RE: AccessLearn Member Introductions

Hi all,
Thank you for introducing yourselves – it’s good to ‘meet’ you! (and see names from the past: Hi Madeleine!)

I work at the Open University (OU) (UK) which is the largest university in Europe and uses a distance learning approach.  We have an open access mission which means that students don’t have to have prior qualifications.  Approximately 14% (over 20k) of our students declare a disability.

My role at the OU is four-fold. Firstly I conduct technical accessibility evaluations of websites, software and course materials. Secondly, I conduct evaluations involving students with disabilities in our purpose-built user testing facilities. Thirdly, I am co-chair of a masters level international module on accessible online learning<http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/modules/h810>.

Lastly, I coordinate a programme to embed accessibility into the curriculum, i.e. to ensure that teachers consider accessibility in their learning activities and outcomes. We now have accessibility champions in each of our departments who support their colleagues on accessibility.  This is an ongoing activity and although we have achieved a lot there is still a lot to do so I am keen to learn more from this group!

A paper on this programme of work has recently been published in a journal (and is freely available) in case you are interested to read more: Institutional change for improving accessibility in the design and delivery of distance learning – the role of faculty accessibility specialists at The Open University<http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02680513.2015.1013528#abstract>.
This paper is within a whole special issue on accessibility that I co-guest edited and will be published soon.
I look forward to working with you all!
Regards,
Chetz


Dr Chetz Colwell
Learning & Teaching Development Manager (Accessibility),
Co-chair of H810 Accessible online learning: supporting disabled students<http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/course/h810.htm>

Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
01908 655772

The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).