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

Resources : Visually Impairment & E-Learning FAQ

Virtual Learning Environments

On this page:

What is a VLE?
Which is the most accessible VLE?
What are the main problems with using a discussion board?
What problems might there be with on-line assessments?
What are the main problems with accessing content in a VLE?
What other issues do I need to take into consideration?

What is a VLE?

In the context of these questions we are referring to an on-line learning environment. These will be web pages where students can engage in learning activities and/or interact with tutors and peers. There will be facilities that include 'controlled' delivery of materials, chat, discussion boards/conferencing, on-line assignments such as multiple choice tests, tracking and home pages etc.

Examples of these include:

Blackboard,
WebCT,
Learnwise,
Teknical,
FD Learning,
COSE (Staffordshire University),
Bodington Common (Leeds University).

Which is the most accessible VLE?

This all depends on which student we are talking about. Let us assume that we mean a blind student using a screenreader. The student will need to be able to tab around all the links and read all the text using a screenreader.

Unfortunately our research has not yet given us in-depth experience of all VLEs available. However, our work so far has shown us that students are able to use Blackboard and WebCT reasonably well as long as they have a high level of IT skills.

Both Bodington Common and COSE are working towards accessibility and usability. We do not know whether the next version of Learnwise will be accessible and usable - although Learnwise say they are following accessibility guidelines.

TechDis have produced a report with further details .

What are the main problems with using a discussion board?

These will vary from board to board, however problems encountered may include:

Threads - organisation;
Order of posts - newest post at the bottom of a list;
Number of links in message;
Amount of information at the top of a message to wade through;
Lack of a spell checker;
Additional time needed to use it.

What problems might there be with on-line assessments?

Multiple choice questions present a number of problems. If the student is using magnification then scrolling is a problem. A good solution is to have each question open up in a new window if at all possible. This is also highly advantageous for someone using a screen reader. It is very difficult to answer questions (check the radio button using the space bar) and then move on to another question on the same page. This may demand quite complex navigational strategies.

Uploading an assignment may also be problematic and quite difficult in some cases to do without any help.

Note also that there must be tolerance where students need to supply an exact word or phrase - most VLEs have no spell checker.

It is also important to remember that if there is a time limit then extra time might be required to complete the assignment. Remember the student may be getting no visual clues.

What are the main problems with accessing content in a VLE?

One of the main technical issues to resolve is how the content opens up - is it in a new window or actually inside the VLE? If an external web page is being accessed then it is useful for this to open up in a new window. If it opens up in the main frame of the VLE the display area will often be reduced considerably and if it is reformatted to be read by a screen reader then the new page and VLE will be reformatted together.

Remember that if multiple windows are opened the user can become confused. The student will have to remember that they are in a new window and there is always a chance that they will accidentally close down the VLE.

Even when users find a document easily, they may still discover that the content itself is inaccessible. If you have more of an involvement in the production of content further FAQs have been addressed. (See chapter on e-learning)

What other issues do I need to take into consideration?

VLEs are becoming increasingly more complex. Additional features in even a fairly basic VLE will include a home page, a calendar, a notebook etc. Whilst some of the developers have addressed accessibility issues, usability issues are still an issue. It is always important to spend time with students looking at the functionality and the navigational features of a VLE and it may be even more important to do this if the student has a visual impairment.

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