Notes from AccessLearn teleconference

Hi all

Thanks to everyone who took part in the first AccessLearn Community Group call earlier this week! Here are some notes from the discussions.

Present:

* David Sloan
* Sarah Horton
* Lisa Snider
* David Berman
* Madeline Rothberg
* Laura Carlson
* Todd Weissenberger
* Elizabeth Greenwood
* Simon Ball
* Shawn Henry
* Ted Gies
* Marcie Dimac
* Gary Ritter
* Sushil Oswal
* Armony Altinier
* Mary Ziegler

1. Background

1.1 Agenda description

Brief description of W3C Community Groups and the creation of the AccessLearn CG. Other W3C accessibility efforts (e.g. the WCAG WG, EO WG).)

1.2 Notes

* Working as a community group, more informal than W3C group, we are exploring how best to work as a community group.
* Survey: Over 70 responses, posting summaries to public CG list. Results confirmed views of why we should have a community group, particularly the comments about lack of knowledge being a barrier to producing accessible online experiences.
* David Berman: Is the survey still open? [Yes, will share the link with the minutes.] Research for School of Public Service in Canada, also found the challenge of awareness, challenge of lack of software platforms that support creation of accessible online experiences.
* David Sloan: Is there anything we can do in this group to influence market? Will need to understand more about what keeps vendors for using accessible best practices in creating their products.

2. Aims: 

2.1 Agenda description

Based on the survey, here are some areas we could focus on:

* What additional resources are needed to help people use existing WAI guidelines to create accessible online learning resources? The survey indicated lack of knowledge amongst content creators was the biggest challenge to accessible online
* What can W3C do to create connections between WAI guidelines and non-W3C standards that could help promote accessible online learning? Other standards exist, particularly those from IMS, and there are also CAST’s UDL guidelines. Do we need to work to build bridges between these and WCAG?
* What areas do we have to define are out of scope for a W3C WG, even if they are considered important for accessible online learning, but may require focus separately, e.g., tools for online video accessibility, legislation and education accessibility?
* What wheels do we need to avoid reinventing?

2.2 Notes

* Intention to exchange information to understand how existing resources help/hinder creation of accessible online learning.
* Gap analysis could be a general focus of the group.
* Has been lots of work underway outside of W3C. How best do we reconcile this work with the W3C work?
* David Berman: With course materials, went through A and AA, attempted to match up with popular elearning authoring tools and conference platforms. Possible goal to consider WCAG2 Accessible Online Learning document.
* Simon Ball: Did assignment  to look at institutions, looks at existing guidelines, identify gaps, asked educators what do they have to do to these resources to make them useful for their teaching. Replied that they need to mash existing guidelines with teaching principles and institutional elearning strategies.
* Ted Gies: Producer of online learning systems, one challenge is that there are repeatable design patterns (consuming content, evaluating learning), is there a usable and accessible solution? Are there proven design patterns? Are there personas? Would like guidance on finite set of elearning design patterns.
* Madeline Rothberg: Co-Chair of IMS guidelines, looking to update the guidelines. Leadership coming from online learning industry (publishers, learning software vendors—vendors who want to make products more accessible). Will be seeking to coordinate efforts, encourage people to join group and help shape guidelines. IMS and W3C currently collaborating in EDUPUB area.
* Todd Weissenberger: CIC workgroup composed of CIOs to further accessibility initiatives. Have just started a subgroup focused on teaching/learning and accessibility.
* Sushil Oswal: Suggestion to compile list of activities people are involved in to share with group, share activities and how they tie into focus of AccessLearn group. 
* Ted Gies: Would be helpful to highlight best-in-class examples of online learning.
* Armony Altinier: How we learn is influenced by language, would be helpful to translate work of group to other languages, e.g., survey. 

2.3 Proposed activities:

* Define scope of effort/attention of CG
	* e.g., authoring tools, conferencing platforms
* Inventory existing resources
	* Existing resources including and beyond W3C (to avoid reinventing wheels)
	* Institutional standards (e.g., Open University in UK has guidelines)
* Identify pattern libraries
	*Are there usable and accessible pattern libraries to support 
* Inventory/coordinate with other efforts
	* Coordinate with IMS guidelines activities
	*CIC workgroup
* Identify exemplars
	*Best practice examples to spotlight where people are doing things right
* Issue survey in other languages
	* Widen view of what can be done to make improvements in online learning

3. Logistics:

3.1 Agenda description

* How do we define a work plan?
* How will the group organise its work, given its current constraints (discussion but no publication)?
* What tools should the group use to help it do its work?
* How will it work with other W3C groups?
* Scheduling, reporting, communication.

3.2 Notes

* Working group charter: draft charter and share with group so members can review and respond
	* Sushil, Sarah. Others? Please let us know if you would like to join this effort.
* Set up wiki to compile resources: more information to come
* Reach out more broadly
	* Armony will produce survey in French. Simon to assist with distribution, plus others who can help.
* Survey: Take the survey to another level, analyze and use results
	* Mary, Dave. Others? Please let us know if you would like to join this effort.

4. Next steps:

* Meet by teleconference again in two months, date to be confirmed

David Sloan

UX Research Lead
The Paciello Group
dsloan@paciellogroup.com

Received on Friday, 14 August 2015 18:10:55 UTC