Helping Higher Ed Students with Access to Accessible Course Material During the COVID-19 Crisis (W)

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Helping Higher Ed Students with Access to Accessible Course Material During the COVID-19 Crisis (W)

Webinar title slideAs part of the DAISY Consortium series of free weekly webinars the April 1st saw a session focusing on the needs of higher education students from the UK, USA, Canada and Ireland during this time when their learning is being greatly impacted by international events.

This page contains:

Full Video of the Webinar

Speakers

  • Richard Orme, CEO DAISY Consortium—host and chair
  • Erin Lucas, Senior Director for Digital Accessibility at RedShelf
  • Rick Johnson, Founder and VP, Product Strategy at VitalSource
  • Stacy Ray, Product Manager at VitalSource

This webinar looked in some detail at the programmes being offered by both organizations to assist students during this period namely RedShelf Responds and VitalSource Helps

RedShelf Responds

At RedShelf we believe that education changes the world and that, through technology, we can change education for the better. We believe in win-win solutions that make education more accessible, affordable and impactful for students, and more financially sustainable for educators and content creators.

To ensure that all students have access to their course materials amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, RedShelf have partnered with the publishing community to provide up to 7 free ebooks from participating publishers in the US and Canada.

Features

  • More than 300k titles from 100+ publishers
  • This opportunity is currently set to run through May 25 2020, but if students in Canada have different semester dates and require longer access, this will be arranged
  • Available to any student with a .edu student email address and in the case of organizations who use different email suffixes, alternative arrangements will be made
  • Books added to My Shelf feature can be launched within the RedShelf ereader, a browser based reading system with many accessibility features including, Text-to-Speech controls, keyboard shortcuts, screen reader compatibility etc.
  • RedShelf have a dedicated accessibility team ready to respond to requests for accommodations and samples

RedShelf Links

VitalSource Helps

For nearly two decades, VitalSource has worked to ensure our products are designed from the beginning with accessibility in mind. We go beyond simply adhering to industry standards, as we are also actively involved in helping create those standards through participation in and leadership with key accessibility partners.

VitalSource have made their Bookshelf program available to students, instructors and colleges during the COVID-19 outbreak who may need access in difficult circumstances—at home or elsewhere, both online and offline. Up to 7 titles may be accessed during this time.

Features

  • This opportunity is currently set to run through May 25 2020 in the US, April 30 in Canada and June 30 in the UK and Ireland. If colleges have different semester dates and require longer access this will be arranged.
  • Available to any student with a .edu student email address and in the case of organizations who use different email suffixes, alternative arrangements will be made.
  • The app can be downloaded for ease of use offline. Native apps are 100% capable of being accessed offline.
  • The VitalSource Bookshelf is a digital learning platform and not simply an ereader (the webinar includes an excellent demo of the levels of navigation possible and the excellent compatability with Assistive Technology).
  • Accessibility features include: screen reader support, visual adjustment modes for various different requirements, read aloud tools  and rich learning tools.

Links

Other Resources

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