ERIC Number: EJ1434985
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2379-7762
EISSN: EISSN-2328-3343
Anyone Can Learn Universal Design: An Interdisciplinary Course Centered around Blindness and Visual Impairment
Brian W. Stone; Deana Brown
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, v36 n1 p65-74 2023
Courses at the postsecondary level continue to rely heavily on visual material that is accessible only to fully or partially sighted students. Tactile graphics work for many pedagogical purposes, but in some cases are insufficient; other information and concepts may be better conveyed through haptic exploration of 3D printed objects. However, there is a dearth of 3D-printable open educational resources for college-level content. To address this need while simultaneously teaching students about accessibility and universal design, we designed and taught an experimental course in which students (a) learned about disability in general and blindness in particular (including history and advocacy); (b) explored technology used by people with visual impairment; (c) heard from many blind voices, including guest experts and community members; (d) studied universal design; and (e) designed 3D-printable educational tactile models in collaboration with blind community members. By the end, students demonstrated significantly less bias and more positive attitudes about blindness and people with visual impairment, and were more confident with accessibility, universal design, and assistive technology. We believe this course can serve as a model for similar courses elsewhere as a strategy to teach students from any major about disability, accessibility, and universal design.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Access to Education, Accessibility (for Disabled), Blindness, Visual Impairments, Tactile Adaptation, Spatial Ability, Geometric Concepts, Depth Perception, Educational Technology, Printing, Open Educational Resources, Postsecondary Education, Course Content, Achievement Gap, Knowledge Level, Partnerships in Education, Learning Activities, Student Attitudes
Association on Higher Education and Disability. 8015 West Kenton Circle Suite 230, Huntersville, NC 28078. Tel: 704-947-7779; Fax: 704-948-7779; e-mail: JPED@ahead.org; Web site: https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/publications/jped
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A