Hi everyone! Let’s explore the use of multimedia in education and the issue of accessibility.
Several educators are becoming increasingly aware of the need and their responsibility to make the learning environment accessible to all learners. As their awareness heightens, debates surrounding the accessibility of multimedia in education ensues. Sloan et al. (2006) specifically noted that “significant debate surrounds the implications of accessibility requirements on educational multimedia” (p. 39). At the same time, practitioners are finding ways to ensure that multimedia is accessible to all learners. To this end, standards and guidelines have been developed to help support content creators, multimedia producers, and other experts in the field. For instance, “the WAI of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) are the de facto standard for accessibility of web content, providing a solid foundation on which to build a working knowledge of accessible web design techniques” (Sloan et al., 2006, p. 41). The use and application of such guidelines can tremendously benefit all learner groups. However, multimedia that is inaccessible to some learners can lead to exclusion in its use. The use of multimedia in education can therefore have different implications for learners.
On one end, it can tremendously enhance the learning experience for some learner groups while on the other end, it may not necessarily do so. According to Sloan et al. (2006), “multimedia can offer the potential to significantly improve the accessibility of the learning environment and, indeed, extending the learning environment to otherwise inaccessible places... At the same time, poorly designed or inappropriate use of multimedia could effectively exclude a disabled student from a learning programme” (p. 40). Not only can it improve accessibility and enhance the overall learning experience, but multimedia can also appeal to and support different learning styles and preferences. In fact, Sloan et al. (2006) also pointed out other positive implications specifically highlighting that “presenting information in alternative ways...is far more effective in conveying information and experiences, and hence supporting comprehension and retention of information. Multimedia thus becomes an accessibility solution, an assistive technology” (p. 42). The multimedia that is incorporated into an online course should thence be accessible to all learners regardless of their disabilities so that these positive benefits can be experienced.
In fact, all these positive implications were experienced by an online student who has auditory disabilities. Precisely, “Martine has encountered barriers when video and other media content are not captioned. The university became aware of the need and requirement to provide captioned media and transcripts for audio content and is now working with a captioning provider to caption all content posted on university websites, including all course content in learning management systems” (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, 2017, para. 8). Undoubtedly, this additional support can help Martine complete all her courses successfully and with great learner satisfaction.
If, however, the university did not address Martine's accessibility barriers by providing the support that was needed, then it can potentially affect her studies in a negative manner and ultimately lead to legal implications like lawsuits. By extension, such a lawsuit can cost the university financially. On the contrary, it can also help heighten diversity and inclusion among learners at the university because management and staff will now ensure that accessibility guidelines are followed, and that various mechanisms are in place to support all kinds of learner groups. Overall, once multimedia is used effectively and correctly in learning, then it can be considered an excellent accessibility resource. Sloan et al. (2006) provided a few pointers and tips to help ensure multimedia is accessible to all learners. They are as follows:
● “What are the aims, the pedagogic goals of this piece of multimedia? How does the resource fit in with the rest of the learning environment?
● Will all students be required to use it? Is its use compulsory for completion of a course or for assessment?
● Where is the resource intended to be used—a controlled environment like a laboratory or classroom, or potentially anywhere? What assumptions can be made about the browsing and access technology available to intended users (and their knowledge of that technology)?
● What are the potential barriers to using the multimedia resource for its intended purpose? What levels of sensory or motor abilities are required? How might specific learning difficulties or other cognitive impairments affect the ability to use the resource?
● What alternatives already exist and what alternatives can be reasonably created? How was the subject or topic previously taught?
● What is the best way that the information or experiences can be presented such that:
1. As many as possible of the intended audience can achieve the intended learning objectives using the multimedia resource?
2. Those affected by remaining accessibility barriers can achieve the same objectives in a way best suited to them? (p. 51)”.
All in all, these tips coupled with other accessibility guidelines and standards can help ensure that multimedia in learning benefits everyone and positive implications are experienced.
What are your thoughts?? Do you have a different viewpoint? What questions or comments do you have in an attempt to come to consensus on this issue? As always, I anticipate your feedback!
Krista
MDE student
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus | UMGC
References
Sloan, D., Stratford, J., & Gregor, P. (2006). Using multimedia to enhance the accessibility of the learning environment for disabled students: Reflections from the Skills for Access project. ALT-J, 14(1), 39-54. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ817921.pdf
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. (2017). Stories of web users. W3C. https://www.w3.org/WAI/people-use-web/user-stories/#onlinestudent