Promoting Digital Inclusivity Through 'The Immersive Reader'
Dr Chris Martin (Birmingham International Academy (BIA)) shares how the 'Immersive Reader' can support students take ownership of their learning by allowing manipulation of on-screen documents to suit their needs
The Immersive Reader functionality within the Microsoft Office 365 suite of programs and Canvas is a free tool that individuals can use to manipulate an on-screen document to suit their needs. It could be used to support students with additional learning needs who may require differentiated materials; for example, dyslexic students may require handouts to be printed on coloured paper or may use a coloured overlay. The Immersive Reader can support with these adaptations, and differentiation in general. It can also be used to support international students for whom English is not their first language. The syllable insertion function enables students to see where stress may be placed on a word when spoken as well as breaking down polysyllabic words to help with pronunciation. It is also possible to include parts of speech labels that can also be colour coded if required, which could help with developing their knowledge of English grammar.
When working extensively online, screen fatigue can happen to anyone. However, with looming deadlines, and lots of reading to do, students may feel obliged to push through. A possible alternative is to allow the Immersive Reader to read the text aloud. There are options to decrease and increase the speed of the reader as well as the ability to pause, rewind and fast forward. The voice can also be changed according to an individual’s preference.
As we face the challenges of teaching and learning online, it could affect overall motivation and engagement, however, the Immersive Reader enables students to take ownership of their learning by adapting their online materials to best suit their needs. ‘Autonomy’ and ‘competence’ are two key psychological conditions (Ryan & Deci, 2000) that need to be met for an individual to be intrinsically motivated. By giving students the ability to modify and adapt their own materials, they could feel a sense of autonomy and competence without relying heavily on their tutors to provide differentiated versions of the materials for them.
FURTHER RESOURCES
Ryan, R. M., and E. L. Deci. (2000) Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 25 (1), pp. 54–67.
Microsoft Education offer online CPD with a specific pathway on digital inclusivity and accessibility.
Further Digtial Accessibilty Resources
Join the Accessible Educator course now and consider your attitudes and the actions you can take to become an Accessible Educator and access excellent resources on Digital Accessibility.
HEFi are running showcase sessions demonstrating how to check your documents for accessibility, providing meaningful alternative text for images and checking your content for accessibility in Canvas. See the Showcase Series page for more details.
You may also find the following pages useful:
Word, PPT Adobe accessibility checkers:
- Word and PPT: Select File> Check for issues > Check accessibility to open the Accessibility Checker and follow the instructions
- Adobe: Select Tools > Accessibility to open the Accessibility Checker. Run Accessibility Check > Select Start Checking
Further Reading on Accessibility
Advance HE (2020). Promoting inclusion: exploring intersections of minority-racialised identity and neurodiversity. Retrieved April 27, 2022
- Alexander-Passe, N. (2006). "How dyslexic teenagers cope: an investigation of self-esteem, coping and depression." Dyslexia 12(4): 256-275.
- CAST (2019). CAST: About Universal Design for Learning. Retrieved April 6, 2020
- Jacklin, A. (2011). "To be or not to be 'a disabled student' in higher education: the case of a postgraduate 'non-declaring' (disabled) student." Journal of research in special educational needs 11(2): 99-106.
- Kulkarni, M. (2019) Digital accessibility: Challenges and opportunities, IIMB Management Review Volume 31, Issue 1, Pages 91-98
- Madriaga, M. (2007). "Enduring disablism: students with dyslexia and their pathways into UK higher education and beyond." Disability & Society 22(4): 399-412.
- Murphy, R. (2021) Higher education students with disabilities’ perceptions of emergency remote learning – exploring the benefits and barriers of e-learning, THE AHEAD JOURNAL Issue 13 Winter 2021
- Pino, M. "The inclusion of students with dyslexia in higher education: a systematic review using narrative synthesis." Dyslexia (10769242) 20(4): 346-370
- Riddick, B., et al. (1999). "Self-esteem and anxiety in the educational histories of adult dyslexic students." Dyslexia 5(4): 227-248
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Thompson, T. (2014) ‘Video for all: Accessibility of Video Content and Universal Design of a Media Player’, in Burgstahler, S.E. (ed) Universal Design in Higher Education: From Principles to Practice. Cambridge MA, pp. 259- 273
- W3C WAI (2022) Accessibility Fundamentals Overview. Retrieved April 27, 2022
Practical Resources
The following are useful guides, handbooks, frameworks etc. about accessible and inclusive teaching, developed at other universities:
Student Help at UoB
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/libraryservices/library/libraries-and-opening-hours/libraries/mainlibrary/disability-support.aspx
Vendor Specific Guides for Creating Accessible Documents