Great work finishing up the first week of tasks! This week, you'll explore the many areas where assistive technology can meet the needs of learners in formal and informal educational settings while applying what you learned during the first week. There's a good bit of reading/video viewing this week but that's just the nature of a condensed semester. You'll make it, I promise.
I don't give zeros for work (technically, anyway) It would be really unusual (and awfully cruel) to give someone a zero for a task that they've submitted, as that means that it was so poorly done, no credit can be given. If you have a zero for something you've submitted for our class - it just means I couldn't find it on your page or on whatever form, video tool, etc. where it should have been submitted. This happens to everyone at least once. So if you see a zero for a grade - and you've completed the assignment - don't panic - read the grade feedback for that item and make any changes necessary. Then email to let me know you've updated the task.
It would also be rare to give someone a zero for an assignment that was submitted and viewable. So if you have a 0 but you are certain you've inserted your Google Doc or Google slides onto your website (and you can probably even see it on your website) - it just means that you did not share a Google Document or a set of Google Slides correctly. So - what I see is a box on your webpage that says "you do not have permission to view" - so I know that you did it - but I can't actually see it to grade it. So I put a 0 for a grade in eLC as a placeholder so you'll know you need to fix the sharing permissions. Things may look okay on your end because you're logged in so you can view anything from any of your Google tools - but I don't have your login - so I can't see them unless you tell Google to allow it - that's done through sharing Docs and Slides and publishing webpages. If you earn a 0 for work you have submitted- fix the sharing permissions and then send me an email that it's been done. Please do not share the document/slides with my email - make sure to follow the sharing instructions provided within the unit.
A sort of short video about Unit 2 tasks - and also some random stuff about squirrels and paper straws? Also - I mention a task related to communication and I've decided to move that to Unit 3. So this Unit has 5 tasks - not 6 as mentioned in the video. And the last task uses Padlet, not FlipGrid - alas poor Flipgrid, such a great tool until they made it inaccessible.
Grade value: 5% of total grade Time Estimate - 1-2 hours
This unit explores Universal Design (UD), a concept that originated in architecture and serves as the foundation for Universal Design for Learning (UDL). As Ron Mace, the father of universal design, stated: "Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design."
Given this unit's focus on mobility and accessibility, it's crucial to understand how universal design supports individuals with disabilities. While some information is general, other details are specific to K-12 settings. Note: Taking notes on these sections will be beneficial for this task and Task 4, "How it all fits together."
1. Explore Foundational Concepts
Before diving deeper into universal design's impact, review the following:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Read about the ADA from the U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division. Pay particular attention to sections related to mobility and accessibility, including:
Mobility Support Apps & Assistive Technology (AT):
Read about mobility support apps from the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. Explore one or two of the resources listed by clicking the "+" sign next to a topic.
Learn about your state's AT resource organization. For Georgia residents, this is "Tools for Life." These organizations in all 50 states provide resources for learning about, using, and funding assistive technology.
Recommendation: While Tools for Life offers valuable resources, consider following Temple University's @techowlpa Instagram account for a low-friction way to learn a bit more about AT every day.
2. See Universal Design in Action
Improve your understanding of universal design through these examples:
Video: "Space to Sign": Watch this short video to see an example of Universal Design in architecture at Gallaudet University, which exemplifies Universal Design principles.
Article: Gallaudet University's Design: Read more about Gallaudet University's design in this article (a PDF version is also available). (Did you know? The Gallaudet University football team invented the huddle!)
Article: Universal Design for Physical Spaces (pdf): Read this final article that helps tie everything together.
3. Reflect and Apply Your Learning
Reflect: Consider how the videos and articles about universal design, positioning, mobility, and Gallaudet University align with your initial readings from the start of this unit.
Observe Your Environment: Pay attention to how mobility and accessibility are addressed on the UGA campus and other places you frequently visit.
Capture Examples: Over the next few days, start capturing examples of universal design for mobility and accessibility through pictures or videos. Do not include pictures or videos of people.
Option 1: Picture Collage/Slide Deck
On your Mobility and Accessibility webpage, insert a 5-7 picture collage/slide deck of examples of universal design for mobility and accessibility that you've seen (ideally, not from Google images). You'll probably want to create this with Google Slides as it will be easier to add to your webpage.
Write 2-3 paragraphs about how these pictures support what you learned from the readings and the Gallaudet University video. This can be typed directly on your Mobility and Accessibility webpage or on your slides.
**Don't forget to change the share setting on your slideshow so that anyone can view it.
Option 2: Video
On your Mobility and Accessibility webpage, insert a 1-2 minute video of examples of universal design for mobility and accessibility that you've seen.
Either narrate the video or write 2-3 paragraphs about how the video supports what you've learned from the readings and the Gallaudet University video. This can be typed directly on your Mobility and Accessibility webpage.
Regardless of which option you choose, do not use pictures or video of people as part of your examples of mobility and accessibility.
Grade value: 3% of total grade Time Estimate - 45 minutes-1 hour
Note: There are a number of short news articles linked in this task. Please don't skip over them. The current events they discuss are relevant to each of us - regardless of your major. Reading these articles will help you with your task for this topic - finding an example of an accessibility-related current event (the task is explained in the last part of this section)
Plastic Straw Ban: How do certain decisions impact day-to-day accessibility for people with disabilities? You've probably seen things in the news about reducing and even banning the use of plastic straws because of the potential for marine pollution. "Skip a straw, save a turtle." Most of us could go the rest of our lives without needing a plastic straw and it wouldn't change our daily existence at all. But what does it mean to accessibility for all? Read this short article about the planned Starbucks ban on plastic straws. But what about straws made of alternative materials?
Scooter Rentals: Read this article about accessibility issues related to scooters. While rental scooters are less common now, personal scooters are still around Athens. How do they impact sidewalk accessibility?
Voting: Voting accessibility is always a big story. Issues in Georgia include long lines and access to mail-in ballots. But what about accessibility for people with disabilities? How do long lines and fewer polling places affect their ability to vote? How will new voter laws impact them? You already learned about the ADA, but read more about the ADA requirements for voting sites. Note that many temporary, inexpensive changes can make polling places accessible for all.
Accessibility after the pandemic: Sometimes, making changes to structures, systems, and processes to be accessible for all can seem expensive and inconvenient. But is that true? Read about how post-pandemic changes have improved accessibility for everyone, including people with disabilities. And make sure you understand the ADA - it's an important law that affects all of us.
Accessibility isn't just about convenience - it's about access, wellness, and civil rights. These readings, videos, and assignments aren't just for our course - they aim to broaden your perspective and show how decisions impact everyone, not just ourselves. You've done most of the work by reading the links provided. Now, explore everyday accessibility issues and current events on your own. Think about what you've read so far in this task and in your textbook - what's an everyday accessibility challenge that interests you?
What to submit for this task: Find a current event related to mobility or accessibility and add it to your Mobility and Accessibility page. Include the website name, a link to the website, and a brief summary of the event and how it relates to Unit 2 topics. For example, you might find a more up-to-date news article about accessibility issues and voting or a video news report on an accessibility issue not mentioned in this task. Here's a sample of what your finished task might look like:
Task 2: Everyday Accessibility
Accessible Playground in Minnesota - This document discusses a fully accessible playground and the students who raised $1 million for it. Students and teachers are excited about the new playground. Students who helped raise money are happy to see it being used. I'm sorry, I could not find how this article relates to accessibility on this webpage.
One quick note: The sample demonstrates how you'd lay out your work on your Accessibility page - but that summary? That's Google's Gemini AI tool "writing" a summary for me. It's terrible and it can't even make any connections. So please really read the article you find and don't ask an AI tool to summarize it for you. It will do a terrible job and you'll learn very little. Also - want to know how to make your article title also the link to your article (instead of a ridiculously long copy/paste of a URL that's not even clickable)? You can watch this very short silent video for a how-to.
2019 Super Bowl Commercial: "We All Win"
Grade value: 5% of total grade Time Estimate - 45 minutes-1 hour
While universal design often focuses on physical spaces, it also includes accessibility via electronic devices and websites. You'd be amazed at the accessibility features available on your favorite device. In this task, you'll watch several short videos showcasing accessibility features of various Apple and Microsoft products, then explore the accessibility features of a device of your choice.
First, watch a few videos from Microsoft demonstrating accessibility features for various technology tools. Then, explore the accessibility features that support vision, hearing, mobility, and cognitive needs on the Apple site. Use the tabs across the top of the page to navigate to a topic that interests you. Don't move on yet - take a minute to watch this video about adaptive video game controllers. It's a longer version of a 2019 Super Bowl commercial titled "We All Win."
Next, find a tutorial about accessibility for your device and spend about 30 minutes exploring its features. Here are some suggested starting points, but it depends on your device: Android, iPhone, Mac OS (choose your OS from the drop-down menu), Windows, Chromebook, Apple Watch, Xbox, PS4. Apple also has a YouTube playlist with short videos on accessibility for various devices. If you don't see what you need, search "Accessibility + your device/operating system" to find what you're looking for. You might think about jotting down some notes and taking a few screenshots to help with the next part.
Open a new Google Doc and write 4-5 paragraphs about your exploration - what you tried, what you learned, how it might be useful, etc. Insert this Google Doc onto the Mobility and Accessibility webpage. Title the Google Doc: Accessibility Investigation.
Here's a quick reminder on how to embed the Google Doc onto your Mobility and Accessibility Page:
Before leaving your Google Doc, make sure it's shareable.
Go to your Mobility and Accessibility page and click the Insert tab on the top right.
Scroll down the Insert menu and select Docs.
Choose your Accessibility Investigation document.
*Remember, if you need to edit your document, do it in Google Docs, not on your website. And don't forget to hit the publish button on your website!
Grade value: 6% of total grade Time Estimate - 1-2 hours
Resources to use for this task:
During the previous unit you read: Meyer, A., Gordon, D., & Rose, D. H. (2014). Chapter 4: Universal Design for Learning. In Universal Design for Learning: theory and practice (1st ed., pp. 83–108), Cast Incorporated.You may need to login to your Clusive account to access the chapter again.
Another resource that might help you with this task (and with other tasks for our course) is the pdf document about Person First language published by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities which you read in Unit 1: Task 3. Please review this resource as you complete this task to make sure you are using appropriate language.
Where to put this task:
For your first "how it all fits together" task in Unit 1, you wrote about your understanding of UDL and how it applies to your own learning. Open that same Google Doc and begin a 2nd entry at the TOP of the document. Please label this entry as "2nd entry" ** Your course instructor is old and sometimes I need prompts to help me know what I am looking at. You'll insert it on your Mobility and Accessibility page.
What to write:
This time, you've learned more about how AT can support mobility and accessibility. I don't expect you to connect your understanding of UDL to both (you could - it would just be way longer than 3-4 paragraphs). Choose one: mobility or accessibility- and think about how one of the principles of UDL connects. For example, I might write about mobility and how the UDL principle of providing multiple means of action and expression can be addressed through a better understanding of AT-supported mobility in a classroom. Or maybe I want to talk about how the resources I learned about in the readings can provide multiple means of representation through AT-supported accessibility for a student with low vision.
My recommendation for completing this task: Read back over the UDL chapter from the Meyer text (that's why I linked it again for you) and review any notes you took for the topic that you've selected (mobility or accessibility) and then simply talk about the connections you see. You can refer to the videos you've watched for this unit, the accessibility investigation you completed, or the mobility tools you explored while exploring this unit's resources. I'm looking for 3-4 paragraphs (written at the college level) that demonstrate that you can identify connections between AT-supported learning and universal design for learning principles.
Don't forget: once you've completed your writing, make sure to insert it on your Mobility and Accessibility page, and don't forget to hit the Publish button!
Grade value: 2% of total grade Time Estimate - 5-10 minutes
Go to our new Padlet and record a short video about the current event you found for Task 2. You can tell us why you chose that topic, how you found more information about it, and/or why it interests you. Just make sure we learn something new and how it relates to what you learned in Unit 2.
Take a few minutes to view your classmates' responses using the same link.
You're not required to read/view any of these resources but as I plan each unit, I run across related articles and resources that I think you might find interesting. So if you'd like to learn more about accessibility - here are a few additional resources:
Curb Free with Cory Lee - a travel blog written from a wheelchair user's (and West Georgia graduate!) perspective
Delta Airlines New Seat Design
Mercer Students Design a 3D Yearbook for Georgia Academy for the Blind Students