Why, how and for whom should we ensure equity and access in educational settings that require online participation?

     Why should we ensure equity and access in educational settings that require online participation?  According to the statistics seen in the Introduction to Digital Accessibility video by citizensonline.org.uk, accessibility is an issue with 60% of the audience.  I see the access issues discussed in this week’s readings as 2 distinct matters.  One issue is simple access to the internet.  Rural areas, economically depressed areas, mountainous areas may not have direct access to the internet.  The Pew report that we are reading or this week gives statistics that show that internet access is not equal across the U.S.  The other issue has to do with the accessibility of people who already have access to the World Wide Web, but have a disability that hinders their user experience of the internet.  Disabilities include and are not limited to: blindness or other vision problems, deafness or other hearing problems; and impaired use of the arms or hands.  Designers must keep these users in mind when designing online content in order to reach a maximum amount of students.  Our society is increasingly using internet technology for banking, commerce and education.  This is important because keeping the internet accessible to all is good for business and education.    

    How should we ensure equity and access in educational settings that require online participation?  Accessibility and equity should be part of the planning of an online educational experience.  Disabled users should be involved in testing pilot digital content.  There should be options to improve the user experience for disabled students.  Some options could be BIGGER PRINT for the visually impaired.  There could be audio options for the blind.  Closed caption options for the hearing impaired.  Other methods of improving the usability of educational sites would be giving the learner certain options such as changing the color of the content in the case of color blindness; or cutting out pop-ups and flashing screens that can cause seizures to sensitive viewers.  Features such as these would enable disabled learners to access online course content safely, efficiently and effectively.

     The developers of online educational programs must be aware and sensitive to these issues.  This highlights the importance of this course, social and ethical issues in the digital age.  As emerging technology educators, we have to be educated in access and equity issues.  Organizations concerned with these access and equity issues in the digital age were mentioned in the coursework: Citizensonline.org.uk, DAC (Digital Accessibility Center) and Dig Inclusion.  These groups advocate for equity and access for all internet users.  There are also conferences for educators that deal with these issues.  I believe that as the internet is growing, more conferences and education will be provided to ensure that equity and access is an important part of designing online educational programs.