DEMOS Project - Visually Impaired Students and E-Learning: Frequently Asked Questions

Resources : Visually Impairment & E-Learning FAQ

Introduction

The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) is a specialist college providing further education for visually impaired students. Students are aged 16 and upwards. Most are residential but there are some distance learners.

A Task Force was set up in September 2000 to research and develop information and learning technology/ information and communications technology (ILT/ICT) for blind and visually impaired students. This has involved the Task Force in the following:

Evaluating a range of virtual learning environments (VLEs).
Using a range of VLEs and working on these with students.
Trialing and evaluating e-content such as the National Learning Network (NLN) and Ufi (University for Industry) material.
Presenting/giving talks at conferences and workshops on e-learning and students with disabilities.
Research for Techdis - this will result in a report and some advice notes on VLEs and issues for visually impaired students.
Involvement in the Exchange for Learning (X4L) project - this will involve trialing and evaluating materials in respect of accessibility and metatagging accordingly. We are involved in two projects - one led by Lauder College and the other by Staffordshire University.
Formal academic research at Birmingham University.

It is this and other work which has enabled us to answer questions regarding e-learning and the issues for visually impaired students and students with other disabilities. Whilst e-learning may have the potential to enable students with disabilities to engage in learning on equal terms with other students there is still a long way to go. Even if the technological issues can be addressed there is still the issue of effective support to consider. We hope these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) go some way to addressing some of the practicalities.

If you have any queries about these FAQs please contact:
Shirley Evans,
email: se@rncb.ac.uk,
telephone: 01432 265725 extension 2236.

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