Accessible design is not just intended for those with disabilities. The truth is that inclusive design makes the learning experience better for everyone. This is especially true when it comes to live virtual training. This study discusses the steps Open University (a UK higher education, being the largest provider of part-time and distance learning and operating across all four UK nations and internationally) took to make digital platforms, virtual rooms, tutorials, and other content accessible to learners with disabilities.
Impact / Outcome
As the largest university in the UK, the OU has the highest proportion of students declaring a disability. Over 31,000 students studying at the OU in October 2020 have declared a disability. Accessible learning material, with embedded figure descriptions, transcripts, and alternative formats, is available for any course that a student might register for. OU students study in all sorts of environments where the ability to adjust visual or auditory settings can be invaluable. The philosophy at the OU is that everyone benefits from improved accessibility, not just those with a declared disability. OU offers accessible platforms, system usability score, accessible online tutorials, recording online tutorials, live captioning for greater e-learning accessibility and more.
Funding sources
Public
Key Metrics
Develop inclusive design to make learning experience better for everyone
Operating model
Fully publicYear published
01 January 2021