Please join us for two free webinars on Tuesday, March 11 to celebrate Open Education Week and expand access for all learners regardless of disabilities. Expanding access for learners is a core value of the open education movement but if instructional materials are not designed with accessibility in mind, the opposite effect can result. Hear from experts in teaching and learning with accessibility from The Open University, National Federation of the Blind, California State University System, MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching), and the OpenCourseWare Consortium.
Accessibility of OERs for Diverse Learners and Guidelines for Dyslexia in Modern Language Learning
Time: Tuesday, March 11, 4:00 pm (GMT), noon (EDT), 9:00 am (PDT)
Join us for this webinar discussion on issues relating to accessibility of OERs for learners with diverse abilities. The discussion will focus on a number of questions such as: Is accessibility support in OERs ‘required’ or just ‘nice to have’? How can we achieve full inclusion of OERs without stifling openness and innovation? This will be set in the wider environment such as legal context, pedagogic agendas, and technical issues.
Results from the Dyslexia in Modern Language Distance Learning staff development project will also be shared. Highlights include publishing the Guide to Good Practice as an OER and the project’s impact on tutor’s engagement with open educational practices and online collaboration.
Presenters:
- Dr. Chetz Colwell, Learning & Teaching Development Manager for Accessibility, The Open University
- Una Daly, MA, Community College Outreach Director, OpenCourseWare Consortium
- Dr. Mathilde Gallardo, Staff Tutor Languages, The Open University
- Dr. Andy Lane, Professor of Environmental Systems, The Open University
Challenges and Strategies for Promoting Awareness of Open and Accessible Educational Resources
Time: Tuesday, March 11, 6:00 pm (GMT), 2:00 pm (EDT), 11:00 am (PDT)
This webinar focuses on creating awareness of the need for open and accessible educational resources to improve learning outcomes for all students regardless of disabilities. Sharing the struggles that college students with disabilities face, efforts by the National Federation of the Blind, MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching), the California State University system, and the OpenCourseWare Consortium to enhance educational experiences for all learners will be highlighted.
Learn about the range of accessibility issues that need to be addressed and the open educational services that can enable the OER community to provide more accessible educational resources and services. Presenters will invite the audience to join in an online community for sharing accessibility expertise and the discovery and delivery of open educational resources.
Presenters:
- Anne Taylor, Director of Access Technology, National Federation of the Blind, United States
- Gerry Hanley, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Academic Technology Services, California State University system and Executive Director of MERLOT.
- Una Daly, Community College Outreach Director at the OpenCourseWare Consortium