Digital accessibility guide

Accessible content on Moodle and lecture capture recordings are a real help for students.In addition there are accommodations and reasonable adjustments or  you can make to ensure access for disabled students. Adjustments can help assistive technology users to navigate our digital and physical learning environments. 

If you are unsure about making an adjustment, or what impact it might have, you can ask for guidance from; Student Health and Wellbeing, your LEaD Academic Practice Liaison contact and the Digital Accessibility Team. 

This guidance brings together some of the common reasonable adjustments staff can make or be asked to make and how to make them.

The guides are sections from existing guides on this site, to view the entire guide please use the search box or menu. 

• A notetaker may need access to Moodle
• Accessible documents can be converted into alternative formats, using the ALLY tool in Moodle
• Recordings for self study can have their captions made accurate 
• Media space Recordings may need to be downloaded so they can be used with an assistive technology
• Lecture Capture Recordings may need to be downloaded so they can be used with an assistive technology
• Lecture Capture Live stream enabled  to help with access and note taking
• A student may need to use a hearing loop or other device in a live lecture, the presenter will need to wear an additional lapel mic that connects to the students laptop 
• A document or exam paper may need to be ordered in printed Braille
• A course or year audit for accessible content and consistency can help staff teams prepare to welcome a disabled student 

You can request support from our Digital Accessibility section on the IT Self Service Portal.

We can help with:

• Making documents and Moodle module resources accessible,
• Caption correction,
• A disability referral.

A user supporting a student at the Clerkenwell or Moorgate campuses will need a university account to access systems including Moodle.  

1. Student Health and Wellbeing team complete the create/extend account request for each support user to request a Unitemps account.  
2. Once the Unitemps account is created, the Unitemp needs to contact IT Self Service (020 7040 8181) to get their password.
3. The Unitemp needs to login to Moodle once to activate their account. 
4. Once the Moodle account is activated, the Student Health and Wellbeing team contact the relevant course officer to provide the Notetaker’s name and @city.ac.uk email address and details of the student that they are working with 
5. The Course Office will enrol support users onto the relevant modules as a Student Observer.
6. If the Notetakers need access to Zoom meetings, the Course Office will need to provide a list of these users to IT via IT Self Service Portal. The Notetakers will be added to an external exception group to get access to Zoom. 

1. Select the Download Alternative Formats icon that appears next to file resources. An overlay window will open.

   

2. Choose the alternative format that is best for your needs and select the Download button.

   

3. The file will be produced in the background. Once ready, it will download to your computer. This can take a few seconds.
4. Select the x icon on the top right of the alternative formats overlay to return to your Moodle module.

You can request caption correction for MediaSpace videos on the IT Self Service Portal.

You will need to provide the following information to help the team process your request.

• Links to videos hosted on MediaSpace
• Confirm your videos are set as Unlisted on Media Space
• Note any important deadlines (please note that we cannot guarantee any dates of delivery)
• If not currently hosted on MediaSpace, please add a note to the request form

As well as being viewable online, videos on the Kaltura platform can be downloaded for offline viewing. Enabling downloads can only be done by the owner or co-editor of the video - students cannot do this themselves. Once enabled, the video owner can download the film and make it available to their students via a file-sharing platform, such as OneDrive.

Lapel microphones can be used in a number of learning spaces. This gives you the flexibility to move away from the Pod and the front of the room while still ensuring that your voice is picked up on the Lecture Capture recording. 

Downloads are set to off by default. The content owner can enable the setting for students to download Lecture Capture recordings in a module. Alternatively the content owner can download or give permission for a staff member enrolled on the Moodle module to download a recording and make it available to an individual student. 

Students may require a download for a specific purpose e.g. to review the recording with assistive technology such as Caption.Ed, Jamworks . When sharing the download, remind students that they are required to comply with the Online Teaching Materials and Lecture Recordings Policy and use downloads only for their own study and delete the recording when it is no longer required. 

Users enrolled in staff roles on modules including Lecturers, Programme Administrators, Teaching Assistants, Staff Observers can download separate files of the Lecture Capture recording. Whomever is listed as the content owner must make the decision/be informed before the recording is downloaded. The recording will download to your device and then you can share it with the student via OneDrive.

Download a recording

1. Select the link to Lecture Capture on the Moodle module.
2. If Echo360 does not open automatically, select Open in new window. A list of recordings for the module will be listed.
3. Navigate to the relevant recording.
4. Select the video button to open the menu. Select Download Original.

5. An overlay will open with options for download.
   • The images on the left of the overlay are the recording sources. Option 1 is a recording of the data projector which may include a PowerPoint presentation, your browser display or the visualiser. Option 2 is the video or the presenter or the whiteboard.
   • Full and Lower refer to the quality of the recording. It is worth downloading both and checking with the student which option works best for them.
6. Choose the Full link alongside the first option which is the recording of the data projector (e.g. PowerPoint). The audio will be included in the download.
7. Choose the Lower link alongside the first option.
8. The recordings will download to your device. 
9. Upload to OneDrive and share with the named student.

If you need to combine both video streams, you can create the split-screen effect using Adobe Rush.

Lecture Capture recordings are automatically scheduled for timetabled "lectures" and record the following sources:  

• Audio (A) 
• Data Projector (D) 
• Video Camera (V) 

You can request live stream for automated Lecture Capture recordings via Automated Lecture Capture change of details form on IT Self Service Portal. 

Where a student has requested exam materials in Braille format, the following steps must be taken to ensure timely and appropriate arrangements: 

1. Student Support Plan (SSP) 

• The student’s SSP must clearly state the requirement for Braille exam papers. 

• Specify the Braille version required (e.g. UEB). 

• The SSP should include all relevant details to inform staff of timelines, approval processes, and point(s) of contact. 

The university has a Braille supplier that can be accessed via purchasing A2i Transcription Services - Accessible Formats & Document Transcription

The University has invested in Roger On system to support students, staff, and visitors with hearing loss. The Roger On transmits speech directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants, helping to overcome distance and noise. This is the University’s hearing loop solution. 

If a someone is using a Roger On in a lecture theatre, they will ask the presenter to wear an additional microphone around their neck. This will transmit your voice to the users hearing aid. If you have multiple users who are using the Roger On system, they can all pair to the one microphone. 

If a someone is using a Roger On in a meeting, they may need to place the microphone on the table or ask for it to be held. 

Picking up and returning Roger On

Roger On is available to collect from the Reception areas in College Building, Northampton Square and Bayes Bunhill Row.

Contact: cuol-receptionteams@teams.city.ac.uk

• Students and staff who use Roger On can pick up and return it from one of the main Reception areas. They will be asked to sign the device out and back in. 
• Visitors need to have their Roger On loan sponsored by a staff member who will be responsible for signing out and returning the Roger On system. 
• Collect the Roger On in advance so you charge it before use. There's no limit on how early you can collect before your event.
• Staff members hosting visitors should send them the specifications for Roger On in advance so they can check it against their aids. It can also work with cochlear implants

If you need to improve your user experience when accessing digital content, the Library Services team has produced guidance on how to activate accessibility features:

• Guidance on enhancing digital reading
• Guidance on accessing PDFs
• Assistive technology and additional support
• Reasonable adjustments guidance from Student Health and Wellbeing

The Events team can assist with planning events and have many resources you can consult. They provide support with reasonable notice.

Some tips to ensure an accessible experience venue and audience experience:

• Provide opportunities at the booking stage for those with disabilities or those associated with a person with disability to contact the team in advance and make appropriate arrangements.
• Ensure that staff and student ambassadors are briefed on accessible facilities.
• Make sure that all wheelchair-accessible routes are clear, from entrance to event venue.
• Ensure that hearing loops are available and publicised, wherever possible.
• Make sure that a sign language interpreter is available, if required and when given sufficient notice.
• Ensure that wheelchair space is kept free for wheelchair-users only.
• Brief student ambassadors on appropriate ways to assist audience members, where relevant.

Further resources

• Equality and diversity guidelines for marketing and communications
• Creating accessible documents
• Presenting tips