AccessCORPS
Goals
AccessCORPS will train students (and others) to systematically assess the accessibility of GT course materials, to determine any barriers a student with an impairment or disability or other challenge may face when taking the course. The AccessCORPS team members will then work with the course instructor(s) to reduce access barriers in the materials and other aspects of the course, while also educating the instructor on how to sustain the more-accessible materials and course delivery methods.
Issues Involved or Addressed
AccessCORPS will apply a rigorous method to assess a course and its materials from the perspective of learners with different perceptual, mobility, cognitive, or other impairments. Examples include determining if powerpoint slides contain math, equations, figures, charts, or images that are less accessible to someone with vision impairment or dyslexia. Or assessing whether videos used in the class are accessible to students with hearing impairment or for whom English is not their first language. Once a list of accessibility issues has been compiled, the AccessCORPS team will work with the instructor, providing the skilled labor to improve course materials, and in some cases point out ways to improve course delivery. This approach will (1) identify the level of access challenges facing GT students, even before they try to take a course; (2) improve materials and courses more broadly, before a student with a particular challenge needs to take the course; and (3) help instructors learn how to improve the accessibility of their courses, overall. AccessCORPS will be a “force multiplier” for the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI) and the Office of Disability Services (ODS), providing a trained team to proactively improve Georgia Tech’s educational offerings.
Partners/Sponsors
The main partners in establishing AccessCORPS are the Schools of Psychology and Interactive Computing (both represented by Prof. Bruce Walker) and the GT Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI) (represented by Norah Sinclair). AccessCORPS will also be working closely with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) and other appropriate organizations on campus.
Link(s)
Methods and Technologies
- Accessibility & usability assessment
- Educational technology research & development
- Database development
- Software tools development
- Impact research
- Assistive technology implementation
- Web site design & development
- Technology research
- Public policy research
- Inclusive design
Majors Sought
Computing: Analytics, Human-Computer Interaction
Design: Architectural Technology, Architecture, Building Construction, Building Construction and Facility Management, City and Regional Planning, Geographic Information Science and Technology, Industrial Design, Music Technology, Urban Design
Engineering: Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Health Systems, Industrial Engineering
Liberal Arts: Literature, Media, and Communication
Preferred Interests and Preparation
Students who participate in AccessCORPS will need to complete CITI training (see https://researchintegrity.gatech.edu/irb-required-training), as well as online training in Inclusive and Accessible Course Design (https://gatech.instructure.com/courses/146224). These can be completed in advance, to speed up onboarding. AccessCORPS will provide all students with additional training in how to use the assessment tools to review a course for accessibility hurdles in course materials and delivery, and then to work with instructors to help reduce those hurdles. There are other roles to support the AccessCORPS effort, including web development (front end websites, and back end database integration to keep track of the courses that have been assessed and addressed), software tool development to support the assessments, research into novel technical solutions to improve access (e.g., how to make multimodal graphs that can be embedded into a Powerpoint slide), and research related to educational outcomes, access, and inclusion. Developing (or bringing with you) experience and skills in any of these areas will help a student make faster and more substantial contributions to the AccessCORPS mission.
Advisors
Bruce Walker
Bruce Walker
bruce.walker@psych.gatech.edu
Norah Sinclairnorah.sinclair@design.gatech.edu
Day, Time & Location
Full Team Meeting:
9:30-10:20 Tuesday
Van Leer 465
Subteam meetings scheduled after classes begin.