Case study of adapting literature for people with disabilities

The adaptation of literature for people with disabilities (PWDs) that will be presented in this case study is a project implemented by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb (FFZG). The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb is one of the largest institutions in the science and higher education system in the Republic of Croatia with more than 7,000 students at all three levels of study: undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate. FFZG systematically develops support for students with disabilities through the coordinated work of three units: the Library, the Office for Students with Disabilities (SSI) and the Centre for e-Learning Support (CPEU). The project in this case study deals with the introduction and operationalisation of the adaptation of printed literature and teaching materials for the individual needs of students, but also for use in an online educational environment (the institutional distance learning system Omega based on Moodle LMS).

Project goal: To ensure equal access to materials and learning activities for all students with disabilities through an institutionalised, efficient and sustainable process of adapting materials.

The research questions posed in this case study are as follows:

1. How to organise cooperation between three organisational units (Library–Office for SSI–CPEU) so that adjustments are timely and of high quality?
2. What are the key steps and standards in converting materials into accessible formats?
3. How to effectively incorporate customised materials into online classes (Omega/Moodle LMS)?
4. What are the obstacles and how can they be reduced (resources, quality, teacher awareness)?

This case study shows a model of how research can establish a system for adapting a specific aspect of the work of a higher education institution to enable better inclusion. The first step is to choose a methodology for researching the current situation. The second step is to interpret the results based on the analysis and propose a business process that will include: an organisational model, the roles of individual units, the university and national framework, and digital and pedagogical adaptation procedures. These two steps will be described in more detail below.