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Contents

Accessible and Inclusive e-Learning for All
In Brief
Mind Map OverviewMind Map Overview
Top tips for optimising accessibility in WordTop tips for optimising accessibility in Word
Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint
Top tips for optimising accessibility in Adobe PDF
AccessApps: Open Source and Freeware Applications

Accessible and Inclusive e-Learning for All: A guide to ensure e-learning materials are accessible and inclusive by Craig Mill and the RSC Scotland North & East is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.0 UK: License.

Accessible and Inclusive e-Learning for All

The aim of this Guide is to bring together examples of good practice in to one succinct document to ensure your teaching and e-learning materials are accessible and inclusive for a diverse range of learning needs.

The Guide is an Open Source/Content document. This means that you are free to download the whole guide or any part of the guide, amend the content to suit your needs and then freely distribute it.

You can choose to download the complete Guide or individual sections, for example, ‘Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft Word’, ‘Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint’ etc.

The Guide is also available in a range of alternative formats, such as MP3 and digital talking book (DTB). You can read the free Open Source Amis to read the DTB format.

To download the complete Guide in MS Word format select this link (editable version)

To download the complete Guide in MP3 format select this link

To download the complete Guide in PDF (accessible) format select this link

In Brief

Mind Map Overview

Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft Word

Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint

Top tips for optimising accessibility in Adobe PDF

Mind Map OverviewMind Map Overview

You can preview a mind map which highlights the main features contained in the Guide, for example, Optimising Accessibility in Word, PowerPoint, PDF, Accessible Networks, Mobile Learning etc.

To download the mind map in PDF format select this link

To download the mind map in an editable version (Xmind) select this link

To download the free version of Xmind select this link

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Top tips for optimising accessibility in WordTop tips for optimising accessibility in Word

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Word (Word format) (editable version)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Word (DTB format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Word (MP3 format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Word (Large Print)

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Top tips for optimising accessibility in Microsoft PowerPoint

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in PowerPoint (Word format) (editable version)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in PowerPoint (DTB format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in PowerPoint (MP3 format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in PowerPoint (Large Print)

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Top tips for optimising accessibility in Adobe PDF

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Adobe PDF (Word format) (editable version)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Adobe PDF (DTB format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Adobe PDF (MP3 format)

Download the top tips to optimise accessibility in Adobe PDF (Large Print)

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AccessApps: Open Source and Freeware Applications

AccessApps: Portable assistive technology on a USB flash drive

AccessApps consists of a range of open source and freeware assistive technology applications which can be accessed from a USB flash drive.

These programs will run without the need to install them onto a computer and offer a range of e-learning solutions to support writing, reading and planning as well as visual and mobility difficulties.

There are over 40 applications, utilties and learning games pre-installed on AccessApps – something for everyone!

AccessApps also features the complete series of TechDis ‘Accessibility Essentials’ in an accessible web-based format as well as a comprehensive easy-to-follow user guide.

Introductory video clip
If you are still unsure what open source software and portable applications are you can find out more by watching the introductory video clip.
To download and view the video clip select this link

To read the video clip text transcript select this link

Download AccessApp

The aim of the download section is to allow learning support staff and/or students to choose which portable application best suits their individual need and to download the chosen application to their USB drive.

This flexible approach will enable AccessApps to support a range of learning needs. For example, AccessApps could comprise of portable applications to support specific and general needs, such as visual, reading and writing etc.

To visit the AccessApps download page select this link

Step-by-step tutorials
To get you up and running with AccessApps and to help familiarise you with some of the portable applications and utilities, you can download a step-by-step introductory guide. This is available in a variety of formats, for example, PDF and a range of accessible and alternative formats such as MP3 and DAISY/digital talking book.

Click here to dowload the tutorial in PDF format

Right click and choose ‘Save Target As’ to download the tutorial in MP3 format
Right click and choose ‘Save Target As’ to download the tutorial in DAISY format

The MP3 and DTB files are in a compressed folder. Right click on the folder and select ‘Extract All’ to your desktop or a location of your choice.
You can play the DAISY files in Amis, a DAISY reader on AccessApps.

Video tutorials
We have also provided video/screencasts which you can use to supplement the guide or use as standalone tutorials. These guides are based around the assistive technology support programs and include tutorials on alternative web browsers, mind mapping and magnification software.

To get started select the tutorial of your choice from the list below:
FreeMind
Freemind is a visual learning tool which can help you plan and organise your thoughts – great for essay writing. Watch the FreeMind mind mapping tutorial
Mozilla Calendar
Plan your day, week and all your appointments with Sunbird calendar.
Watch the Mozilla Sunbird Calendar tutorial
RapidSet
Change background and font colours with RapidSet
Watch the RapidSet tutorial
TheSage
Find out the definitions of words and much, much more!
Watch TheSage tutorial
Vu-Bar
If you find reading large chunks of text difficult Vu-Bar will help you to read on line of text at a time.
Watch the Vu-Bar tutorial
Virtual Magnifying Glass
Increase the size of icons, toolbars, menus and text – works in all Windows applications.
Watch the Virtual Magnifying Glass tutorial
WebbIE
Toggle between text and visual views with this flexible and accessible browser.
Watch the WebIE accessible browser tutorial
Podcatcher
Listen to your favourite podcasts with this accessible podcaster.
Watch the accessible Podcatcher tutorial
Click N Type
Virtual keyboard with load of accessible features.
Watch the Click N Type tutorial
Audacity
Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems.

Audacity as describe on Teachers Tube

Another Audacity Video Tutorial.
Hott Notes
Hott notes is the free sticky notes reminder program for your desktop. Not only can you post sticky note reminders, you can make checklists, set alarms, draw on your notes, and archive.

Link to the Hott Notes Website for more information
KeePass
Today you need to remember many passwords. You need a password for the Windows network logon, your e-mail account, your homepage’s online passwords, etc. The list is endless and can be a nightmare if like many people you can’t remember passwords for all your accounts.

KeePass is a free open source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way. You can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key file. So you only have to remember one single master password or select the key file to unlock the whole database
Watch this video tutorial about KeePass
Dasher
Dasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is useful wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used – for example when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse; when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker)

To see a video explanation about Dasher follow this link.

Dasher – a success story for of Dasher being used by a student with cerebral palsy.

DSpeech

A free and portable text to speech resource.

Watch a DSpeech Video from TechDis.

Cam Studio
Camstudio is screen capture software which will record (in AVI format) any activity that is occurring on a computer screen. Camstudio also synchronises the audio (either via a microphone or directly from the computer).This software can enable resources to be produced very quickly and easily without expensive software. Camstudio can also be used by learners to create interactive learning resources themselves. It can output as .avi or .swf format.

Watch a video describing how to use Cam Studio.

Wink

Wink is a tool for creating interactive learning resources. Wink enables users to capture screenshots, add explanation boxes, buttons, audio content and titles. These screen shots can then be joined together to produce a ‘movie’. Each screen can have a number of text and audio descriptions added to the image, creating a multi layered learning object with wide accessibility.

View the Techdis video on using Wink
TopOCR
TopOCR converst a digital image into editable text which can be converted toMP3 audio directly to your Portable Music Player. TopOCR makes it easy to use your camera as a mobile scanner to capture and OCR documents.

Find out more about how to use TopOCR
OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org is open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages such as Microsoft Office.

This tutorial will give you more information about how to use the OpenOffice applications such as OpenOffice Writer, Impress, Base and Calc.

Follow this link to view the image based tutorials.
PowerReader
PowerReader is a dyslexic text reader/learning tool, a graphical, interactive text reader integrated with text-to-speech and is according to the user’s needs. Items can grow or shrink in size as they are read by the software, and the color of the text can also be adjusted. The user can adjust the speed the text is read through. This project idea was originally submitted by a dyslexic lady and developed at the University of Southern California.

Find out more about PowerReader by following this link
Acknowledgements
We would like thank the following developers for allowing us to use their software on AccessApps.

RapidSet and Vu-Bar: http://www.fxc.btinternet.co.uk/

TheSage: http://www.sequencepublishing.com/thesage.html

D-Speech: http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/

Power Reader: http://www.projectpossibility.org/viewProject.php?id=1

Amis DAISY Reader: http://amis.sourceforge.net/

Type Faster Typing Tutor: http://www.typefastertypingtutor.com/

Virtual Magnifying Glass: http://magnifier.sourceforge.net/

WebIE and Podcatcher: http://www.webbie.org.uk/

Click N Type: http://www.lakefolks.org/cnt/

MouseTool: http://www.mousetool.com/index.html

Dasher: http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/

ArtWeaver: http://www.artweaver.de/index.php?artweaver_en