Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Poor Accessibility With McGraw-Hill Online Products (self.Blind)
submitted by TheBlindBookLover
Hi everyone. I am both ranting and seaking advice. I am using McGraw-Hill Connect Learn Smart Assignments for my Human Biology college course. The accessibility issues are numerous. I can use about half of the website. The textbook navigation is unusable. There are online tests and quizzes, which I can’t do independently do to the screen reader accessibility issues. As a result, I have to go to my school’s DSPS office to take these tests and quizzes to have someone read out the questions and manipulate the website. None of the images are described either. Half of the question formats are unusable to NVDA and JAWS in both the practice and test/quiz assignments. Thankfully, I am not penalized for skipping questions while doing the Learn Smart practice questions. I called technical support and they told me that it is not accessible. They told me that they are working on it, but there is not any official completion date. Should I ask my professor to make a alternative version of the test and quizzes so I can do complete it with less assistance? Is that asking a lot or is it reasonable? I would still need to have it proctored at the DSPS office, but it will at least be easier to complete accessibility wise. I just want to use this software with the ease that my sighted peers can. I want to complete my work on my time and not someone else’s. I payed $85 for the access code. The product should work. This is not some sort of free open source textbook. This company preaches about accessibility, but neglects to follow through itself. Any suggestions? Thank you for reading and for any responses.
***Edit: I live in the U.S. for extra context.
***Edit: I live in the U.S. for extra context.
CloudyBeep 9 points 3y ago
I assume you live in the US.
Your college is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that you have a fully accessible educational experience. In my opinion, it is in your best interests to ask for the tests and quizzes to be given to you in a more accessible format. Tests should be both a measure of learning and a learning experience—tests where you skip can't complete the questions in an accessible way are not a measure of how well you have understood the material (which means that you may think you know more than you know or vice versa), and you cannot reflect on what areas you need to revise if you can't complete questions to know you need to revise certain material.
I would also suggest looking into whether you can get a refund on your textbook. I don't live in the US, but in the country where I live, there's a law saying that buying a product that does not fulfill its purpose can be refunded or exchanged. If you bought the book and were under the impression that it would be accessible, but it is not able to be accessed by you (see my wording there for the crux of the issue), then you have no use for it, and the company misled you into purchasing something you cannot use. You may wish to enquire on r/legaladvice whether there is such a law in your state, and if so, whether this kind of issue would be covered in the law.
Your college is required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure that you have a fully accessible educational experience. In my opinion, it is in your best interests to ask for the tests and quizzes to be given to you in a more accessible format. Tests should be both a measure of learning and a learning experience—tests where you skip can't complete the questions in an accessible way are not a measure of how well you have understood the material (which means that you may think you know more than you know or vice versa), and you cannot reflect on what areas you need to revise if you can't complete questions to know you need to revise certain material.
I would also suggest looking into whether you can get a refund on your textbook. I don't live in the US, but in the country where I live, there's a law saying that buying a product that does not fulfill its purpose can be refunded or exchanged. If you bought the book and were under the impression that it would be accessible, but it is not able to be accessed by you (see my wording there for the crux of the issue), then you have no use for it, and the company misled you into purchasing something you cannot use. You may wish to enquire on r/legaladvice whether there is such a law in your state, and if so, whether this kind of issue would be covered in the law.
ctess 8 points 3y ago
Just to add to this. I would also reach out to the NFB. They have resources to handle situations like this.
razzretina 4 points 3y ago
Yeah talk to your prof and demand a refund on your book. I had the same problem with McGraw Hill three years ago. They're headed for trouble at this rate.
samarositz 2 points 3y ago
Hi TBBL
You have two options, as I believe you live in California. AB422 (1999) allows your DSPS office to convert your book including the online exercises in to Word® or what ever you are most comfortable using. It will be somewhat difficult for them but with time they will be able to get the content directly from the publisher and to generate the format you need. Your Prof will not be able to help in this scenario, it will have to be through DSPS.
Second, you could ask for your money back and work with your prof on getting some alternative assignments. The problem is, of course, your prof will likely not be inclined to do that. Ultimately, this kind of situation will need to be resulved at a much larger level. Your school should have an EEAAP (equally effective alternative access plan) developed for this product it knew was not completely accessible at the time it was procured, but, as you are at a community college, I suspect they do not and are relying, unfairly I might add, on the DSPS office. Feel free to DM me directly if for specifics as I work in the industry and have CC experience too.
You have two options, as I believe you live in California. AB422 (1999) allows your DSPS office to convert your book including the online exercises in to Word® or what ever you are most comfortable using. It will be somewhat difficult for them but with time they will be able to get the content directly from the publisher and to generate the format you need. Your Prof will not be able to help in this scenario, it will have to be through DSPS.
Second, you could ask for your money back and work with your prof on getting some alternative assignments. The problem is, of course, your prof will likely not be inclined to do that. Ultimately, this kind of situation will need to be resulved at a much larger level. Your school should have an EEAAP (equally effective alternative access plan) developed for this product it knew was not completely accessible at the time it was procured, but, as you are at a community college, I suspect they do not and are relying, unfairly I might add, on the DSPS office. Feel free to DM me directly if for specifics as I work in the industry and have CC experience too.
[deleted] 1 points 1y ago
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