Project Context
This project for Hackville 2021 focused on improving Sheridan College's Accessible Learning (AL) Accommodations application to help students with educational barriers reach their full potential.
🏆 Our product came in 3rd place out of 100+ participants.
The accommodations journey poses more obstacle than aid
The Sheridan College community is expansive, encompassing students with diverse educational needs. Accessible Learning (AL) is designed to provide barrier-free access for students facing disabilities.
However, the current accommodations application process is overly complex and convoluted, involving multiple layers of printed documents and interactions, creating a challenging experience.
Project Context
This project for Hackville 2021 focused on improving Sheridan College's Accessible Learning (AL) Accommodations application to help students with educational barriers reach their full potential.
🏆 Our product came in 3rd place out of 100+ participants.
Sharing our proposal - the Sheridan Accessible Learning Portal
Our goal was to streamline the process for Sheridan College students applying for accommodations, ensuring they can easily access the assistance they require. Now, the entire application procedure is available online using a centralized portal, minimizing confusion and enhancing accessibility.
Key features
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✅
Students can track and save their application progress
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Students can contact or schedule meetings with an advisor for inquiries
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Accommodation records can be sent directly to their professors
Learning about students' pain points
Working with the hackathon's 36-hour time limit, we gathered data on a couple of students' pain points based on their experiences with the AL Accommodations process.
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☎️ Back and Forth Communication
Students had to talk back and forth and make appointments with the AL staff until the paper work was completed.
🕑 Time Constraints
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Since the application is a lengthy process, students felt overwhelmed while trying to adjust to a new school environment and semester.
🔄 Constant Need to Re-Update Status
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Students had to contact their AL Advisor every term in order to forward their accommodation records to professors.
Constant Need to Re-Update Status
Students had to talk back and forth and make appointments with the AL staff until the paper work was completed.
Unraveling a story: highlighting frustrations faced by Sheridan students with disabilities
For individuals navigating disabilities, securing accommodations becomes confusing and inhibitive due to significant barriers, including lengthy wait times and system complexity.
Outlining a better flow that simplifies the application process
Planning the ideal application experience, free from current frustrations
Ellie's experience as she navigates a streamlined pathway through the accommodation application process, unveiling the emotions, challenges, and triumphs along the way.
Transforming Our Ideas into Paper
At this stage, we prioritized on identifying how the key features would interact with each other. Finishing this process helped the team visualize how we wanted the platform to be as a whole.
Matching the Sheridan brand for consistency
As this solution seamlessly integrates into Sheridan’s website, we have applied their style guides and branding to ensure cohesiveness.
Dive into the features
A walkthrough of the new Sheridan Accessible Learning Portal's features to help students apply for learning accommodations, book appointments and get requests approved for test/exam accommodations at Sheridan College.
Upload Required Documents
Students can access and upload documents through the portal, eliminating the need for physical submissions and visits to the accommodations office for required materials.
Book Appointments
Schedule appointments with your accommodations advisor, seamlessly syncing with your class timetable to find a convenient time for all.
Submit Accommodations for Tests and Assignments
This feature ensures both your AL Advisor and professors are informed promptly when you require accommodations for specific course content or classes.
Accessibility Menu
Built-in accessibility features for students with specific needs. This includes bigger text, a screen narrator, and high color contrast.
Iterations
Initiated during a 3-day hackathon, this project's journey extended beyond its initial stages. Version 2 was marked by minor adjustments. However, recognizing areas for ongoing improvement, a decisive choice was made to undertake a comprehensive overhaul over six weeks, resulting in the creation of version 3.
Application Progress Tracker
Original
The colours used for the timeline for the application process were potentially confusing
Using red for completed tasks can cause users to mistake them as incomplete, since red is associated with alerts and warning
Final
Confirming an Appointment
Original
Final
