\nthrough an internet connection that has limited or expensive bandwidth;<\/li>\n
In the context of online education, accessible design is about ensuring that users have both direct (unassisted) access and indirect access (access through assistive technologies) to learning.<\/p>\n
More than one billion people worldwide experience some form of disability (World Health Organization, 2021).<\/p>\n
How learning is designed could mean including or excluding any number of people.<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhen online learning is built with accessibility in mind, it helps all users perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the content in a meaningful way (W3C, 2022). Specifically, individuals with disabilities are given unprecedented access to information, overcoming barriers to print, audio, and visual media and unlocking previously unavailable opportunities to grow personally and professionally (Education and Outreach Working Group, 2009).<\/p>\n
Accessibility Helps Everyone<\/h3>\n
Curb cuts\u2014the slanted ramps that create a smooth transition from the top of a street sidewalk to the street itself\u2014have been around since at least the 1930s (Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers et al., 2010).<\/p>\n
\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/oes.com\/us\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/8479806007_bcc8d1a8d4_c-768x512.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201ccurbcut\u201d by firelizard5 can be reused under the CC BY license.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIt\u2019s not clear who they were first designed for, whether wheelchair users or moms pushing their babies in prams, but what is clear is that they benefit everybody: people in wheelchairs, delivery drivers, and the elderly can all navigate the streets and sidewalks much more easily. More simply, “a sidewalk with a curb cut is simply a better sidewalk” (Goldberg, 1995).<\/p>\n
This example shows how \u201cunusual things happen when products are designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.\u201d<\/strong> In fact, curb cuts are an often-cited example that shows that research and development into accessibility helps everyone (Jacobs, 1999).<\/p>\nWhat Accessibility Is Not<\/h2>\n
Before I discuss what accessibility is not, let’s start with some definitions:<\/p>\n
Equality<\/strong> is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities (Oxford Languages, 2022a).<\/p>\nEquity<\/strong> is the quality of being fair and impartial (Oxford Languages, 2022b).<\/p>\nEquity and equality are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Equity may look different for each individual, especially when it comes to accessing education.<\/p>\n
Achieving equality in online education is easy: If every user is given access to the same resources and support, that\u2019s equality. However, equal access to opportunity is not the same as impartial access to opportunity and does not usually translate to equal outcomes.<\/p>\n
Equity recognizes that each user has different circumstances and different supports are needed for everyone to have a fair chance at achieving the same outcome (Juda, 2021).<\/p>\n
Accommodations Achieve Equity<\/h3>\n
In education, accommodations support a wide variety of learners, giving impartial access to opportunities and thereby achieving equity.<\/p>\n
These supports could account for poor bandwidth, vision impairments, physical limitations, and many other circumstances\u2014all of which impact a user\u2019s access to learning through technology.<\/p>\n
![\"Accessibility](\"https:\/\/oes.com\/us\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/ACC101_G02-768x445.png\")
<\/p>\n
But accessibility is not merely providing accommodations to users with disabilities.<\/p>\n
Accessibility Takes it Further<\/h3>\n
Accommodation<\/strong> asks, \u201chow can we change this thing we built to accommodate someone with different needs.\u201d<\/p>\nAccessibility<\/strong> asks, \u201chow can we design this thing with all kinds of needs in mind, forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2014 George van der Riet, Construct Scriptwriter, 2022<\/p>\n
Accessible design sets the bar for the future. Instead of retroactively adding fixes on a case-by-case basis, it\u2019s more effective to proactively design learning solutions to provide fair and impartial access, because\u2014as you\u2019ve already seen\u2014accessibility matters to those who need it, but it helps everyone.<\/p>\n
![\"Accessibility](\"https:\/\/oes.com\/us\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/ACC101_G01-1024x426.png\")
<\/p>\n
Accessibility at OES<\/h2>\n
OES\u2019s mission is to unlock opportunity through transformative learning experiences. We believe that transformative learning can help unlock opportunities for our clients, their learners, and our team.<\/p>\n
OES is also a global, vocal leader of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for learners wherever they are found, from K-12 to higher education and employment.<\/p>\n
Simply put, accessibility matters to us<\/strong>. If we are to provide our services with integrity\u2014to achieve our mission of unlocking opportunity and fulfill our promises of inclusivity\u2014it should matter to us just as much as all the other aspects of our course design.<\/p>\nOur Accessibility Standard<\/h4>\n
Many different web accessibility laws promise individuals with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those without disabilities. While the language and enforcement of these laws vary from region to region, more and more are employing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 as the measure for testing and validating websites for accessibility. (AudioEye, 2022).<\/p>\n
\n
<\/a>It\u2019s not clear who they were first designed for, whether wheelchair users or moms pushing their babies in prams, but what is clear is that they benefit everybody: people in wheelchairs, delivery drivers, and the elderly can all navigate the streets and sidewalks much more easily. More simply, “a sidewalk with a curb cut is simply a better sidewalk” (Goldberg, 1995).<\/p>\n
This example shows how \u201cunusual things happen when products are designed to be accessible to people with disabilities.\u201d<\/strong> In fact, curb cuts are an often-cited example that shows that research and development into accessibility helps everyone (Jacobs, 1999).<\/p>\n Before I discuss what accessibility is not, let’s start with some definitions:<\/p>\n Equality<\/strong> is the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities (Oxford Languages, 2022a).<\/p>\n Equity<\/strong> is the quality of being fair and impartial (Oxford Languages, 2022b).<\/p>\n Equity and equality are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Equity may look different for each individual, especially when it comes to accessing education.<\/p>\n Achieving equality in online education is easy: If every user is given access to the same resources and support, that\u2019s equality. However, equal access to opportunity is not the same as impartial access to opportunity and does not usually translate to equal outcomes.<\/p>\n Equity recognizes that each user has different circumstances and different supports are needed for everyone to have a fair chance at achieving the same outcome (Juda, 2021).<\/p>\n In education, accommodations support a wide variety of learners, giving impartial access to opportunities and thereby achieving equity.<\/p>\n These supports could account for poor bandwidth, vision impairments, physical limitations, and many other circumstances\u2014all of which impact a user\u2019s access to learning through technology.<\/p>\n But accessibility is not merely providing accommodations to users with disabilities.<\/p>\n Accommodation<\/strong> asks, \u201chow can we change this thing we built to accommodate someone with different needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Accessibility<\/strong> asks, \u201chow can we design this thing with all kinds of needs in mind, forever.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 George van der Riet, Construct Scriptwriter, 2022<\/p>\n Accessible design sets the bar for the future. Instead of retroactively adding fixes on a case-by-case basis, it\u2019s more effective to proactively design learning solutions to provide fair and impartial access, because\u2014as you\u2019ve already seen\u2014accessibility matters to those who need it, but it helps everyone.<\/p>\n OES\u2019s mission is to unlock opportunity through transformative learning experiences. We believe that transformative learning can help unlock opportunities for our clients, their learners, and our team.<\/p>\n OES is also a global, vocal leader of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for learners wherever they are found, from K-12 to higher education and employment.<\/p>\n Simply put, accessibility matters to us<\/strong>. If we are to provide our services with integrity\u2014to achieve our mission of unlocking opportunity and fulfill our promises of inclusivity\u2014it should matter to us just as much as all the other aspects of our course design.<\/p>\n Many different web accessibility laws promise individuals with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those without disabilities. While the language and enforcement of these laws vary from region to region, more and more are employing the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 as the measure for testing and validating websites for accessibility. (AudioEye, 2022).<\/p>\nWhat Accessibility Is Not<\/h2>\n
Accommodations Achieve Equity<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nAccessibility Takes it Further<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nAccessibility at OES<\/h2>\n
Our Accessibility Standard<\/h4>\n