Production

  30. Adapting 2D Production Intended for informal classroom testing alongside various modalities

  31. Adapting 2D Production Open-ended questions • Amount of variables makes designing graphics like this for formal research difficult • Opinions? Research methods? • Color palettes? • Design modifications are specific to user-ability, there may not be a universally accessible image

  32. How can you help? Consumers: • Download resources and test them with learners • Provide feedback about resources using Imageshare’s “Reviews” feature • Contact info@diagram.org with suggestions about how we can further improve our tool Contributors • Add STEM topics & resources to Imageshare • Help spread the word to other makers • Connect us with repositories who might want to partner

  33. Questions? Sue-Ann Ma Project Director, DIAGRAM Center at Benetech sueannm@benetech.org Nicole Johnson PhD student, University of Colorado Boulder nijo8318@colorado.edu This document was produced under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs Grant No. H327B100001. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or polices of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. This product is public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: ”Addressing Diverse Learner Needs Through Multimodal Access,” The DIAGRAM Center, Palo Alto, Benetech.

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