Learning and Teaching Centre

Macquarie Accessibility Services

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Accessibility and writing for the web

Vision Australia has put on a series of excellent workshops on aspects of accessibility.

One workshop, Writing for the Web, demonstrated that clear concise language is the most effective form of communication.

This workshop was put on by Dey Alexander from Dey Alexander Consulting has many useful resources.

There is a section on Accessible Design at the top left of the page
This section includes links to the following topics:

Spectronics Inclusive Learning Technologies Conference 2008

Conference Website

Spectronics is an Australasian company that imports and supplies a range of technologies to assist people with access needs. Every two years Spectronics hold a conference to showcase the developments in these technologies and promote accessibility in education at all levels.

Many speakers at the conference anchored their presentation in the theory of Universal Design for Learning.

Wikipedia states that Universal Design for Learning encourages:

  • Multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge,
  • Multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know, and
  • Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn.

The aim of Universal Design for Learning is to have learning materials available in a format, or modified to a format that can be accessed by all students independent of their access needs or preferred style of learning.

For example, content in the form of electronic text can easily be converted to voice for a vision impaired student. This content (now in voice) can be heard by other students who prefers to process information aurally instead of visually.

Alternatively having transcripts of audio recordings available for hearing impaired students benefits all students who prefer to scan and read content instead of listening.

Below are some useful Universal Design for Learning theory links:

Some of the assistive technologies on display at the Spectronics conference were:

  • Mytobii Interactive Monitor
    This monotor allows users to activate, speech, text, software and auxiliary devices by moving their eyes.

  • Texthelp
    A literacy support tool designed to assist users who require extra assistance when reading or composing text. Some of Texthelp's functions include a text to voice speechmaker, a 3D concept mapper and a phonetic spell checker.

  • Dragon Naturally Speaking
    Users who install the software on their computer can control many functions by using their voice.

  • Dynavox
    Dynavox is a robust, portable communication device that is made up of many user created symbols and symbol categories. Users can select a symbol to communicate or express an idea. Each symbols can be converted to a voice message.

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