Accessibility in Tourism Marketing Communications (online) (5 ECTS)

Learning outcomes

The purpose of this course is to deepen your understanding in accessible tourism and marketing communications. You will learn how to assess and improve the accessibility of tourism company's marketing communications, with the main focus being on the accessibility of company's website content and services. After this course you will understand how to design and improve the digital marketing communications for tourism business according to accessibility principles, taking into account the needs of different customer target groups. After this course you know how to consider the customer needs and accessibility principles in digital marketing. You know what digital accessibility is and can identify accessibility issues in digital sales channels. You know how to analyze the accessibility of digital content and marketing communication channels.

Content

- Accessible marketing communications - Accessibility and customer needs - Website accessibility - Accessible files - Accessibility in digital marketing and sales channels

Prerequisites

Understanding the basics of marketing communications Understanding the special features of accessible tourism

Teaching methods

The course is implemented online and it includes independent studying online, 2 virtual webinars and personal guiding session.

Location and time

The course will have Moodle e-learning workspace, where you can find the timetable of webinars and all the materials. There are two webinars and personal guiding session in Zoom during this course, and in between the webinars students study independently according to the instructions given by the teacher.

Learning materials and recommended literature

Regional State Administrative Agency. Digital services are for everyone. www.webaccessibility.fi Accessibility.com 2023. Digital Accessibility. www.accessibility.com/digital-accessibility13th Dean Issacharoff 2020. Elementor Team Writes: How to Design for Web Accessibility — Key Principles & Tips. https://elementor.com/blog/web-accessibility-design-guide European Comission. Web Accessibility. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/web-accessibility Visit Finland 2021. Guide to inclusive tourism. https://www.visitfinland.fi/4af121/globalassets/julkaisut/visit-finland/tutkimukset/2021/guide_to_inclusive_travel_2021.pdf. Microsoft 2024. Create accessible office documents. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-accessible-office-documents-868ecfcd-4f00-4224-b881-a65537a7c155 Alexa Heinrich 2024. Accessible Social - a beginner’s guide to creating inclusive social media content. Alexa Heinrich.

Alternative completion methods of implementation

You have the right to apply for recognition of your studies if you have prior learning (e.g. university studies completed elsewhere) that can be accredited towards the degree you are currently completing. The recognition of prior learning is possible in three primary ways: accreditation (replacement or inclusion), recognition of informal learning and studification. More precise info: JAMK Degree Regulations, section 17.

Internship and working life connections

You can improve the accessibility of selected tourism company's website directly with tasks. If you are a student without an access to company's website, you will use the assignments to produce a development report for the tourism company of your choice.

International connections

Internationalisation aspect is accommodated to this implementation using also international examples and material of accessible tourism.

Student workload

Orientation into the course (5 hours): Familiarizing yourself with learning objectives, contents, assignments; organizing your time and the own goals for learning. Webinars (4,5 hours): You will attend to the webinars of this course (2 hours + 2,5 hours) Guidance (0,5 hours) : You will attend to the online tutoring session. Independent studying and working with assignments (125 hours)

Content scheduling

In the beginning of the course you will orientate to the course and familiarize yourself with accessible marketing communications and how to take customer needs into account. In the middle of the course you will focus on website accessibility and in the end there will be more about accessibility in documents, social media and videos. The assignments of this course will progress with the topics.

Evaluation scale

0-5