Integrating Digital Accessibility Into Software Engineering Education: A Case Study of Learning Outcomes
摘要
There is a growing emphasis on integrating digital accessibility (DA) into higher education curricula. However, research on the learning outcomes of integrating DA into computing curricula remains limited. This study investigates the effectiveness of incorporating a DA-focused lecture and project requirements into a software engineering course. By analysing 62 student project reports, we evaluate students’ understanding and application of DA principles across seven key questions, including general DA concepts, user-centric considerations such as disabilities and diversity, and developer-centric practices like adherence to standards and accessibility testing. Our findings reveal that while students generally grasped the importance of DA, their engagement with specific concepts and practical skills, such as accessibility testing and diversity considerations, was limited. These results highlight the need for targeted educational strategies and hands-on training to bridge gaps in knowledge and application.