Online Accessibility The WKU Workflow

WKU Online Online presence for 20 years Online presence for 20 years 1700 online courses per year 1700 online courses per year 80 completely online certificates/programs 80 completely online certificates/programs 20% of our 20,000 take some online courses 20% of our 20,000 take some online courses Substantial student support services Substantial student support services

Origins The Office of Distance Learning – DELO The Office of Distance Learning – DELO Longtime commitment to online accessibility with audio/video Longtime commitment to online accessibility with audio/video Began with students transcribing and captioning videos from Tegrity in online courses a decade ago Began with students transcribing and captioning videos from Tegrity in online courses a decade ago

Changes The Office of Distance Learning wanted to: The Office of Distance Learning wanted to: improve the efficiency and volume of video captioning process improve the efficiency and volume of video captioning process advance our working relationship with Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) advance our working relationship with Student Accessibility Resource Center (SARC) address the accessibility of non-video online content address the accessibility of non-video online content become a change agent for a culture of accessibility - faculty become a change agent for a culture of accessibility - faculty

What we wanted The WKU Workflow Goals: The WKU Workflow Goals: Proactive and Responsive Proactive and Responsive Include Blackboard and Course Content Include Blackboard and Course Content Audio/Video Content Audio/Video Content Provide for Data Collection Provide for Data Collection Visible and Manageable Visible and Manageable

What we needed Increase in accessibility expectations for our online courses resulted in: Increase in accessibility expectations for our online courses resulted in: Increased complexity and workload Increased complexity and workload Required a more efficient workflow Required a more efficient workflow

Course Content Blackboard content – course materials Blackboard content – course materials “ Creating ADA Compliant Course Sites” online course created by Academic Technology (IT) “ Creating ADA Compliant Course Sites” online course created by Academic Technology (IT) Offered regularly scheduled accessibility training (DL) Offered regularly scheduled accessibility training (DL) Created and offered resource tutorials (DL) Created and offered resource tutorials (DL)

Online Faculty Course Development Agreements Course Development Agreements Strengthened accessibility conditions in online course development agreements – required all content to be ADA compliant or alternate Strengthened accessibility conditions in online course development agreements – required all content to be ADA compliant or alternate Instructional Designers work 1:1 with faculty to teach them how to achieve compliance Instructional Designers work 1:1 with faculty to teach them how to achieve compliance Necessitated a review process Necessitated a review process

Course Review Created a timeline calendar to review agreement courses Created a timeline calendar to review agreement courses Initial review early in semester– sampling of each type of materials available in course – report for faculty Initial review early in semester– sampling of each type of materials available in course – report for faculty Final review late in semester– all course content Final review late in semester– all course content Remedial review if necessary Remedial review if necessary

Audio/Video Distance Learning Video / Audio captioning hierarchy Distance Learning Video / Audio captioning hierarchy Any course with SARC request – priority-online and face to face Any course with SARC request – priority-online and face to face On Demand courses – prior to course opening On Demand courses – prior to course opening Semester based courses with agreements Semester based courses with agreements QM and other courses QM and other courses

Personnel Instructional Designers Instructional Designers 3 IDs and 4 support staff 3 IDs and 4 support staff Course design and development Course design and development Direct faculty contact – individual instruction Direct faculty contact – individual instruction Blackboard student workers Blackboard student workers Student transcribers Student transcribers

Personnel Instructional Technologist Instructional Technologist 1 Technologist – 1 support staff 1 Technologist – 1 support staff Programming etc Programming etc Developed and maintains transcribing software system Developed and maintains transcribing software system Computer science student workers (captioners) Computer science student workers (captioners)

Students Student workers – 14 at current count Student workers – 14 at current count 10 to 20 hours per week 10 to 20 hours per week Bb student workers – assist with Bb course content and course review Bb student workers – assist with Bb course content and course review Student transcribers Student transcribers Student programmers – assist with technology needs - format and apply captions Student programmers – assist with technology needs - format and apply captions All students are trained in transcribing All students are trained in transcribing

Graduate Assistants Many complicated processes Many complicated processes Difficult for regular staff to manage Difficult for regular staff to manage No individual could provide oversight No individual could provide oversight Created GA positions – 2 overlapping Created GA positions – 2 overlapping Track course agreements Track course agreements Manage and perform course reviews Manage and perform course reviews Manage input and status of audio/video content in transcription services Manage input and status of audio/video content in transcription services Train student transcribers – monitor quality Train student transcribers – monitor quality

LMS Content GA uses CDA course list to perform or assign accessibility reviews GA uses CDA course list to perform or assign accessibility reviews Notifies ID and uploads report Notifies ID and uploads report ID sets accessibility status ID sets accessibility status

ID/GA Pre-set Review dates Pre-set Review dates Course access requested Course access requested Initial reviews assigned Initial reviews assigned Initial/partial reviews occur very early. Used as a basis for working with faculty as needed. Initial/partial reviews occur very early. Used as a basis for working with faculty as needed.

Initial Review Results Preliminary reports to GA then ID Preliminary reports to GA then ID If no ADA issues – proceed to final If no ADA issues – proceed to final If issues - ID contacts faculty If issues - ID contacts faculty ID will work 1:1 with faculty ID will work 1:1 with faculty Faculty referred to professional development Faculty referred to professional development

Final Review Final review near end of semester Final review near end of semester <85% accessibility–faculty notified- recommended changes <85% accessibility–faculty notified- recommended changes >85% accessibility-faculty notified - met requirements -100% desired >85% accessibility-faculty notified - met requirements -100% desired % score based on # Bb items and # pages in documents. % score based on # Bb items and # pages in documents.

Video/Audio Course List – starting point for transcribing Course List – starting point for transcribing GA – retrieves Tegrity and other video GA – retrieves Tegrity and other video Transcription Service – places link to audio feed into service and sets status Transcription Service – places link to audio feed into service and sets status

Transcribing Student transcribers – access via service Student transcribers – access via service Access to Tegrity Mp3 audio provided Access to Tegrity Mp3 audio provided Other video (e.g. YouTube) URLs provided Other video (e.g. YouTube) URLs provided Faculty are notified prior to processing to confirm continued use of video/audio. Faculty are notified prior to processing to confirm continued use of video/audio.

Captions Completed transcripts to student captioners Completed transcripts to student captioners Format caption file (YouTube API) Format caption file (YouTube API) Upload caption file-verify timing Upload caption file-verify timing Transcripts for other videos to GA for placement in Blackboard or YouTube cc if possible. Transcripts for other videos to GA for placement in Blackboard or YouTube cc if possible.

SARC Transcription requests for any course (online or classroom) from Student Accessibility Resource Services can enter the process at any stage and take priority over all others.

Process Hierarchy Transcribing / Captioning Process Hierarchy Transcribing / Captioning Process Hierarchy Courses with students who need accommodation Courses with students who need accommodation On Demand courses On Demand courses Courses undergoing QM review Courses undergoing QM review Semester courses with MOA Semester courses with MOA all others and as requested all others and as requested

New New in-house system displays videos/courses in priority order New in-house system displays videos/courses in priority order Transcribing done within the system Transcribing done within the system System records source, transcriber ID, time data, and notifications System records source, transcriber ID, time data, and notifications Records and displays, video/audio length, transcription time - cost Records and displays, video/audio length, transcription time - cost

Lessons Student Employees Student Employees Rigorous hiring process – get the right students Rigorous hiring process – get the right students Develop good training materials Develop good training materials Always monitor quality Always monitor quality Provide avenues for growth Provide avenues for growth Expect students to be students! Expect students to be students!

Resources ADA how to documents and checklists. ADA how to documents and checklists. Course accessibility checklist Course accessibility checklist Course accessibility checklist Course accessibility checklist nce/accessibility/ nce/accessibility/ nce/accessibility/ nce/accessibility/ “Easy ADA” monthly workshops “Easy ADA” monthly workshops “How to Create an ADA Compliant Course Site” online course “How to Create an ADA Compliant Course Site” online course

Contact Anne Honaker