Digitization is the way for inclusive academics

Abstract:

In 1980 before digitization, all the processes ware carried out manually in academic institutions. admission, examination, transcript request etc was manual. Notices, circulars, Course material was in printed format. Very little use of educational aid in teaching and learning process.

This manual activities was posing several challenges in inclusion of all the stakeholders in academic system. Digitization of academic system has resolved almost issues for creation of inclusive academics.

This paper presents a review on impact of digitization for development of inclusive academics. How digitization has helped to include every one regardless of their physical ability, age, gender, athnicity, geography and demography etc.

 The paper also highlight various computer aided assistive technologies for inclusion of persons with disabilities in academics and its role in digital academic services.

  

Background:

Before digitization, schools, colleges and universities ware communicating all the academic services manually using printed documents. Institutional brochures , course admission forms, notices, circulars, letters, academic course material etc was in printed format. Persons with print disabilities like persons with blindness and low vision ware finding all the information inaccessible to them since they ware unable to read and comprehend such information without assistance of sighted person. Communication to the students, faculties and other stakeholders ware manual through post and courier. It was time consuming. All the non digital communication was very much difficult to understand for specially persons with disabilities. Persons with visual impairment was required braille course material which was challenging to provide them in timely manner. . persons with disabilities have to struggle a lot for higher schooling during course selection, admission, classroom learning, exam preparation, writing exams, project and internship, research work, placement and recreational activities.

Faculties and students ware using mechanical educational aids in instructional designing and delivery that was not helping to include persons with all kinds of abilities. Wooden board and markers, papers etc was insufficient to convey information to the students with disabilities. Faculties with disabilities ware also having difficulties in operating and preparing for talks and presentations.

Digitization has changed the entire scenario and it has played crucial role in the inclusion of persons with all kinds of abilities with varied background.

Impact of digitization on inclusive academics:

As more and more university information and educational materials migrate to the web, it has increasingly becomes  accessible to people with disabilities. Functions such as course registration, tuition payment, financial aid applications, notices, circulars, news and events and so on are central to any student’s experience at a university. When those functions are available on the web, they allow for access any time, from anywhere not only to the individuals with disabilities but also all others. If the content is constructed and with web accessibility standards and guidelines, then students with disabilities are afforded a new level of freedom previously inexperienced. For example, students with blindness can use computer software that reads the web content out loud to them. thus eliminating their previous reliance on other people to read the content to them. Persons with low vision can enlarge the digital content and read it. Persons with motor disabilities can access the digital content with the use of speech recognition software. Persons with auditory and speech impairment use sign language interpreter. Persons with cognitive and neurological disabilities can use augmentative and alternative communication software tools.  On the other hand, if the content is not digitized, then students with disabilities will be denied the benefits that should be available to them to the same extent that it should be available to all other students.

In order for this to happen consistently over time, universities and colleges must adopt both a policy and a system that supports digitization of institutional programs, services and activities. Teachers, students, researchers use internet for their routine academic assignment. Blogs posts, forums, social media, Videos  are very commonly used by them because it is easily accessible to every one including persons with disabilities.

Digitization and Universal Designing for Learning:

Digitization is the key driver for Universal Designing for Learning as many tools and applications uses digital system such as web, digital projectors and displays, audio devices, learning management tools etc.

Multi-modal instructional design and learning is facilitated by Digital systems. Digital content can be available in many forms such as text, audio and video, large print, braille, pictorial and graphical etc. Also it is very easy  to convert digital content in any format in short time.

 Digitization provide several options for learning such as distance learning through online programs, classroom learning through various means, Practical learning in Laboratories etc.

Digitization of Libraries:

Digital or online libraries has crucial role for inclusion of persons with varied abilities. All type of study material such as books, journals, magazines, short articles etc is readily available in digital library which can be either read by persons with disabilities with the use of computer aided assistive technologies like screen readers, screen magnifiers, sign language interpreters etc.

Conclusion:

Digitization of institutional programs, services and activities has made academics more inclusive and accessible for every one including persons with disabilities.

It is recommended to the academic institution to make its all the processes digital if they wish to make their academics inclusive and accessible.