Access to information isn’t always equal: improving digital content for students with disability
Did you know that more than one billion people worldwide live with disability? Here at Deakin, our vibrant and diverse community includes many thousands of students who manage health conditions and/or disability that can impact their studies. Some students are also primary carers for people living with disability.
While it’s often obvious how living with disability might affect someone’s access to physical spaces, the accessibility of the digital environment is sometimes overlooked. It’s essential for all students to have equitable access to unit, course and University information.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which is acknowledged worldwide on Thursday 19 May, aims to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion.
If you don’t have any difficulties accessing online content, you’re probably able to read this blog pretty easily and quickly. But take a moment to think about how some students need to navigate digital content:
- Visual: people who are blind or vision-impaired often use screen reader software that reads online content aloud, navigate using a keyboard rather than a mouse and need images to be described in meaningful ways.
- Hearing: people who are deaf or hard of hearing may need captioning for video presentations and visual indicators in place of audio cues.
- Motor: people with motor impairments may need alternative keyboards, eye control or other adaptive hardware to help them type and navigate on their devices.
- Cognitive: people with learning disabilities and/or other neurodiverse conditions benefit from uncluttered unit sites, consistent and intuitive navigation, and plain language.
If content isn’t made accessible in these ways, it can often be harder for students to locate it and engage with their studies.
Let’s get accessible!
To learn more about what it’s like to be a student with disability navigating this digital environment, check out Let’s get accessible, our new podcast where Deakin students and staff chat all things disability and accessibility. You’ll get some great insights into the many challenges these students face and why digital accessibility is so important.
How we’re improving digital accessibility
We believe that all students should experience our online teaching materials, content and other digital tools seamlessly.
We aim for our online content to meet the recognised global standards for web accessibility. These standards cover important issues like structure, written content, documents, images, forms, links, navigation, typography, video and audio, tables and colour. These principles also inform the development of our teaching materials.
We’re currently working on improvements across unit sites, including developing templates and minimum standards for information design. We also provide a range of software that can improve access to content and tips for converting text to audio.
Find out more about how the library helps students with disability. We also encourage you to check out some simple ways you can make your own digital information more accessible – from online meetings to social media content.
Further support is available
If disability and/or health conditions affect your study experience, the Disability Resource Centre (DRC) can provide advice and support. The DRC, which currently works with more than 4000 Deakin students, supports the University community to be more inclusive and provide necessary adjustments.
Examples of DRC support include helping you to communicate your needs to academic staff, exam adjustments, study materials and assessments in accessible formats, assistive technology and specialised support such as AUSLAN interpreters and access to software.
See what help is available and how to apply. Supporting documentation from a health professional is usually required to explain your needs. Got a question? Contact the DRC from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday on 9244 6255 or email [email protected].