Should I eliminate multimodal assignments in favor of traditional written/alphabetic assignments?
Great question! Although forgoing multimodal assignments altogether may appear like an easy solution to accessibility issues, this may not be the case, since traditional written/alphabetic assignments dictate which modes a student uses to compose and effectively limits the rhetorical agency of the student-composer. On the other hand “a multimodal pedagogy supports accessible practices through its attention to multiplicity in various modes and media and in its focus on flexibility in processes and products” (Hitt 1). Nevertheless, the the multiplicity and flexibility of multimodal assignment does not mean that multimodal assignments can be haphazardly integrated into the curriculum. WPAs and composition instructors must still attend to issues of accessibility, no matter the assignment or curriculum.
As an additional note: forgoing multimodal assignments neglects the recognized value that they offer in preparing ”students for 21st century writing performances and to help students connect rhetoric to their everyday lives” (Fox 266).
References:
- Fox, Bess. “Embodying the Writer in the Multimodal Classroom through Disability Studies.” Computers and Composition, vol. 30, no, 1, pp. 266-282.
- Hitt, Allison. “Access for All: The Role of Dis/ability in Multiliteracy Centers.” Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 1-7.