ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology Vol. 14, No. 1, March 2006, pp. 69���78 ISSN 0968-7769 (print)/ISSN 1741-1629 (online)/06/010069���10 �� 2006 Association for Learning Technology DOI: 10.1080/09687760500479860 Holistic approaches to e-learning accessibility Lawrie Phippsa and Brian Kelly*b aJISC TechDis Service bUKOLN, UK Taylor and Francis Ltd CALT_A_147969.sgm 10.1080/09687760500479860 ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology 0968-7769 (print)/1741-1629 (online) Original Article 2006 Taylor & Francis 14 1 000000March 2006 BrianKelly b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk The importance of accessibility to digital e-learning resources is widely acknowledged. The World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative has played a leading role in promoting the importance of accessibility and developing guidelines that can help when developing accessible web resources. The accessibility of e-learning resources provides additional challenges. While it is impor- tant to consider the technical and resource related aspects of e-learning when designing and developing resources for students with disabilities, there is a need to consider pedagogic and contex- tual issues as well. A holistic framework is therefore proposed and described, which in addition to accessibility issues takes into account learner needs, learning outcomes, local factors, infrastructure, usability and quality assurance. The practical application and implementation of this framework is discussed and illustrated through the use of examples and case studies. Introduction The importance of universal accessibility to web resources is widely acknowledged (Witt & McDermott, 2002 Kelly et al., 2005a). The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (WC3) has developed guidelines that help to ensure web resources can be accessed by people with disabilities. With the Web providing the main delivery channel for e-learning resources, it would appear that adhering to the WAI guidelines should be a requirement for e-learning develop- ment. However, we put the case for a wider perspective that recognises the limitations of implementing the WAI guidelines. Challenges in implementing the WAI WCAG guidelines The WC3 (the body responsible for the coordination of developments to web stan- dards) established the WAI with a remit to lead the Web to its full potential with a *Corresponding author. UKOLN, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk

70 L. Phipps and B. Kelly particular reference to promoting a high degree of accessibility for people with disabil- ities. The WAI has successfully raised awareness of the importance of web accessibil- ity and developed guidelines that help to ensure web resources are accessible, with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (WAI, 1999, 2004) being of partic- ular relevance to developers of web resources. In 2001 the UK Government introduced the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (HMSO, 2001), bringing the previously excluded elements of the education sector within the remit of existing anti-discrimination legislation. In the same year the Joint Information Systems Committee established the TechDis service with a remit for all aspects of technology and disability within education. Since 2001 the service has been working with other intermediaries to try and understand the ramifications of the legislation for, among other things, e-learning. An excellent overview of the legislation highlighting many of the issues that would be affected by the legislation is given in Willder (2002). However, she concludes that until the legislation is tested it will be difficult to draw conclusions. Sloan (2002) suggests that there is little doubt that e-learning will be within the scope of UK legis- lation: [���] it can be seen that there is likely to be a duty on higher and further education institu- tions to ensure that their online teaching resources and VLEs are provided in a form acces- sible to disabled students. Further, institutions will be expected to make ���reasonable adjustments��� to overcome these problems and are unlikely to be able to justify continuing discrimination. Over a period of four years the authors have been working together with academic staff and individuals working in the policy area to better understand how standards and guidelines fit together with UK legislation, and how that then transposes onto the learning experience of a disabled student in the United Kingdom. In working with learning technologists, disability staff and lecturers, the authors have come to some interesting conclusions and challenges to those who are working in the field of acces- sibility. For example, Kelly et al. (2005b) describe some of the experiences of staff involved in e-learning attempting to map their work onto WCAG guidelines. They conclude that while the WCAG guidelines have a very important role to play in the creation of more generic web-based materials, it is difficult to relate the same approach to a rich e-learning experience that is accessible to all students. They reflect that the application of guidelines to individual objects can create proble A holistic approach As a result of the increasing emphasis on accessibility within higher and further education, accessibility has generally become synonymous with web accessibility or the accessibility of e-learning. However, to staff who are just starting out in educa- tional development or using technology in a very iterative way with students, the application of accessibility-related standards and guidelines can be at best a discour- agement or at worst damaging, preventing staff from exploring the potential of e- learning (Kelly et al., 2003a, b).