A2: As a leaner, when teachers made an effort to include me. In assessment choice, so I could follow my interests. As a learning designer, when students feed back on what they like and the impact some design decisions has #lthechat
A2 #LTHEchat My realisation was more fundamental - understanding that my PhD thesis did not meet the basic requirements of an inclusive, digitally accessible design. I've come a long way since then but consider it part of my journey of lifelong learning...
A2: Lots of little moments, but the turning point was an online workshop I had designed for a group before learning there would be a legally blind participant joining with screen reader tech. Cue panic, and clumsy adjustments! #LTHEchat
A2 - There was a quiet student in one of my classes. Her face lit up during our induction. She approached me at the end and said ‘thank you, I felt seen today.’ I’d only included a pic of a person in a hijab reading on my PPT. She said she wasn’t used to seeing herself in the world before. #LTHEchat
This reminds me of a student who exclaimed in tears 'i didn't know anybody cared, I thought I was just a number' when I explained how her neurodivergent mind wasn't an issue to me and I just needed to understand what would help her. She is blazing an incredible career right now 💙 #LTHEchat
A2. When realised decades ago we were educating engineers to design mirror image, manual winch for men to turn. Engineering is very good exclusive example mirror image results leads exclusion of others results exclusive solutions to problems. #LTHEchat consequences cost people their life.
A2 During the pandemic, at an ex-institution, a Design subject area created a virtual showcase that triggered colour epilepsy and almost killed my ex direct report. A negative impact of non-inclusive design and practice. #LTHEChat
A2: as a learner when I was offered a choice of assessment and I way preferred the non traditional format. Appreciated and valued the power of choice. #LTHEchat
A2. An academic made a positive comment based on their diverse requirements. They felt confident to share their issue because it had been catered for. This was an opportunity to see what else might be tweaked to improve things which was taken #LTHEChat
A2 Probably the most impactful has been calculating the amount of time to correct the inaccessible features in a document; no one has time for that, you have to design to include #LTHEchat
A2 When my first years worked on a project for the Royal Society for the Blind which involved creating learning resources for those who were partially sighted. We all learned a lot #LTHEchat
A2: As a learner, when I experienced learning designs that made me feel excluded and frustrated. It felt awful and I would never want others to feel that way due to something that I did or did not do #LTHEchat
A2 right at the very start of my career when I worked as a tutor for the OU. One of my students was reg blind and lived in a very remote place so I spent a lot of time enlarging blurry photocopies, posting materials and talking to them on tbe phone #LTHEchat
Comments
https://www.ahead.ie/journal/Towards-a-digitally-accessible-thesis-the-experience-of-a-PhD-researcher
Me: "oh, it worked 😱"
*lets out a big sigh and smiles to oneself*
#LTHEchat