Neurodiversity and neurodivergence are two closely related but distinct concepts in psychology and neuroscience. Essentially, neurodivergence refers to the cognitive functions of neurodivergent people that are atypical in their processing of information compared to the dominant social or cultural norm. Neurodiversity, on the other hand, recognizes and celebrates these varieties of cognitive styles.

Neurodiversity: 5 reasons to celebrate difference 

People with autism, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or Tourette’s syndrome are among the neurodivergent individuals who need to be considered when developing online training so that they can benefit from it just as everyone else.

Because their cognitive style is different, instructional design teams must understand their particular needs in order to offer an optimal, motivating, and effective learning experience.

Inclusion

Online training courses that apply WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards (see post on accessibility) are generally adapted for neurodivergent people: streamlined styles, clarity of instructions, ability to adjust sound volume, consistency in presentation and instructions, etc.  

Why would a company choose to comply with these standards? What’s in it for them?

Simple!

It’s about ensuring that all members of the organization feel included and considered within the company. This particular consideration is reflected in work motivation, a sense of belonging and the productivity of people at work, among other things.

Creativity 

Because of their unique life experiences, neurodivergent people may have developed more divergent and innovative thinking than others, enabling them to see a plurality of options at once. They may also have developed a particular passion and expertise for a given subject. Or they may be more apt at recognizing trends and patterns that others might miss.

Ensuring that neurodivergent people have access to online training that adapts to their needs brings gives a company an edge in further stimulating and supporting their creativity, innovative spirit and unique point of view.

Work culture 

A company that considers the needs of all its team members is generally a great place to grow professionally. Employees who feel accepted and celebrated in all their differences are more eager and productive in their respective roles.

This creates a positive work climate where people experience a sense of security and openness.

Return on Investment 

Training employees, from the moment they onboard, and on an ongoing basis thereafter, is universally recognized as good practice.

The development of online training courses accessible to all certainly requires a slightly greater investment. However, the benefits in terms of productivity, employee stability within a company, and the possibility of leveraging increased creativity are well worth the greater investment.

Brand image 

Seeing people with neurodivergences as corporate assets makes them excellent ambassadors for the company they work for.

And let’s not forget that this attitude usually also applied to the company’s customer base.

Together, these two poles go a long way towards enhancing a company’s brand image, which usually has an impact on market share.

In closing, it is important to highlight some initiatives undertaken in the past within companies that have left a positive mark for the inclusion of neurodivergent people.

The Autism at Work program at SAP (a multinational software company); the initiative to hire autistic or neurodivergent people at Microsoft; the EY Neurodiverse Center of Excellence at Ernst&Young. 

Makes you want to celebrate, doesn’t it?

Can serious, high-stakes subjects be… Fun? Absolutely!

We’ve all been there: difficult, dry subject matter, weighty or critical questions that can make learning unappealing. How do you handle these course matters in e-learning and give them their proper standing, while keeping the people they are meant for engaged?

The answer can be found in serious games and the gamification of learning.

First, avoid approaching the task with the idea that we need to get through it as quickly as we can, hoping it will be as painless as possible. Opening up to the possibility that even difficult subjects or subjects considered serious or delicate can be enjoyable and engaging learning subjects is the gateway to gamification.

Think “games” : board games, video games, riddles, challenges, etc.

Finding out what makes these games fun and enjoyable, and what keeps you engaged, is the key to identifying what can be pulled from their inner workings and included into an e-learning course. Is it the competition, against others or against the game itself? Is it the level of difficulty or complexity of it? Is collecting money, rewards, or badges so satisfying? A who dunnit or an escape room? Or maybe it’s influencing the story as it unfolds? A bit of all that?

All these elements can be drawn from the games we know and enjoy, adapted, and used in the concept of the training so as to bring a learning experience that provides a high degree of motivation.

Narration, characters and avatars

Gamifying learning also involves the use of characters or avatars and targeted narration to bring a captivating story to life for learners. We slip into a role, interacting in the surrounding environment – whether realistic or fanciful, it doesn’t matter, as long as it’s credible, logical, and tailored to the target audience – to solve a riddle, find solutions, succeed in a mission, and so on.

Flexing the creativity muscle

At first glance, you might think that some areas of expertise or subject matters simply don’t have anything to do with creativity. However, let’s not forget that problem-solving, in itself, is a manifestation of creativity: taking familiar elements out of context, arranging them in a new way, collaborating with others to achieve a goal, are all situations with the potential to yield novel outcomes, and so they become opportunities to bring out divergent thinking and foster inventiveness in people.

A wide range of media

Varied media use also contributes to the playful atmosphere of a training course: incorporating animations, videos, illustrations, or photos, not to mention all the ambient sounds, enhances the immersion and simulation effect, which makes the content more attractive and therefore more engaging.

All these visual aids have the power to convey all of the content without the impression of having it spoon-fed to the intended audience, as is the case when long readings are presented.

What about humour?

When it’s unexpected, intelligent, or quirky, humor can also be a powerful tool for making learning more engaging for the target audience.

Using humor in e-learning is not without its challenges. People are at a different time and place from the training entity. You must use the right amount of humor, consider the diversity of the target audience, always ensure relevance and, above all, avoid humor that might be offensive. As is the case for many other communications situations, you need to have a thorough knowledge of your audience and adjust your message accordingly.

The gamification of learning and serious games aim to make learners’ journeys and experiences more fun, motivating, and effective by borrowing elements from game design.

To be effective, gamification must be implemented thoughtfully, lean on strong learning outcomes, and focus on the needs of the intended learners, so that learning remains the main objective of the course.

See for yourself how gamification can be leveraged!

Can you imagine offering your employees an online training to help them develop their skills, stay updated, or comply with health and safety regulations? It’s a fantastic learning opportunity! But before you dive in, do you know the importance of the Canadian Accessibility Law? 

👉 https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-canada/act-summary.html

Since its enactment on July 11, 2019, this law aims to transform Canada into a country free of barriers for all. This means eliminating anything that could hinder the participation of people living with physical or intellectual disabilities. 

To ensure inclusion within your company, it is essential to promote a fair and accessible work environment for all. This involves inclusive communication, awareness, and training on accessibility, as well as the use of adapted technologies to enable everyone to fully participate. 

Let’s Talk About WCAG Guidelines!

The WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) rules provide a framework for making web content more accessible, focusing on 4 fundamental principles: perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness. 

Perceivability involves making information accessible to people with sensory limitations. This can include text descriptions for images, high contrasts, subtitles for videos, and much more. 

Operability ensures that features are accessible to all users, including those using assistive technologies. This includes keyboard navigability, predictability of behavior, and the removal of distracting elements. 

Understandability concerns the clarity and simplicity of content and operation for everyone. This means using plain language, providing explicit instructions, and organizing content logically. 

Finally, robustness ensures that web content is correctly interpretable by a variety of people and assistive technologies. 

By applying the 4 principles of the WCAG rules in your online training programs, you offer everyone the opportunity to access information fairly. It is essential to consider these elements when creating online courses to ensure equitable access for all staff members. It is also strongly recommended to work with an experienced team specialized in educational technology to design your accessible online training courses! 

A final piece of advice: converting inaccessible content into accessible content poses certain challenges. For some existing content, this is an inevitable operation. However, to avoid these challenges, we recommend designing all new content in accessible terms from the start! 

And let’s not forget to celebrate! Since March 2023, the National Accessibility Week has been celebrated every year starting from the last Sunday of May. It’s a fantastic opportunity to recognize the progress made and continue to work towards a more inclusive world for all. 

👉 https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/national-accessability-week.html

Beyond the norm that has been gaining traction recently, inclusive writing in e-learning training materials positively contributes to the learning experience of the individuals being trained.

Why Use Inclusive Writing in Online Training?

A Growing Practice

Inclusive writing is increasingly becoming the standard for writing in businesses, organizations, and governments.

The same applies to all types of training products, especially online training, where the writing of content and narratives must consider gender equality, the representation of all individuals, and ensure the visibility of minority groups.

In doing so, an eLearning course that adheres to inclusive writing not only highlights gender issues and the feminization of professional titles but also emphasizes the diversity of individuals in all their cultural and linguistic dimensions, their physical specificities or disabilities, as well as their age and generation.

Sense of Belonging and Motivation to Learn

Being seen, represented, and included in scenarios, case studies, and the concepts presented contributes to learners’ sense of belonging and, in turn, promotes motivation and engagement in learning.

How?

If the educational material produced reflects and respects the reality, identity, and perspective of all individuals, it is better positioned to achieve its learning objective.

The intentional choice to eliminate barriers and sources of alienation, such as stereotypical constructs, for example, can help avoid feelings that diminish motivation to learn, such as a sense of invisibility, lack of positive role models, or even marginalization.

Promotion of Egalitarian Values

In a multicultural context, a company that chooses inclusive writing in all of its communications, including the training it provides to its staff, is choosing to promote egalitarian values both within the organization and externally, through the influence it generates.

This also demonstrates social sensitivity to current issues.

Language is constantly evolving, and that’s a good thing. The systematic use of inclusion in writing and other forms of communication helps stay up-to-date and in sync with the broader evolution of today’s society, which is undoubtedly focused on the acceptance of all individuals.

You have undoubtedly noticed that many companies are now turning to shorter learning methods? With the rise of digital technologies and social media, learning habits are evolving considerably. Learners now prefer short and interactive formats, tailored to their fragmented attention and need for flexibility. By opting for more condensed virtual learning methods, companies can respond more quickly to changing market requirements and adjust their training goals more effectively!

Microlearning comes into play, but what does it really involve? What are its advantages compared to other e-learning training approaches?

Flexibility & autonomy

With microlearning, there’s no need to fuss over long learning modules anymore! Sessions are short, between 5 and 15 minutes, perfect for fitting into a busy schedule. Learners can access them anytime, anywhere, for total freedom! These short capsules also allow for easy reference if needed.

Engagement & high retention of learning

Were you aware that microlearning courses have an impressive average knowledge retention rate of 70% to 90%, far surpassing the measly 15% retention rate of traditional learning methods? Thanks to modules focused on specific subjects, individuals undergoing training can improve targeted skills more rapidly. The newly acquired knowledge should also be applied more quickly. Content in the form of videos, quizzes, or simulations makes learning fun and engaging!

Affordable & adaptable

Microlearning can be a cost-effective solution for companies, as it requires fewer resources and time compared to traditional learning programs. According to statistics, microlearning has the potential to cut development costs by 50% and boost development speed by 300%. Moreover, knowing that adaptations and changes are frequent, with this online training method, content modifications are greatly simplified!

Microlearning is an effective approach to providing knowledge and skills in a practical and relevant manner, tailored to our constantly evolving modern world where time is precious.

If you have recognized benefits that would be advantageous to you, microlearning is probably the right approach for your online training projects!

You have certainly taken online courses before. Some ran smoothly, in a logical and intuitive way, while others… not so much. How can we explain this difference in learning experiences?

That’s the invaluable contribution of a UX/UI designer!

UX/UI Designer? What Is It?

While graphic designers use their creativity to craft impactful visual concepts, UX/UI designers ensure that the online learning experience is seamless.

UX/UI designers are like the architects and interior designers of a digital home. The user experience (UX) is carefully designed down to the smallest detail to make the platform enjoyable and intuitive. Then, the aesthetic touch (UI) is added to make everything visually appealing. The digital journey is crafted so that every click is a pleasure!

UX/UI designers also work passionately to seamlessly integrate the company’s identity into every visual aspect, from color palettes and typography to icons

Understanding the Target Audience

The starting point for UX/UI designers’ work begins with a deep understanding of the specific needs of the training to be designed, as well as the unique profile of each learner.

Then come these key questions:

• What is their level of comfort with technology?
• Are they online gaming enthusiasts?
• What is their level of literacy and writing skills?
• Do they have any specific accessibility needs?

Creating Functional Mockups

Imagine you want to offer your team an online training on using brand new software. In this new venture, it’s crucial to understand the various screens the development team plans to use to ensure their user-friendliness.

From the very beginning of the development process, the key to success lies in the ability to anticipate how the interface will function for all parties involved.

UX/UI designers will eagerly create sketches and functional mockups (wireframes) to help you visualize the final result. Who knows, these sketches might even spark ideas you hadn’t thought of before!

Conceptualizing the Learning Journey

When the complexity of a project requires it, having a clear vision of the sequence of learning activities is essential. This not only ensures a smooth experience for learners but also ensures that the mechanics underlying interactions with clickable elements are carefully designed.

UX/UI designers are the heroes and heroines of this crucial step. Armed with collaborative tools and software, they work as a team to find the most suitable solutions for the training.

Whether it’s ensuring optimal accessibility through thoughtful choices of colors, contrasts, and typography, organizing information on screen in a clear and hierarchical way, or using a variety of visual techniques, one thing is certain: online training enhanced by the expertise of UX/UI designers offers an unparalleled learning experience compared to those without this magical touch!

Let’s celebrate creativity and innovation across the globe!

Psst! Coming soon on our blog: How AI Is Revolutionizing the World of UX/UI Design

Virtual Reality (VR) and e-learning are two areas of expertise that are increasingly bound to merge. Virtual Reality allows users to dive into simulated and interactive worlds, generally using specialized equipment such as a helmet for vision and controllers for movement. The user can explore and interact with a virtual environment, as if they were physically immersed in!

When e-learning and VR are combined, highly engaging and effective learning experiences come to life. The following examples showcase some of the possibilities for Virtual Reality in e-learning:

Practical simulations

Virtual environments can be used to reproduce real-world scenarios in which learners can practice new skills. For instance, medical students can use this type of training to practice medical procedures in a safe and controlled manner.

Virtual visits

Using immersive digital reproductions of hard to access locations, learners can explore protected historical sites and museums, or even inhospitable environments such as space!

Interactive activities

Virtual environments can be designed to encourage interaction and collaboration between learners. Collaborative problem-solving and design are one example of what can be achieved with VR.

Security training

Learners can be safely trained to deal with high-risk or dangerous situations using virtual simulations. Be it for fire safety, first-aid, or any other emergency scenario, simulations are an effective way to train staff. VR can bring the experience to life for learners, through its power to simulate different emotional states.

Competency-based learning

Virtual reality can also be used to develop specific practical competencies. Competency-based application of VR range from flight simulators for airline pilot training to practical training for underwater welders.

There are many advantages to the use of virtual reality in e-learning, such as increased learner engagement, improved retention of learnings and the possibility to train in safe and controlled environments. It’s however important to keep in mind that the adoption of virtual reality can require additional investments, both in terms of content development and equipment distribution.

There is a reason that the e-learning sector grew by an impressive 900% over the last 22 years. If e-learning can increase retention from 8-10% to 25-60%, as compared to in-person learning, imagine what effects it can have when combined with VR!

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have shown themselves to be transformative training technologies. Allowing the creation of rich and immersive learning environments, these two technologies have enabled many new approaches to learning and training. Even though VR has quickly risen in popularity in many fields, the potential of AR is often undervalued or forgotten.

While VR uses a specialized helmet and controllers to place learners in a virtual 3D environment they can explore, AR uses much simpler equipment (such as a smartphone) to overlay virtual elements onto the learner’s real environment.

Many interesting approaches to training are made possible by this often-underestimated technology:

Simulations and Visualizations

• AR can be used to enrich traditional learning materials such as textbooks, by overlaying digital contents (videos, animations, 3D models, etc.) over them.
• By manipulating interactive models and simulations, such as a 3D model of a molecule, learners can explore complex concepts in a more engaging and hands-on way.

Real-Time Support

• AR offers many advantages to on-the-job training. For instance, it can be used to visualize a process step-by-step, display contextual information while performing a task, or to provide real-time feedback to employees in training.
• AR can be used in technical training to assist learners in identifying components, manufacturing complex products, performing equipment maintenance, and more. Providing such on-the-job information can help reduce errors and improve employee efficiency.

Inclusive and Accessible Learning

• AR can enable many forms of support and adaptive measures for learning presenting specific needs or functional limitations.
• Accessibility tools that are based on AR can provide text-to-speech or audio descriptions of visual information, modulate sensory input, and even provide navigation assistance in real time.

Selecting a Technology

It can be daunting to decide between VR and AR when comes the time to create trainings. The following questions can help you make an informed decision:

• Do I want to train my learners in a fictitious, carefully designed, and safe environment (VR), or do I want them to learn in the actual environment in which they will eventually work independently (AR)?
• Do I have the budget to develop digital environments and software to explore it (VR), or does my budget restrict me to creating digital objects such as 3D models and animations (AR)?
• Will my learners have access to virtual reality equipment (VR), or will they only have a smartphone or tablet (AR)?

No matter which technology you opt for or is permitted by your budget, VR and AR are both powerful training tools that can enrich the learning experience and engage learners in their learning process. What incredible experiences do you think you can create with these technologies?

How to maximize storytelling e-learning?

Setting up the story

A story is all about characters, circumstances, a problem to be solved or a challenge to be me. So, the story being told will have a beginning, a middle and an end.

Storytelling is of particular interest when developing an e-learning course. The evolving story must serve clearly defined, pre-targeted, sound pedagogical objectives.

Characters

The characters developed for the story should enable learners to recognize themselves in their professional context and elicit an emotional response. The learners should be able to identify with a character, a reaction or a question, project themselves into a required task or a behavior, or oppose what is asked and adopt the appropriate behavior.

To create this world where credible characters evolve, a thorough knowledge of the target audience and the context in which they are evolving is crucial. Otherwise, the magic won’t work, and the intended learning may suffer.

Aspects of the characters that will ensure a strong connection with the learners include: being sympathetic or unsympathetic, show similar or different values, arouse emotions such as empathy, curiosity or anticipation.

Creating a proper problem or a challenge

It would be a turn-off for learners to meet characters to whom nothing happens, or who go through a sequence of events without difficulty or conflict, or whose creativity is not called upon in any way to find solutions.

The problems staged will therefore be representative of real difficulties in the learners’ environment and will enable them to experience their resolution

The desire to problem-solve and the excitement this creates will increase motivation and commitment among learners, while transmitting the knowledge and skills targeted by the training.

Using engaging visual representations

The emotional connection and the human quality that are necessary for learning can only be sustained by well-written text, evocative and precise.

However, if the project’s scope allows it, using visual media such as illustrations, photographs or videos adds another layer and helps foster an even greater emotional and reflexive connection in learners.

Interactivity

Can a story be told using interactivity? Or course! Interactive quizzes and feedback can not only move the story along but is also a great way to provide relevant learning content.

Asking questions first, putting the learners, placing them at the center of the action and then confirming or correcting their assumptions, reactions and processes is an approach that is particularly well-suited to adult learners, and is in line with the principles of andragogy.

In addition to visually representing the characters, naming them – Carl, Maëlie, Josée, Ron – helps the target audience learn the skills, notions and abilities they need to improve their performance at work, and justify using storytelling as an approach in training.

Learners will remember what they’ve learned longer and better if they link content to stories.

A guy walks into a… Remember this one?

What would lead a woman to pursue a career that is typically male dominated? Through a candid interview with our female integrators, explore the different facets of their professional day-to-day.

A Perfect Career Path, For Everyone!

Choosing a career in IT comes with a few challenges! There are many reasons to pursue a career in information technologies, but what stands out, if you ask our female integrators, is the opportunity to see, understand and manipulate what’s hiding behind the interface of websites and videogames, to solve interesting problems and build multimedia environments. In other words, it’s all about the technical side of things and the fun and challenging tech issues they get to solve!

The Feminine Touch

The inclusion of women in this male-dominated field can yield a lot of benefits for teams – and their employers. Our female integrators specifically noted the quality and detail-oriented nature of their work. Women also improve work structures, bring their own approach to challenges and problem-solving, and of course, contribute to communications in their own special way.

A Lot of Room for Improvement

Women in IT are underrepresented in Quebec. According to a report on women in IT by TECHNOCompétences, only 20% of the 136 000 available IT jobs were held by women in 2017. According to the 2021-2024 sector diagnostic produced by the organization, men represented 78% of workers in the sector as of 2021.

_{Source : https://pratiquesrh.com/article/trois-femmes-en-ti-ou-la-passion-des-algorithmes}

Work performance, an added pressure?

Is it true that women in male-dominated industries need to overperform? Instead, it might be more interesting to ask if the pressure to overperform stems from the industry, or from women themselves, because of their education. As with many things, perception can become reality and this reality deserves to be questioned.

As with many things, perception can become reality and this reality deserves to be questioned.

The Future is Looking Bright

Societal biases can also affect what education girls receive. For instance, parents can often influence their children’s career choices through the opinions that they voice.

The proportion of women in tech-driven education programs is still much lower than that of men, even if this difference in proportion is slowly evening out. What’s encouraging though, according to our female integrators that are currently completing their education, is that there appears to be more women completing the education program then men!

Our female integrators have some tips for any woman or girl considering, curious or interested in this field of work: go for it, be confident in your self and your capacities, and take the spot that belongs to you because you’re not stealing it from anyone else.

We wholeheartedly thank our female integrators for taking the time to share their experiences with us!