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We are all striving to give students the most inclusive experience of online courses.
Online platforms create new barriers for many deaf and disabled students.
This guide offers strategies to address some of the key barriers to learning.
Preparing your platforms
Preparing your platforms
Test your camera beforehand and make sure you appear well lit on the screen. Be careful not to have a bright light beside/behind you, as this will put your face in shadow. Sit so your face is framed clearly on the screen.
If you have a deaf student using an interpreter, s/he can be pinned to make it easier for the student to see. They may also ask to be co-host. Follow their guidance.
If you are putting materials on Google Classroom, make sure you load them in small sections with clear labels so they are easy to find.
During the course:
During the course:
Spend some time at the beginning of the first session checking everyone can see and/or hear. Introduce them to the icons on the screen and have a backup plan in case of technical glitches.
Check if anyone has any particular learning needs during the first session – ask people to email/message you privately.
Factor in regular breaks, as online learning is very tiring.
Some disabled learners may prefer not to be seen on camera, so offer students the option to turn their camera off.
Some students, e.g. deaf students, visually impaired or dyslexic students, may need materials in advance. This is a reasonable adjustment (as they may need extra time to read handouts, or to watch video clips with subtitles).
Some deaf students may have limited background knowledge, so be careful to explain key concepts, and have a glossary of relevant vocabulary.
Encourage all students to:
· Arrive and leave the class on time
· Speak one at a time
· Mute their microphones when they are not speaking
· Use non-verbal communication when muted (e.g. thumbs up if they understand or a hand up if they want to ask a question)
· Use the sidebar chat to interact and ask questions when appropriate
Working with support workers
Working with support workers
Support staff need to prepare for each lesson. Before each class, send Access and Inclusion (contact below) the aims and objectives, plus materials such as project briefs, handouts, PowerPoints and video clips.
In the first class, introduce everyone, both students and support workers, and agree ground rules and online protocols (e.g. one person speaks at a time).
Check that the pace of the class is suitable for the student and support worker.
The student and support worker may both log on to your class and connect with each other via a separate link on another device. This gives the student an uninterrupted view of the support. It also makes access to the course more complex and tiring. Regularly check that the student and/or worker are keeping up, and offer them adequate rest breaks.
Support workers such as Communication Support Workers or British Sign Language interpreters may need materials in advance, so as to prepare for the session and communicate accurately.
Provide enough time for students to be involved in whole group discussions and Q+A. Some students may be slightly behind due to the time lag with sign language interpreting, or because they need extra time for processing information
You may choose to mute the whole class, to cut out background noise and distractions.
Help sites for students
Help sites for students
There is a lot a student can do to adapt their computer to make it more accessible, but it may be new to them. If they are an occasional computer user, they may not know what is possible. You can sign post them to sources of help using the links below.
Office 365 also offers students a range of useful tools. See the page on this section of the site.
Further help and advice
Further help and advice
Contact Access, Inclusion and Support: Support@citylit.ac.uk or support4deaf@citylit.ac.uk.
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