EVALUATING AUDIO BOOKS AS SUPPORTED COURSE MATERIALS IN DISTANCE EDUCATION: THE EXPERIENCES OF THE BLIND LEARNERS
ABSTRACT
Anadolu University has a technical infrastructure, well-qualified faculty, and operates in an innovative and flexible frame. It takes an initiative role to meet the needs of higher education in Turkey by providing equal opportunity not only to satisfy those who value the principle of lifelong education but also seeks new information via distance education with the help of information and communication technologies. Anadolu University Open Education System utilizes all the facilities of contemporary education technology as well as traditional methods in its practices of distance education. Moreover, it provides the learners with the individualized, diversified and enriched services and the opportunities of contemporary education and communication technologies.
The audio-book project is designed and based on individualized learning principles, notablly for the blind students, in the scope of Anadolu University Open Education System. This project enables the blind learners to study on their own, exempting them from the requirement of studying with someone else, and provides them with the opportunity to study any subjects in the book at their suitable convenience. There are approximately 300 blind students involved in this system. There are 14 course books tailored for the blind students needs whereas more than 21 books of the process of recording are still utilized. The Faculty of School of Music and Drama of Anadolu University vocalize these course books in a radiophonic way. Each course book is numbered according to the order of units, the access to the subjects is simplified, the subjects are distinguished from each other by music and the narration is enriched via emphasizing the important sentences in the topic. By the help of these resource materials, the blind learners can be able to study more effectively, and the learning will be long lasting. The audio course books are designed and delivered to the blind students in an MP3 format. In doing so, the goal is to reach the other learners of the Open Education on the Internet. Approximately 70.000 learners have been benefiting from this service so far. Moreover, the audio books can be designed in audio CD formats and/or audiotapes based on the request from the blind learners. The aim of this study is to evaluate these audio course books based on the experiences of the blind learners.