EADTU Quality Assurance webinar week 13 november 2019 by Tarja Ladonlahti, Jyväskylä University, Finland

1. Equal opportunities for all:
Accessibility of higher
education online studies – from
quality guidelines to the
practice
JYU. Since 1863. 113.11.2019

2. University of
Jyväskylä
 One of the top universities in
Finland
 6 faculties
 2 600 staff members
 15 000 on-campus students
 14 000 students at the Open
University
 Open University is an
independent institution within
the JYU
13.11.2019JYU. Since 1863. 2

3. JYU. Since 1863. 313.11.2019
8-14 % of higher
education
students have
learning
difficulties or
some disease or
disability that
affects learning.

4. There is no such thing as an average learner!
(Olaussen, E. J. https://www.vuu.no/undervisning-og-laering)
4

5. JYU. Since 1863. 5
Accessibility and higher education
studies - old and new legislation
obligate
• Common European legislation
• Role of the national legislation
• Institutional guidelines, recommendations
and practices
13.11.2019

6. JYU. Since 1863. 6
New legislation has an impact on
online education
• Directive (EU) 2016/2012 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on the
accessibility of the websites and mobile
applicatons of public sector bodies
• Mainly follows the accessibility level AA
(WCAG)
• Came into force in Finland (national
legislation) 1.4.2019
• Period of transition
13.11.2019

7. JYU. Since 1863. 7
What we are doing in our projects
• Testing and developing accessible solutions for higher
education institutions (www.info.digicampus.fi).
• Looking for and sharing good pedagogical practices
(www.hamk.fi/projects/tinel)
• Educating staff (www.info.digicampus.fi).
• Creating the instrument for self-evaluation: quality
indicators of accessibility of higher education studies
(www.ohohanke.fi/in-english).
• Building a national network for higher education
institutions. (All together)
• Promoting the accessibility as an quality indicator at the
national level of quality assurance. (All together)
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8. JYU. Since 1863. 8
Accessibility agents in an institution
13.11.2019
Teachers
Accessibility
specialists
Library
Student
support
services
Facility
servicies
University
communi-
cation
Faculties
Digital
services

9. JYU. Since 1863. 9
Accessibility in terms of technology
includes e.g…
• All data systems
• (Digital) learning environments
• Office programmes
• Institutional templates
• Ongoing accessibility checking and tests
• Support services for students
• Support services for staff
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10. JYU. Since 1863. 10
Accessibility in terms of pedagogy
includes e.g…
• Universal design for learning / Inclusive
education as a framework
• Accessible learning materials
(multimodalism, alternatives)
• Flexibility in assessment modes and study
arrangements
• Individual arrangements when necessary
13.11.2019

11. 13 November 2019
Individual
arrangementsParticipation

12. Thank you!