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The present study set out to explore effective teaching techniques using PowerPoint for post-secondary students with disabilities by comparing their views to those of students without disabilities. 284 Canadian post-secondary social science students, 75 of whom self-reported a disability, were surveyed about what aspects of PowerPoint use helps them learn. The good news is that the results indicate many similarities between the views of students with and without disabilities. Although all students felt that having PowerPoint available online was highly desirable, for students with disabilities this was perceived as an important disability accommodation. All students preferred that PowerPoint slides be made available before class in both PowerPoint and PDF formats; however, this was particularly important to students with disabilities. All students preferred that professors walk around some of the time rather than simply stand beside the lectern, that they select slides with good contrast rather than an interesting but busy background template, that they write concepts in full sentences as opposed to key words only, and that PowerPoint images be accompanied by text rather than presenting images only. Overall, our findings show that well-designed PowerPoint slides which incorporate accessibility features (easily included by using the Accessibility Checker feature of PowerPoint) can benefit everyone. Notably, fewer than half (41%) of the students with disabilities had registered with the college to receive disability-related accommodations; therefore, it is important that PowerPoint, as used by professors, be accessible to this large segment of the population of students with disabilities. Informative slides with a clear template and good contrast, along with an engaging presentation style, are likely to benefit everyone. Our findings also show that, contrary to the fears of many educators, students are unlikely to miss class if slides are posted online. Moreover, this is equally true for academically stronger as well as weaker students.

This article explores the emergence of multimodality as intrinsic to the learning, teaching and assessment of English in the Twenty-First Century. With subject traditions tied to the study of language, literature and media, multimodal texts and new technologies are now accorded overdue recognition in English curriculum documents in several countries, though assessment tends to remain largely print-centric. Until assessment modes and practices align with the nature of multimodal text production, their value as sites for inquiry in classroom practice will not be assured. The article takes up the question: What is involved in assessing the multimodal texts that students create? In exploring this question, we first consider central concepts of multimodality and what is involved in "working multimodally" to create a multimodal text. Here, "transmodal operation" and "staged multimodality" are considered as central concepts to "working multimodally". Further, we suggest that these concepts challenge current understandings of the purposes of, and possibilities for, assessment of multimodal text production. (Contains 4 figures and 6 footnotes.)

The data featured in this article were gathered during a classroom-based research project with Grade 2 (six- and seven-year-old) children. The overall purposes of the study included exploration of how the development of young children's understanding of elements of visual art and design would affect their comprehension, interpretation, and analysis of the artwork in a selection of picturebooks, as well as the subsequent application of the same elements when they created their own multimodal print texts. A discussion of critical thinking is followed by descriptions of the study's guiding theoretical and conceptual frameworks, as well as an overview of relevant literature, the research context and methods, and the data analysis procedures. The findings from the content analysis of the students' written responses about the artwork of one picturebook are discussed with reference to key concepts associated with critical thinking. The conclusion features a consideration of how students' critical thinking skills and esthetic development can be enhanced by instruction about elements of visual art and design in picturebooks.

The commercial media is an influential sociocultural force and transmitter of health information especially for adolescents. Instruction in critical media health literacy, a combination of concepts from critical health literacy and critical media literacy, is a potentially effective means of raising adolescents' awareness about commercial media and its influence on their health. We first provide background on critical media health literacy for adolescents. We then discuss the potential for involving adolescents in creating multimedia to demonstrate basic principles of critical media health literacy skills. Using excerpts from two of our research projects to illustrate our ideas, we draw conclusions and suggest future research in critical media health literacy for adolescents.

As academic libraries move toward the electronic frontier for their serial subscriptions, there are several issues to be considered. This paper intends to outline the advantages and disadvantages with respect to electronic and paper serials, address selection criteria, and describe our practice in coping with these issues at the Leddy Library of the University of Windsor, Canada.

A sample of 204 Canadians were presented information in 3 formats--matrix table, summary, and combination--with which to choose an appropriate credit card. Summary ratings of credit cards combined with a table of fees, interest rates, and grace periods reduced information processing efforts and led to better consumer decisions. (SK)