How to Broaden Participation in Cyberlearning Projects to Ensure Access to People with Disabilities

by Lyla Crawford

Given rapid increases in the quantity and variety of formal and informal learning practices and research that make use of digital technologies, it is important to ensure that all potential students can benefit from technological innovations at the intersection of learning theory and emerging technologies—referred to as “cyberlearning.” The goal is simple: All cyberlearning opportunities should be accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of everyone, including instructors and students with disabilities. AccessCyberlearning (NSF Award #61550477) activities and resources help cyberlearning researchers and educators develop online experiences effective for students with diverse characteristics, including varying levels of ability with respect to seeing, hearing, moving, processing information, attending to tasks, understanding English, and other skills. AccessCyberlearning helps cyberlearning projects to
• design innovative learning technologies and teaching strategies that are welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities; and
• ensure that project materials (e.g., project websites, videos, cyberlearning tools) and activities (training, meetings) are welcoming to, accessible to, and usable by all participants.
This poster will share the first steps cyberlearning projects can take to reach these objectives.

Poster/Demo link.