Articles

We have commissioned a number of articles from experts in the field of e-learning and accessible multimedia design. Each article is short yet authoritative, and focuses on a specific facet of multimedia accessibility, whether that be its use to support a specific group of people, or an overview of ways in which a particular multimedia technology or format can be made optimally accessible.

We hope these articles will encourage and inspire you to use - rather than avoid- multimedia as a way of enhancing accessibility of online learning.

All Articles - A to Z

Accessibility Metadata and Learning Objects
Pete Rainger
Pete describes the Access-For-All metadata system and highlights its potential for evaluating the match - or mismatch - of multimedia resources to the needs of a particular learner.
Multimedia: Enhancing Ability
Léonie Watson
Leonie Watson looks at the ways in which multimedia can be used to benefit people with cognitive and hearing impairments.
Simple multimedia using Office software
Alistair McNaught
Using familiar Office-based tools allows the benefits of e-learning to be explored by teachers, without requiring advanced technical skills, empowering teachers and lecturers to enhance the quality of the learning experience.
The opportunities of multimedia to enhance the accessibility of fieldwork to disabled students
Susie Schofield
Susie Schofield of Dundee University describes how multimedia is being used to provide greater access to inaccessible learning environments, whereby disabled students can participate remotely in fieldwork through a computer-generated environment.
The potential of multimedia to enhance learning for students with dyslexia
Dr Nigel Beacham
Research fellow Dr Nigel Beacham explores the different ways that multimedia can be used to enhance learning for dyslexic students by providing information in multi-sensory ways.
Using accessible video and audio to enhance e-learning for disabled students
Ross Little
Audio and video can offer richness and increased inclusivity in education but can present challenges to access for people with sensory impairments. Ross Little looks at how accessibility solutions can be quickly and effectively added to video content.