What do UDL concepts look like in the "real world" outside of educational settings?
Could this be an example?
While visiting Point Pleasant Park in Halifax this morning with my family, I noticed these QR codes posted to Tour Site signs. It turns out these QR codes link to a website with audio commentary about various points of interest in the park. (Click on the photos above to hear the audio files for this particular site. Click here to visit the main website with all thirteen audio files of sites in the park.)
What a fantastic idea! This seems to be an excellent example of UDL concepts being used in general society, providing for greater access (in this case, to information) to a wider audience. Consider someone who might have vision impairments and can't read the information plaque, or another visitor who may be overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and pictures so common on park signs. It is also appealing to a general audience just because of its novelty - it isn't considered to be "special" or "assistive", which is an important part of the UDL principle.
While not strictly related to assistive technology, in another area of the park there was a summer camp group playing with various toys, kites, balls, etc. The children in this camp had special needs, and the ratio of children to counsellors appeared to be very close to 1:1. It was great to see these children having the opportunity to enjoy summer camp, just as any other child would. Instead of being "squirreled away" somewhere in a gymnasium or classroom on a beautiful summer day - I'm sure that would be the "easy" option - these children were able to enjoy the sunshine, the beach and the nice weather in a safe environment. Wonderful!
No comments:
Post a Comment