Print-based textbooks and educational materials supporting the general curriculum present an accessibility barrier for many students, especially those with disabilities. Digital curricular materials and technology-based learning environments provide alternatives by presenting the same content as printed materials, but in formats that are flexible and accessible. In order provide students with appropriately customized learning experiences in a timely fashion and at scale, automatic generation of adapted content is essential.
This project introduces the concept of a pedagogical intent ontology to drive the semantic annotation of XML-based digital educational content. The formal description of the pedagogical semantics of individual chunks of educational content and the relationships among those chunks of content, together with a student model, will drive the selection, sequencing, layout and presentation of educational content. The project will develop foundational knowledge and infrastructure components including (1) a pedagogical intent ontology, (2) semantic annotation schemes, (3) an architecture for automated, rule-based adaptation of content, (4) introduction of new models of curriculum design, and (5) research results to shape and justify the adoption of new approaches to, and standards for, the design of educational materials by the publishing community, such as the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard.
