Ive evaluated the Raz Kids website (https://www.kidsa-z.com/), as a student (using the student view). Raz Kids is designed as a means for students to progress through leveled books and earn points as they do so. The site allows kids to read books or have them read (with audio and visiual cues) to them.
Meets Criteria: The Raz Kids website supports zooming (text and graphics scale and remain visible/usable). The sites graphics have suitable contrast (I asked my colorblind husband). The site offers students a choice of how to identify themselves when logging in, by name or by Perception a combination of color + symbol. Similarly, the students choose a symbol for a password. Using Apples VoiceOver accessibility feature, I found that the buttons all had text equivalents and I was able to navigate the site with voice cues.
Needs Improvement: The site uses the standard A-Z scale for leveled books, but also overlays a graduated color scale, so that those that may have trouble with the alphabet can still see the difficulty progression. The buttons animate to demonstrate that theyre clickable. Raz Kids offers content in an alternate language (Spanish), but the bulk of the user interface remains in English. It could Language, expression and symbols be improved by offering a fully translated Spanish interface. The usernames are not alphabetized, which makes navigation by screenreader (VoiceOver) difficult, each one needs to be read in order to find the right one. The password icons have no alternate text which makes logging in impossible with a screenreader.
Meets Criteria: The site uses a rocket ship metaphor throughout (e.g. students navigate using a rocket control panel on the screen, the progress dashboard is a rocket moving from your current reading level to your next). Comprehension The site progressively releases information, by unlocking the next difficulty in leveled books. Raz Kids is more of a repository or virtual library, so KWL charts, etc. are not necessarily relevant. However, the site could generate a
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vocabulary chart that grows as the student moves through more and more books.
Technology aligns with UDL guidelines of
action and expression:
Meets Criteria: The site doesnt have a pause button when it is reading a book to the student. There are controls on the screen in the space ship that are decorative only, these could be well utilized as a rate control. When logging in using the password symbol, the site uses a two-step Physical action process (select symbol, click Go). This helps mitigate any issues with a student that has motion control issues and could mistakenly click (or tap, it supports tablets too) the wrong password icon. As an alternative to mouse, Raz Kids can be navigated using the arrow and enter keys.
Needs Improvement: Raz Kids has text to speech built in for books (its a core feature) but not for other navigation. It could benefit from other navigation assistance (or videos) for new users. One feature (teacher message board) appeared in a bank of buttons, but didnt Expression and communication functionit didnt give any indication why it wasnt functioning. The iPad version does allow students to record themselves reading and hear it back, adding another level of expression.
Meets Criteria: The site shows progress monitoring along the leveled A-Z book scale. Students also collect stars which they can use to buy prizes (online games & interactions). The stars are visible on all screens, to help the student stay motivated. Adding to all screens the Executive function progress to the next leveled reading level could also benefit those that want a smaller chunk of progress. The site doesnt enforce any sort of self-monitoring or stop- and-think after each book (i.e. review your progress with this book before moving on).
Website aligns with UDL guidelines of
engagement:
Meets Criteria: Raz Kids provides a variety of books categorized based on topics such as cultural (e.g. I am from India), type (e.g. graphic), etc. and allows the Recruiting interest student to choose. It also allows the student to go back to earlier levels in case they need encouragement or to feel successful. The site provides some choice of rewards (earn stars to spend on interactive activities, such as Raz
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Rocket). The star balance shows overall completed activity and the site also shows (using a rocket ship) the students progress from one level to the next.
Meets Criteria: Raz Kids breaks the overall goal down into the leveled book levels, but also the accumulation of stars. The goal is simply to churn through books though, not to accomplish a greater, overarching goal. The site could sequence some topics across levels so the reader can Sustaining effort and persistence progressively develop mastery on a single topic. While the site is designed for individual work, it does have a category of books for shared reading which allows some interactive participation.
Needs Improvement: Raz Kids does allow some degree of self-regulation by allowing students to regress back to earlier reading levels if needed. While it isnt designed to monitor or provide guidance on behavior-based improvement, it does provide graphical representation of Self-regulation reading progress. It doesnt have a facility for setting person goals on progress, but has some implicit goals built-in (e.g. earning enough stars to buy the next ineractive reward).
The following rubric will be used to evaluate your critique (that is, how you will be graded): Needs Meets Unacceptable Criteria Improvement Expectations (0pts) (.5pts) (1pt) Critique rates how the technology does
or does not align with UDL guidelines Critique provides clear explanations for
each rating Critique provides examples for how technologies could be better aligned with UDL principles
I pledge that I have neither given nor received help on this examination (quiz, assignment, etc.)