Holistic vision for creating accessible services based on MOOCs

Abstract

MOOCs are examples of the evolution of eLearning environments towards more a revolutionary computer and mobile-based scenario along with social technologies that will lead to the emergence of new kinds of learning applications that enhance communication and collaboration processes. The flexibility of the learning service students to learn at their own time, place and pace, enhancing continuous communication and interaction between all participants in knowledge and community building, especially benefits people with disabilities and therefore can improve their level of employability and social inclusion.
 However, the access to MOOC platforms still present barriers, there is also a lack of accessibility on the learning resources, the communicating tools and even personalized user interfaces. All these issues present definitive barriers that add extra difficulties such as the need to develop specific digital or even social skills for students with functional diversity. Therefore, an holistic vision of different strategies regarding the achievement of accessibility (from content to user preferences) is presented in this paper, strategies than should be addressed in order to achieve the better accessibility level while designing new learning services for people with functional diversity based upon MOOC.