The purpose of the WIDGaT tool, created by the Accessibility Research Centre at Teesside University, is to support the production by non-technical staff of widgets that meet the needs of learners with disabilities who may require their learning resources to be adapted or personalised. The WIDGaT toolkit (Design Template, Authoring Tool and Widget Repository) supports tutors and carers to design and develop, without any technical knowledge beyond basic computer literacy, open source, W3C standard widgets.

1. Go to View > Header & Footer to edit June 20, 2013 | slide 1RSCs – Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning
Insight into creating simple apps
Blend IT, Mix IT, Flip IT!
www.jiscrsc.ac.uk

2. Go to View > Header & Footer to edit June 20, 2013 | slide 2RSCs – Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning
Insight into creating simple apps
Blend IT, Mix IT, Flip IT!
www.jiscrsc.ac.uk

3. Widget Design and Authoring
Toolkit: WIDGaT
Dr Elaine Pearson and
Franck Perrin,
Accessibility Research Centre
Teesside University, UK

4. Context
 WIDGaT is the worlds first code-free widget design and
authoring tool for education.
 What this means:
 Code free – it requires no programming or coding skills by
users
 Aimed specifically at the creation of widgets to support
learning
 Focus is on supporting disabled students – but has
mainstream application
 Supported by a number of funded projects from JISC – WIDE,
WIDGaT, WiP.

5. Rationale
 Widgets Apps and Gadgets (WAGs) are now integral to daily life
but there are limited number of WAGs available in the
educational domain
 Previous experience (WIDE) showed interest in widgets for
personalisation of learning but resource intensive in terms of
developers time.
 There are no other widget authoring tools available in education
for non-developers
 Support staff in meeting the needs of disabled students
 Develop a solution that
 Is equally effective for mainstream education (HE and FE)
 Can potentially be used by both staff and students
 Supports sharing, re-use and adaptation

6. Aims for today
 Introduce you to WIDGaT
 Demonstrate the features of WIDGaT and the widget
creation process
 Show some examples of widgets created by teachers
and tutors during our WiP project
 Questions and discussion

7. WIDGaT: http://arc.tees.ac.uk/widgat
Visual Daily Schedule: A generic visual timetable for students with
general learning disabilities, who have difficulties in processing
time/organising their day. (FE)
http://arc.tees.ac.uk/WIDEST/Widget/Output/w@k135k-f5824882/
What to wear: A decision maker for students with more severe
learning disabilities to support learning of daily routines.
(FE/Special)
http://arc.tees.ac.uk/WIDEST/Widget/Output/w@k1338-95603706/
Quiz: A youtube course regarding continuity editing followed by a
quiz on the video (FE)
http://arc.tees.ac.uk/WIDEST/Widget/Output/w@k1338-a1316116/
Online module checklist: A 'to do' list of basic tasks to be
completed in preparing an online module with the Blackboard VLE
(HE/FE)
http://arc.tees.ac.uk/WIDEST/Widget/Output/w@k135k-g2325617/

8. Jisc TechDis training resources
http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/technologymatters/WIDGAT
•Intro http://vle.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte/play_283
•Creating http://vle.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte/play_289
•design template http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/assets/Documents/wiplearningdesign.pdf
•Building http://vle.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte/play_315
•Widgat tool http://arc.tees.ac.uk/widgat/tool
•Using http://vle.jisctechdis.ac.uk/xerte/play_323

9. June 20, 2013 | slide 9
Insight 2013
Upcoming webinars in the Insight series:
 12.00 Insight into eportfolios
 14.00 using iPads for curriculum delivery
 Tomorrow, 21 June
 10.00 Insight into Near Field Communications
 12.00 Insight into inspection and technology
 14.00 Insight into Bring Your Own Device
Book via the RSC website – bit.ly/rsc-insight

10. June 20, 2013 | slide 10
Insight 2013
Face to face workshop days in the Insight series:
 Tuesday 25 June – Leicester
 Wednesday 26 June – Nottingham
Book via the RSC website – bit.ly/rsc-insight

11. June 20, 2013 | slide 11
Insight 2013
All the resources from the Insight series:
 Hosted on the RSC East Midlands Moodle platform
http://bit.ly/insight-resources
 All the recordings of yesterday’s webinars are now available
 The resources will be updated over the next week

12. June 20, 2013 | slide 12
Insight 2013
Jisc Regional Support Centres work with
more than 2,000 UK learning providers
helping them to improve performance
and efficiency through the use of
technology.
www.jiscrsc.ac.uk

13. June 20, 2013 | slide 13
Insight 2013
That’s it for this Insight webinar!
If you have any questions then please contact us:
 01509 618110
 support@rsc-em.ac.uk
 www.jiscrsc.ac.uk
