Accessible course structure in Athena

Have discussions in the teaching team and agree on a common course structure in Athena. Then try to keep it throughout the course. Ask students about their opinions in order to develop the course structure so that it is as effective and accessible as possible.

Sound in the room

Is there a fixed hearing loop in the room so that students with hearing impairments can take part in the teaching? Portable hearing loops can be borrowed from the servicecenters. Always use a microphone if it is in the room.

Use a microphone

If the room is equipped with a microphone, you should use it. Never ask the student group if it is OK to ignore the microphone just because you as a teacher are uncomfortable with it.

Light in the room

Remember that the light in the room must be good. Never turn it off completely during movie viewing or similar. Students with a sign language interpreter must be able to see the interpreter.

Turn to the group

Never speak with your back to the group while writing on the board. Many students with hearing impairments are lip readers, but other students may also need to see your face to perceive the information correctly.

Write clearly on writing surfaces

If you use writing surfaces in your teaching, it is important that you have the text clearly and structured on the board. Use pencils with sharp contrasts such as black or blue - on cleaned whiteboard. Avoid red and green pencils as these are colors that are often difficult to read for those who are color blind. Read out loud what you write so that everyone is sure that they have understood the information correctly. Avoid cursive handwriting!

Encourage photography and recordings

Be positive that students take photographs of your notes on the whiteboard or record your lectures. However, ask them to delete the recording when they have finished listening.

Clear instructions

Provide as clear directives and instructions as possible, preferably both in writing and orally. Among other things, it makes it easier for students with cognitive difficulties and neuropsychiatric disabilities.

Digital course material

Remember to publish digital course material in an accessible format. PowerPoint presentations should be available before lectures so that students can use screen readers or speech synthesis, magnification and more on their computer. Read more here about how to make your teaching documents available to everyone.

Foresight

It is desirable that the literature list is completed no later than two months before the start of the course. Reading of compulsory course literature made by the Swedish Agency for Accessible Media takes about two months. Schedule and classroom bookings also need to be available well in advance.

Student groups

Avoid self-enrollment in student groups. It is better that you as a teacher divide the students or randomize groups. Not being "selected" is something that affects students with disabilities to a greater degree than other students.

Add breaks

Add frequent breaks. Many people with disabilities have a reduced ability to concentrate, which takes a lot of energy.

Vary examination forms

Vary the examination forms during a course so that students with different backgrounds can have the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities in a way that suits them best.

Avoid room changes and schedule changes

Try to avoid late changes as this can cause stress and anxiety for students with mental and cognitive disabilities. This can result in the student not participating at all during those course occasions.

Repeat

Repeat questions and comments from the group in the classroom during the learning activity so that everyone has an opportunity to understand what is being said.

General advice and tips

The student's individual needs

Students with the same disability may have completely different needs. Each student must therefore be treated individually and generalizations must be avoided. For example, students who use a wheelchair do not always need the same type of adaptations, and students with dyslexia and neuropsychiatric disabilities may have different conditions to meet the reading and writing requirements of a course. In the same way, students who stutter have different conditions for passing oral course objectives. How students with various disabilities interact in groups also differs from person to person.

Many disabilities are not visible on the outside. A student does not have to talk about or discuss his or her disability with a teacher or other staff at the department. Most people still choose to have a dialogue about the obstacles they face and the adjustments they need. Do not hesitate to ask questions about adaptations to the student who knows best what works and what does not. Be open and responsive and think about the student's right to privacy.

Mutual respect facilitates communication between student and teacher and is a prerequisite for students to be able to perform their best.

Accessible education benefits everyone

It is a pedagogical challenge to design a learning environment so that it is accessible to all students at Stockholm University.

The environment at the university is of great importance so that a disability does not become an obstacle. The obstacle only arises when the environment, physical, educational or social, becomes a barrier.

Already when planning your course, you need to think about different aspects of accessibility. As a teacher, a conscious choice of pedagogical strategies is a key factor for accessibility. The starting point for these strategies is that you understand how you can adapt your teaching so that it is available to all students in group work, adapting or choosing classrooms and designing the teaching material.

Feel free to consult with other teachers with pedagogical experience. The student department's coordinator can give advice regarding alternative solutions for adaptations of examinations or alternative ways of doing different course activities.

To meet students

Remember that it is the student himself who has the best and greatest knowledge about his disability. The student is responsible for handling his certificate with decisions and recommendations from the coordinators at the Student Department, which can be a good starting point in the conversation.

Before the start of the course, you should inform students with a certificate of special educational support that they are welcome to book a meeting to discuss the adaptations that the coordinator for special educational support has recommended.

Always speak directly to the student, not to the student's interpreter or assistant. Also keep in mind that not all disabilities are easy for the student to talk about and that the student therefore sometimes chooses to remain anonymous.

Customize your document to accessible format

One of the most basic guidelines when it comes to accessible documentation is the format of the text and the document. It is therefore important to:

• use a font size of at least 12 px in Word and 24 px in PowerPoint. Preferably of the San serif type.
• ensure that there is sufficient contrast between text and background. Preferably black or "SU-blue" text on a white background or white text on a black or "SU-blue" background. Some color combinations are very difficult to read (for example, blue / red and red / green).

Highlight your content

Screen readers do not have the ability to identify different fonts, colors or formatted text such as. bold, italic, underlined, etc. It is therefore important not to use these character formats as the only way to capture the reader's attention or convey information.

If you e.g. uses red text or bold markings to reinforce that something in your text is extra important, the students who use screen readers will not know that that text is red or bold. They simply miss it and do not know that it is extra important.

Make sure you use an available option when giving a clear visual indication. Use an exclamation point at the end of a sentence that is extra important. Exclamation marks and question marks have an impact on the intonation of a screen reader. This does not mean that the tool reads out the word "question mark", but that the sentence is read with question intonation.

Write academically, but accessible

In a text that is accessible to all readers, it is easier to understand the message. If a sentence is too complicated or too long, the recipient will not understand all of it. You can make your text available to everyone by:

• keeping sentences short. They should not contain more than 20-25 words.
• matching your text to a readability index, e.g. Lix

Heading structure

Correct headings are crucial when creating accessible content. It allows students using screen readers to jump between different headings in a document and save time.

Therefore, always use the built-in heading tools in the program you are typing in. If you create the headings yourself by changing the font size or bold text, it will not be perceived as a heading by the screen reader. All popular programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Open Office have style and format options that can help you create the right structure for your documents.

Example:

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

The numbers in the title help to structure the context for the screen reader and help, for example, visually impaired readers to understand the content, even if they have difficulty seeing how the document is structured.

Accessible images in documents

When it comes to images in documents, it can be good to first ask yourself what the purpose of the image is. Does it have only an aesthetic purpose or does it give the user a visual reference of something in the text? If you are unsure of the function of the image - do not use it! It can make the presentation more cluttered and more difficult for those with learning difficulties to understand. Limit the number of objects to a maximum of five per page and avoid moving, animated images completely.

Alternate text:

If you do not want the screen reader to skip images, you need to add alternate text for them. You do not need to add "image of" because the screen reader already knows that it is an image. Be concise, clear and descriptive. Do not use the same alternate text for all images, such as "image illustrating the text". It's pointless and confusing for students who use screen readers.

For more advanced images, you can add a short descriptive alternative text and then also add an explanatory caption below the image. It is visible to everyone and may contain a clearer description.

Infographics:

Information graphics must always have a text option. It is a description of the same information given in the information graphics. The text option should be on the page immediately after the infographic.

See an example of an infographic with a text option.

Text in images:

According to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), text should not be in images. Instead, explain the image using text on the page.

Links

It is important that your links are descriptive. Each link should be a description of what the user can expect to find when he or she clicks on the link. Avoid using "click here" or "read more". The screen reader reads out the text exactly as it stands. If the same link name is repeated (imagine you hear "click here, click here, click here" several times) it only creates confusion among users. They need to understand where the link leads and why they should click on it. Descriptive links give users a context. URLs are not informative and should not be used as descriptions. Instead, make the text descriptive. Opening links in a new window can be confusing as the screen reader is thrown into a new context. Avoid it.

Lists and tables

Use the list and table tools that are integrated into the program you are typing in.

Lists

Correctly created bulleted lists inform students who use screen readers how many points are in the list. Correctly created numbered lists inform about how many objects are in the numbered list and read out the number for each object.

Tables

Use lists instead of tables when you can! Tables can be made available, but those who use screen readers must know advanced keyboard commands in order to navigate tables and understand them.

If you must use tables, it is important that you use column headings, as they will be re-read by the screen reader each time the user navigates to a new cell. In this way, the user gets the context for each cell clear. Keep in mind how the reading will sound for each of the cells as you select column headings and add information to the cells.

NOTE! Never use tables to create a visual layout.

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that primaly affects reading and writing skills and have no connection to intelligence, and there are large variations in how these impairments are expressed in students. More information is available at the Dyslexiförbundet (Dyslexia Association) FMLS.

Students with reading and writing difficulties / dyslexia may need:

• access to course literature and course material in electronic form for the use of speech synthesis.
• access to lecture material in advance, preferably in digital form.
• clear reading instructions.
• various adaptations during the examination, for example extended writing time and oral re-examination.
• time to discuss tasks with teachers both during learning activities and during examination.
• larger text in printed material (at least 14 points).
• hear what is written on writing surfaces. Therefore, always read aloud what you write on the board.
• information and instructions given both orally and in writing.
• to record lectures and photograph presentations and notes on writing surfaces.
• alternative forms of examination.

Neuropsychiatric disabilities can manifest themselves through diagnoses such as ADHD / ADD or autism. The reductions in neuropsychiatric diagnoses are very individual, but there are also many similarities.

Students with ADHD / ADD often have difficulty shielding sounds and other impressions, which can make it very difficult to focus on a task or sit still for long periods of time during a lecture.

Students with ADHD / ADD may need:

• access to course literature and course material in electronic form for the use of speech synthesis.
• extra time during examination.
• information and instructions given both orally and in writing.
• frequent and regular breaks.
• clear reading instructions and schedules. It is especially important to state place and time well in advance of the learning activity.
• continuous summaries during the teaching session.
• repetition of what was raised during the previous teaching session.
• concrete question options. Open questions that require descriptive answers can be difficult for these students.
• alternative forms of examination.

The autism spectrum is a collective term for several different conditions, such as autism and Asperger's syndrome, which express themselves very differently for different people. The inpairment often concern relationships and communication with others. These students also have difficulty perceiving communication and information if it is not extra clear, in social contexts this requires a lot of energy from the student.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder may need:

• clear overall structure throughout the education.
• flexibility in the date of submission.
• frequent and regular breaks.
• information and instructions given both orally and in writing.
• concrete examples. Avoid metaphors and parables.
• clear guidelines and concrete descriptions of what specific group work and labs will entail.
• clear reading instructions and schedules. It is especially important to state place and time well in advance of the learning activity.
• alternative forms of examination.

Physical disability is often due to a congenital or acquired disease or injury. Neurological diseases (movement, vision and hearing impairments) are examples of physical disabilities that can affect the student's study situation.

Visual impairment

Visual impairment can be both congenital or occur later in life and often means that you have difficulty reading text and orienting yourself with the help of vision.

Students with visual impairment may need:

• access to course literature and course material in electronic form for the use of speech synthesis.
• course literature in Braille, e-textbook.
• note-taker support.
• recordings from teaching sessions
• examination assignments loaded or enlarged.
• good contrast and logical layout in all text.
• course literature in digital form  during examination occasions when students are given access to the literature.
• access to lecture material in advance, preferably in digital form.
• various adaptations during examination, for example extended writing time.
• use digital aids such as reading magnification programs
• alternative forms of examination.

Hearing loss / deafness

Having impaired hearing or deafness affects students negatively because it requires increased concentration and effort to listen and try to keep up with the teaching. There is also a great risk of misconceptions.

Deaf students have sign language as their first language, which means deafness is only a disability in environments where people lack sign language skills. Disability thus arises in communication with people who use another language. In order for deaf people to be able to study, access to sign language interpreters is therefore required.

Students with hearing loss / deafness may need:

• sound amplification. Therefore, always use a microphone and hearing loop where available.
• get questions and comments repeated during a teaching session.
• to sit facing the lecturer, the interpreter, the turntable and at the same time have contact with the group. Many students with hearing impairments read on their lips, so it is important that they see the faces of those who speak.
• contact the teacher before the lecture begins to draw their attention to their needs.
• hear what is written on writing surfaces. Therefore, always read aloud what you write on the board.
• frequent and regular breaks.
• subtitling or transcribing of films and other course material containing audio.
• a calm work environment for group work.

Chronic pain

Many students with physical disabilities also experience chronic pain conditions that can adversely affect their studies. Medication for these pain conditions can also lead to fatigue.

Students who experience chronic pain may need:

• extra time during examination.
• frequent and regular breaks.
• access to height-adjustable desk and ergonomically adapted chair.

Speech difficulties

Speech difficulties are often due to a congenital or acquired disease or injury. Students with speech difficulties often need to plan what to say to minimize the impact on performance. Speech difficulties, such as stuttering, can make it difficult to participate in discussions or oral examinations and presentations. More information is available at Stamningsförbundet (The Stuttering Association).

Students with speech difficulties may need:

• special attention to needs and opportunities.
• longer time for oral presentation or presentation.
• alternative examination, preferably in a small group, individually for the teacher or recorded in a calm and safe environment.
• alternative form of examination where oral assignments are replaced by written assignments.

Mental illness is something that can be experienced in a variety of ways. It is not uncommon for the symptoms to be long-lasting and recurrent, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, self-harming behavior and eating disorders.

Students with mental illness may need:

• special attention to needs and opportunities.
• to be involved in the decisions that are made regarding what support is needed.
• clear overall structure throughout the entire education.
• frequent and regular breaks.
• opportunity for self-study or individual study plan.
• clear instructions on group work and labs.
• extra time during examination.