UiO focuses on universal design
The introduction of the support tool Anthology Ally is part of UiO's ongoing focus on universal design. The tool identifies common universal design violations and provides guidance on how to fix them. This simplifies the work of making teaching materials accessible, which can contribute to more students feeling included. The tool also provides students with alternative formats for accessible content.
Simplifying the universal design quality assurance
"It is often difficult for people to detect universal design violations. The other tools use technical language that is hard to understand. With Ally, you get an automated assessment of the content and step-by-step guidance on how to correct the errors," says Joseph Corbin from the UiO Digital Services Office.
"You receive useful feedback along the way, while also being able to learn a lot about universal design in a more enjoyable way. Now we have a tool that we think will be widely used."
Joseph points out that the tool is not yet a 100% solution and that the ideal would be automatic error correction. At the same time, he believes that it is no longer an excuse to say that universal design is too difficult to deal with.
Measurable improvement
Admin users at faculties and institutes can see in the report over time how many violations there are and whether the number of violations has increased or decreased. In this way, Ally can be used to measure improvements in the work of universal design. The statistics can be viewed at the course level.
"The goal is that we must constantly improve," says Joseph. "Before the autumn semester of 2023, we hope to achieve a 50% reduction in universal design violations."
Alternative formats
One of the major advantages of the new tool is that it also offers students alternative formats. With alternative formats, more students with different needs can participate in the teaching. Ally can, for example, create audio and braille alternatives for people with visual impairments. It is also possible to adjust font size, contrast, and color of published files in Canvas.