Learner accessibility is often thought of in terms of physical infrastructure or, in the case of online learning, guidelines for web design. Learning analytics offer a new set of possibilities for identifying and removing barriers to accessibility in learning environments. This is not simply a matter of designing analytics tools to be more accessible, for example by catering for learners who need extra time to respond, reducing cognitive load, or choosing an appropriate colour palette. When it comes to increasing access to learning opportunities for people with disabilities, solutions must be developed in the field of learning analytics. This workshop is a step towards developing those solutions.

Workshop Approach and Objectives

The workshop will take the form of an evidence café, a structured event in which participants will be split into groups to discuss

• technical and pedagogic approaches to accessibility

• barriers faced by disabled students and educators

• the associated challenges faced by those who design and research learning analytics.

Intended Outcomes

The intended outcomes is to raise awareness to researchers and practitioners to accessible learning and accessible analytics with an underlying goal to build a community of researchers to lead future development in the area of accessible analytics.

Photo by Daniel Ali on Unsplash