[Athen] Accessible Online Learning community group

[Jennifer Sutton]

Here's a better link; the group now has enough 
supporters that it's no longer in the "proposed" phase:

https://www.w3.org/community/accesslearn/

Jennifer

At 10:34 AM 4/10/2015, Jennifer Sutton wrote:

>ATHENites:

>Cross-posted from the WAI-IG email list.

>Thought some on this list might want to pass 

>this along to your colleagues and/or get involved, yourselves, as appropriate.

>Jennifer

>

>

>

>See:

>

><https://www.w3.org/community/groups/proposed/>https://www.w3.org/community/groups/proposed/ 

>

>

>Here’s the group’s description:

>

>Accessibility is often provided through 

>accommodations. Schools are legally obligated to 

>provide accommodations to enrolled students with identified disabilities,

>based on their needs­sign language interpreters 

>in lectures for deaf students, digital copies of 

>textbooks for students who are blind or have reading difficulties,

>extended time on exams for students who need 

>more time due to cognitive or physical 

>disabilities. With online learning, the obligations are less clear­for

>example, with MOOCs, where students around the 

>world are taking courses but are not enrolled at 

>the sponsoring school or organization. Also, accommodations

>are not well established­sign language 

>interpreters and note takers are typically 

>accommodations for the physical classroom. How does an organization ensure

>they are meeting obligations and giving online 

>students the support they need participate fully 

>and to be successful? Providers of online learning are

>best off delivering courses that are accessible 

>out-of-the-box, without the need for special 

>accommodations. And many of the features that provide an accessible

>experience for people with disabilities benefit 

>all learners. For example, lecture transcripts 

>are an excellent tool for study and review. However, without

>deliberate attention to the technologies, 

>standards, and guidelines that comprise the Web 

>Platform, accessibility may be difficult to achieve, and learners

>with disabilities may be left behind. The 

>activities of the Accessible Online Learning W3C 

>Community Group take place at the intersection of accessibility

>and online learning. We focus on reviewing 

>current W3C resources and technologies to ensure 

>the requirements for accessible online learning experiences

>are considered. We also identify areas where 

>additional resources and technologies are needed 

>to ensure full participation of people with disabilities

>in online learning experiences.

>