November 17

Accessing Higher Ground Virtual Conference starting tomorrow

Just a friendly reminder, with a full schedule following: tomorrow, Wednesday, November 18, through Friday, November 20, the Accessing Higher Ground virtual conference will be featured at St. Cloud State University. Brought to you by the Academic Technologies Team, the different sessions (webcasts) will be shown in Miller Center conference rooms 114 and 115.

Pass this along to whomever you think is interested. Accessibility in learning is one of the major themes of today’s higher education. We are happy to have this opportunity right here on our campus.

Finally, the recordings of these sessions will be available after the conference, and we will notify you how to get those.

Virtual Conference Schedule – Live Stream

Wednesday, November 18, 2015, Track “A” Sessions     Miller Center Room 114

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Alt Text Production: Providing More Effective Services and Promoting Student Self-Reliance, Jenna Atkinson, Utah Valley University
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. How to Write a Good Description for Visual Elements, Gaeir Dietrich, HTCTU, Robert Beach, Kansas City Kansas Community College
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Faculty Outreach – Spreading the Gospel of Alternate Format to the Faculty Front Lines, Susan Kelmer, University of Colorado Boulder
1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Keynote Talk: Getting from Barrier-Free to Great User Experiences?, Whitney Quesenbery, UX Researcher & Director of Center for Civic Design
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. School of Social Work and Disability Resources: Working to Make Documents Distributed through LMS Accessible, Krista Greear, Univeristy of Washington
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Designing a Mobile Ready Course with Universal Design, Kate Miller, UC Denver

 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015, Track “B” Sessions     Miller Center Room 115

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. What did I sign up for? Technology Accessibility for New Professionals, Steven Salter, Ashford University
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. What works with faculty? Results from a yearlong faculty-to-faculty accessible instructional materials workshop,   Scott Kupferman, University of Colorado
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. The Challenges of Emerging Technology in Online Education: Tips and Tools for Ensuing Accessibility in the Online Environment, Steven Salter, Ashford University
1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Keynote Talk: Getting from Barrier-Free to Great User Experiences?, Whitney Quesenbery, UX Researcher & Director of Center for Civic Design
3:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. When the Federal Government Comes Knocking on Your Virtual Door– What to Expect in an ADA or 504 Technology Review, Mary Lou Mobley, U.S. Dept. of Education (double-session)

 

Thursday, November 19, 2015, Track “A” Sessions          Miller Center Room 114

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Managing Accessibility in Online Education: WKU Processes and Practices, Anne Honaker, Western Kentucky University
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Creating faculty buy-in for accessibility, Kristi O’Neil-Gonzalez, CSU Channel Islands
1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Plenary Panel: Technology Accessibility in Higher Education — The Student PerspectiveA panel of students with disabilities from across the United States share their challenges, solutions, success stories, and ideas.
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. UDOIT – Instructure Canvas Course Accessibility Checker, Nancy Swenson, UCF

 

Thursday, November 19, 2015, Track “B” Sessions          Miller Center Room 117

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Introducing the Center for Accessible Materials Innovation: A First In The World Project, Robert Martinengo, Georgia Institute of Technology
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Building Accessibility Auditing into Course Development, Kara Zirkle, George Mason University
1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Plenary Panel: Technology Accessibility in Higher Education — The Student PerspectiveA panel of students with disabilities from across the United States share their challenges, solutions, success stories, and ideas.
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. New Developments in Image and Math Content Accessibility 2.0, Sue-Ann Ma, Benetech

 

Friday, November 20, 2015, Track “A” Sessions                Miller Center Room 114

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. E-Learning Accessibility: What Does an Instructor Need to Know?, Sheryl Burgstahler, University of Washington
10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. When the DoJ/OCR makes a visit: Campus leaders discuss lessons learned in resolving complaints about inaccessible IT, Sheryl Burgstahler, University of Washington (double-session)
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Fostering a Course Accessibility Community of Practice, Matt Dingo, Ohio University

 

Friday, November 20, 2015, Track “B” Sessions                Miller Center Room 115

Time Session Information
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Motivating Accessibility Adoption on Campus, Janet Sedgley, University of Montana
10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Taking on the elephant in the room: Implementing innovative procurement processes in a large University system, Tom Siechert, California State University, Fresno
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Getting Mainstream Publishers onto the Accessibility Bandwagon: Why STEM & commercial publishers avoid accessibility, Bevi Chagnon, PubCom — The Publishing Communications Group
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Creating Audio-Tactiles on the Fly, Alexa Schriempf, Penn State University

 

November 16

Recorded Webinars on Online Learning Accessibility

3Play media Recorded Webinars

 

Implementing Universal and Inclusive Design for Online Learning
This webinar discussed how the principles of universal and inclusive design can be applied to the online learning environment, with a particular focus on the accessibility of course content and materials.Here you can find the Recorded webinar of Implementing Universal and Inclusive Design for Online Learning, which includes closed captions and a searchable interactive transcript, as well as the slide deck.

10 Tips for Creating Accessible Online Course Content
With recent lawsuits in higher education and updates to Section 508 on the horizon, it is more important than ever that online learning content be made accessible to students with disabilities. In this webinar, Janet Sylvia, Web Accessibility Group Leader and Web Accessibility Trainer, will provided 10 tips for making your online course material accessible. Here you can find the Recorded webinar of 10 Tips for Creating Accessible Online Course Content, which includes closed captions and a searchable interactive transcript, as well as the slide deck and handout.

Also, see additional free recorded webinars on various topics, including accessibility, captioning, and universal design.

November 3

Free Webinar from Minnesota eLearning Summit: Exploring Affordable Course Content

As our team members attended the Minnesota eLearning Summit this summer, there are some follow up sessions related to the presentations. Here is the information we got:

Over the next eight months, the Minnesota Learning Commons (MnLC is the sponsor of the MN eLearning Summit) will be offering a series of free webinars, many based on the most popular sessions at the 2015 Summit.

This coming Thursday from 1-2 pm,  a session on affordable course content featuring Kristi Jensen and Shane Nackerud from the University of Minnesota is featured. A description of the webinar and connection information is provided below.

Exploring Affordable Course Content: The University of Minnesota Libraries Partnership for Affordable Content Project

Thursday, November 5, 1:00 – 2:00 pm

Session Description

The cost of textbooks and course materials continues to rise and has created financial hardships for many students. In response to this dilemma, the University of Minnesota Libraries created the Partnership for Affordable Content, a competitive grant to help faculty find and use alternative, high-quality, low- or no-cost materials for their courses. The Partnership provides faculty with the opportunity to explore innovative course content options from Open Textbooks to student created course content. Customized teams including library subject and technology specialists and other campus partners focused on teaching and learning will support the creation of innovative, alternative course content. This session will discuss the initiative including goals, project design, proposals received and reviewed, library team development, and next steps.

Connection Instructions:

To join the WebEx:  https://mde.webex.com

Meeting number:  804 981 853

(WebEx can provide both the audio and video)

[If you need to use telephone instead of computer audio, you can also connect via phone:

Call-in toll-free number:  1-888-742-5095

 

Conference Code:  710 945 5454]

 

Related Project Website: https://www.lib.umn.edu/elearning/partnership

 

September 24

Minnesota Online Quality Initiative Webinar series continue

Image credit: minnesota.qualitymatters.org

Image credit: minnesota.qualitymatters.org

All MnSCU faculty and staff are welcome to register for different D2L Brightspace and SIG (Special Interest Group for Learning Spaces & Instructional Technology) webinars.
There are a few that repeat so you can choose a date that works better for you. With the final one in September: D2L Brightspace Advanced: Checklist Tool
to the final one in October: SIG Webinar: Time-Saving Tips for Stressed Out Instructors there is a gamut of helpful one-hour sessions for instructors and staff of our MnSCU institutions. We will keep you posted on more events sponsored by MOQI as well as add these webinars to our calendar!

August 11

MOQI/MnSCU SIG Webinar Resources Now Available!!!

Image credit: minnesota.qualitymatters.org

Image credit: minnesota.qualitymatters.org

In a post last month, we advertised the ongoing series of free webinars sponsored by Minnesota Online Quality Initiative and The MnSCU Special Interest Group (SIG): Learning Spaces & Instructional Technologies in association with D2L Brightspace Webinars. Check our calendar at the bottom of the A.T.T.N! homepage for upcoming events.  Also, you can now access support materials on MOQI’s resource page, including the SIG webinar presentations and handouts.

August 5

How Digital Badges Work

Here is a neat infographic about how digital badges work. For some reason, I thought these badges I kept hearing about were more complicated than this. But no. They really are this simple. I even have one myself. I clicked a button after completing a MOOC last week, and it was magically added to my LinkedIn account. Pretty cool.

Image credit: http://coerll.utexas.edu/coerll/

Image credit: http://coerll.utexas.edu/coerll/

Watch this webinar recording by the Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning (COERLL) at the University of Texas, Austin if you would like to learn more about how one can create and issue badges.

August 5

How to Import Final Grades from D2L to ISRS

Faculty can easily import their D2L final grades into the IRSR (e-services) system. Step-by-step explanation is given in the video/presentation (WebEx recording link) and the Q&A form below. Great news!

Q: How can I set up my D2L Brightspace Grade Book to Enable Importing Final Grades from D2L into ISRS?

A: FAQ 1619 provides links to instructions for the proper set up in the D2L Brightspace Grade Book, and the steps for the import process in ISRS eServices Grade and LDA Entry.

MnSCU provided a WebEx session for CSAs and CTs on this topic last week, recording available at https://mnscu.webex.com/cmp0401lsp13/webcomponents/docshow/docshow.do?siteurl=mnscu&setupStatus=1

Please remember that October 1, 2015 Course Purge begins for Summer 2013 (ISRS YRTR 20141) courses.

Screenshot credit: https://mnscu.webex.com/mnscu/lsr.php?RCID=b78ec2d464984cf1b0e700a8de61073c
Screenshot credit: https://mnscu.webex.com/mnscu/lsr.php?RCID=b78ec2d464984cf1b0e700a8de61073c
July 8

FREE Webinars on Using Brightspace by D2L!!!

The Academic Technologies Team recommends these free webinars for instructors who are new to D2L Brightspace.

For more information, view the PDF: D2LGettingStartedWebinars

Photo credit: www.brightspace.com

The MnSCU Special Interest Group: Learning Spaces & Instructional Technologies will be holding a series of free 1-hour webinars to get faculty who are new to D2L Brightspace up and running. Internet access available from home or campus – whichever works for you. Session size is limited!

The following sessions will be held July 27 thru August 31:

  • Organize Your Content (Content & Course Builder Tools)
  • Using Respondus Quiz Tool
  • D2L Brightspace Quiz Tool
  • News, Classlist and Email
  • D2L Brightspace Discussion Board Tool
  • Points Based Gradebook
  • D2L Brightspace Dropbox

For full description, dates and registration: https://mnquality.eventbrite.com