If video resources are used; it is important that captioning is provided. Sign language videos need to be provided for Deaf students or a transcript in Braille. Students with a visual/hearing impairment may prefer a transcript in large print / giant print / PDF. Any student may provide an alternative to video due to not having a player or for convenience. Students with motor impairments, may find using a video more difficult.
I think the statement in week 9 activity 3.1 comments in the study material sums up the difficulties we are experiencing in this course H810 – “the short time for production of this course has been the main factor that has prevented the provision of descriptions of videos”. It has not just been the video captioning that has been lacking though – we still wait access to the set book and the website is far more down than up. There are no PDFs provided of the course material. I think the course has been poorly presented in terms of accessibility. H810 has provided very little alternative to the endless video and web links and not all have had transcripts. The course material talks about time and cost – but I personally think this is unacceptable and the course should not go live without suitable alternatives to meet accessibility needs. It does not give a good impression of the OU and as a student I have seen so many students pushed out due to the OU’s lack of care for students with accessibility needs. It is disappointing.
Filed under: H810 Week 8 | Tagged: Braille, H810, OU, PDF, video
