ISKM54 Digital design without barriers

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Radek Pavlíček (lecturer)
PhDr. Ladislava Zbiejczuk Suchá, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Škyřík, Ph.D.
Department of Information and Library Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Alice Lukavská
Supplier department: Department of Information and Library Studies – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 15 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The goal of the course is to equip students with the comprehensive knowledge and skills required to create digital solutions that are accessible and user-friendly for everyone, including individuals with special needs. Students will gain an understanding of the most common barriers in the digital environment and learn how to identify and eliminate these obstacles. The course also covers the principles of inclusive design, legislative requirements for accessibility, and introduces assistive technologies that empower users to fully engage with digital content. Through practical demonstrations and accessibility testing, students will apply the knowledge gained to real projects, contributing to the development of a barrier-free digital space.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
Identify and analyze the most common barriers in the digital environment: Students will be able to recognize various types of barriers that hinder the full use of digital technologies and understand how these barriers affect users with specific needs.
Characterize users with specific needs and design appropriate digital solutions: Students will learn about different user groups, their specific needs, and how to design and implement digital solutions that address these needs.
Use assistive technologies and understand their strengths and limitations: Students will gain practical knowledge of various assistive technologies and learn how to integrate them into digital designs, considering their strengths and limitations.
Apply the principles of inclusive design: Students will be able to apply inclusive design principles when creating digital content to ensure it is accessible to the widest possible range of users.
Create accessible code, design, and content: Students will learn how to implement the three pillars of accessibility—code, design, and content—into practice and apply them to the accessibility of websites, apps, documents, and multimedia.
Conduct accessibility testing: Students can perform accessibility testing on digital solutions, identify issues, and suggest appropriate modifications to improve accessibility.
Will be well informed about legislative requirements for accessibility: Students will gain an understanding of accessibility legislation and learn how to ensure their designs comply with relevant standards and requirements.
Syllabus
  • Introduction to the Topic
  • The Most Common Barriers in the Digital Space and Their Impact on User Needs
  • Users with Special Needs (Characteristics, Real Needs in Relation to Working in the Digital Environment)
  • Assistive Technologies (Characteristics, Types, Advantages, Limitations)
  • Principles of Inclusive Design
  • The Three Pillars of Accessibility: Code, Design, Content
  • Accessibility of Websites, Apps, Documents, and Multimedia
  • Practical Examples of Functional and Real-World Solutions
  • Accessibility Testing and Evaluation
  • Legislative Foundations of Accessibility
Literature
    recommended literature
  • PICKERING, Heydon: Inclusive Design Patterns. ISBN 978-3-945749-43-2
  • KALBAG, Laura: Accessibility for everyone. ISBN 978-1-937557-61-4
  • PICKERING, Heydon: Inclusive Components: The Book. (http://book.inclusive-components.design/)
  • COADY, Geri: Color Accessibility Workflows. ISBN 987-1-937557-57-7
Teaching methods
The course combines theoretical explanations with practical exercises, discussions of problems, and individual or group projects.
Assessment methods
Credit is awarded based on active participation and project development. The introductory class will outline specific project topics and requirements for successful completion.
Language of instruction
Czech
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/ISKM54