The ultimate aim of HEDforALL is to develop educational material practices and DE/e-Learning methodologies for digital education in higher education. The project’s specific objectives are: 1. To identify the needs of SwD for accessible materials in different courses and the needs revealed by distance education. 2. To examine the knowledge and experience of higher education staff and accessibility advisors regarding accessible materials and DE practices for SwD, and assess their training needs and the impact of training. 3. To build capacity for staff to create accessible materials and DE methods for inclusive classes, providing SwD with quality educational opportunities. 4. To develop and evaluate accessible materials for SwD in terms of accessibility, usability, and educational efficacy through user studies. 5. To create training materials for staff (e.g., guides, videos, DE programs) with practices for accessible materials and DE implementation. 6. To run pilot accessible DE courses and assess their accessibility and learning outcomes. 7. To create the first open online repository of accessible educational materials. 8. To share results internationally.
The strength of society lies in education and research at Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). However, many Students with Disabilities (SwD) (e.g., visual, hearing, physical/mobility impairments, and learning difficulties) are denied access due to barriers in accessible digital education (e.g., digital materials and Distance Education). Teaching SwD in higher education presents challenges due to the lack of accessible resources for specific disabilities and the lack of digital skills among academic staff to meet SwD’s needs. There is a gap in research on the needs of SwD regarding accessible materials and Distance Education. The “Holistic Approach to Accessible Higher Education” (HEDforALL) project aims to address this. It seeks to improve inclusion by supporting academic staff in developing the digital skills needed to provide accessible resources and adapt to digital education. HEDforALL will inform teaching staff and accessibility advisors about accessible materials and distance education for SwD. It will create guides for accessible materials and DE courses, as well as an online repository of accessible educational resources for use by educators and others.