Digital Curriculum Resources
Dr. Sarah Morley Wilkins
Principal Manager, Centre for Accessible Information RNIB
Overview
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Digital access in schools for print-disabled learners
Digital resources to support learners
Training / guidance resources for staff
Shiny stuff
Impact on staff and learners
The future
Team effort!
Digital access in schools – 1
 Barriers to reading standard textbooks for 1/10 learners
 Varying reading needs of print-disabled learners
 Rapid growth of accessible tech: mobiles, tablets, apps, social
networking – policy implications
 Digital publishing: not necessarily accessible
[3 photographic images are shown:
 A boy using a laptop
 A boy using a textbook in School
 A girl reading Braille]
Digital access in schools – 2
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Isolated practitioners with expertise
Range of IT and AT skills
IT network requirements
Time-consuming location and conversion of resources
Skilled process
Duplication of effort
Limited training and guidance resources
[Photographic image of a group of 5 people using computers]
Barriers – impact on learners
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Little or delayed textbook access
Unwieldy, inflexible formats
Reduced participation, motivation, literacy, achievement
Limited independent learning skills
Social isolation
Lack of technology skills for life
[Photographic image of a boy sitting at a desk with his head in his
hands]
Accessible digital reading solutions
[6 photographic images are shown:
 A person wearing headphones
 A daisy player
 An Amazon Kindle
 An iPhone with earphones
 A person using an iPad
 A Humanware Brailliant]
Digital accessible curriculum resource collections
Plus training and guidance for staff:
 www.booksforallscotland.org.uk
 www.Load2Learn.org.uk
Load2Learn – RNIB and Dyslexia Action
 For staff to support print-disabled learners
 Downloadable accessible curriculum resources and training
 An integrated collection of:
 Textbooks, images, past exam papers, sheet music, worksheets
 2,400 books and 2,400 images (increasing daily):
 Multiple file formats and accessible formats:
 Word, MP3, DAISY, Kindle, EPUB, PDF, CorelDraw
 Ready to use electronically, also easily customisable
 Content from: RNIB, educators, publishers, exam boards, arts and
leisure
Structured Word files – the key!
 Styles give structure for navigation and consistency
 Easy to use immediately or to modify
 Easy to convert to other accessible formats
[2 images are shown, demonstrating how to structure Word documents:
 A computer monitor with text and a picture
 A computer monitor with large print text]
Accessible images
 Tactile and large print images with descriptions
 Use on-screen or print out
 Print-ready and editable files
[2 photographic images are shown:
 A boy using a Braille textbook
 A girl using a large print textbook]
Guidance for staff
To reduce isolation, scarce expertise, and lack of technical knowledge:
 For all types of staff role
 Factsheets, tips, help, ‘how to’ guides, videos
 Online training course
 Immediate and cost-effective
 Case studies
 Forum coming soon
[Photographic image of a woman sitting at a desk reading and another
woman standing next to her pointing to a page]
Shiny stuff – 1
 Timely solution to an immediate and medium-term problem
 Legal framework to safeguard copyright
Content
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Automated publisher book request-fulfilment
Easy upload, uses Book Data Service
Quality threshold, validation
Automated back-end file converter tools
Cross-referenced metadata
User-traceable watermarking
[2 images are shown:
 An Oxford geography textbook
 Diagram of the lungs]
Shiny stuff – 2
User features
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Group membership and management
Clever search: basic and advanced
Filters: geographic, format, educational level
Browse categories
Engaging content
eNewsletter and Twitter
Access through other software for authenticated members
Positive outcomes for staff and learners
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Access and efficiency
Resource sharing
Awareness of need
Standards and skills
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Access and choice
Independent study
Confidence and skills
Enjoyment
Improved behaviour
Achievement
[4 photographic images are shown:
 A School boy looking at the camera
 2 girls using a laptop and laughing
 A boy using a laptop
 A girl reading Braille]
The future for digital curriculum resources
 Growing collection(s) of assets – adaptable
 Improved IT skills – teachers and learners
 Increased recognition of learner’s needs
Influencing accessibility and affordability:
 Publishing:
 “Born Digital” and “Born Accessible”
 Complex education content
 Digital learning and assessment
 Mainstream and assistive technology
 3D printing
Take action now – go digital!
 Review your learners’ reading needs
 Register for Load2Learn and Books For All and start using resources
and training content!
 Promote digital resources and contribute content
 Embed school-wide digital curriculum tech, resources and skills
 Look at RNIB’s pages on tablets in the classroom:
www.rnib.org.uk/classroomtablets
 Provide us with impact evidence
[Photographic image of Mother and Son using a laptop at a desk with a
pile of books next to them]
www.load2learn.org.uk
info@load2learn.org.uk
0300 303 8313
sarah.morelywilkins@rnib.org.uk