HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ACCESSIBLE HIGHER EDUCATION

The strength of society lies in education and research at Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). However, many Students with Disabilities (SwD) (e.g., visual, hearing, physical/mobility impairments, ...

The ultimate aim of HEDforALL is to develop educational material practices and DE/e-Learning methodologies for digital education in higher education. The project’s specific objectives are: 1. To identify the needs of SwD for accessible materials in different courses and the needs revealed by distance education. 2. To examine the knowledge and experience of higher education staff and accessibility advisors regarding accessible materials and DE practices for SwD, and assess their training needs and the impact of training. 3. To build capacity for staff to create accessible materials and DE methods for inclusive classes, providing SwD with quality educational opportunities. 4. To develop and evaluate accessible materials for SwD in terms of accessibility, usability, and educational efficacy through user studies. 5. To create training materials for staff (e.g., guides, videos, DE programs) with practices for accessible materials and DE implementation. 6. To run pilot accessible DE courses and assess their accessibility and learning outcomes. 7. To create the first open online repository of accessible educational materials. 8. To share results internationally.

The aim of HEDforALL was to develop educational material practices and DE/e-Learning methodologies for accessible digital education for SwD in higher education. To achieve this, 8 project results and 4 multiplier events were delivered. Studies involved 164 participants, including 33 accessibility advisors and131 teaching staff from Higher Education Institutes, as well as 193 SwD (with visual, hearing, physical/mobility impairments, and learning difficulties). The first part of HEDforALL involved research on end users—SwD, teaching staff, and accessibility advisors. The studies investigated the needs of SwD for adapted educational materials across various courses and the challenges posed by distance education. They also assessed the knowledge and experience of teaching staff and advisors regarding accessible materials and DE practices for SwD, identifying training needs. The second part focused on designing and developing adapted materials, evaluating their accessibility, usability, and effectiveness, and implementing pilot DE courses. It also involved creating an online repository of accessible educational materials. The third part implemented multiplier events to share project results, focusing on building capacity for educators and advisors to make digital education more accessible and inclusive.