Case Study: Opole University of Technology

Opole University of Technology has long been committed to inclusive education. In 2025, with the launch of the Accessible Education Centre, the university set an ambitious goal: to increase the accessibility of board contents – and not just for students with visual impairments – without altering the established teaching methods used by lecturers.

The challenges the university faces are not isolated – many educational institutions encounter similar issues. Ongoing research shows that up to 20% of students experience difficulties such as dyslexia, which significantly hinders quick comprehension of board contents. Additionally, many students – particularly those studying physical education – often miss classes due to sports travel, competitions, or injuries. The university needed a solution that would support a variety of student needs while not adding extra burden on the teaching staff.

ShareTheBoard came to the rescue – an application that enables the digital transmission and real-time recording of content from a traditional whiteboard or blackboard. In March 2025, a pilot program began at the University in two locations: the Language Centre and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automation, and Computer Science. The school used a couple of Room Licences, allowing more than 40 lecturers to use the application. To help get the pilot started quickly, ShareTheBoard advised on the selection of relevant hardware and supervised its installation by the university’s internal technical teams.

To ensure the implementation was successful and well-received by the academic community, ShareTheBoard prepared introductory materials and organized meetings to explain the concepts behind the technology. The team provided training for participating lecturers and held individual and group meetings, actively listening to teachers’ feedback and suggestions. ShareTheBoard also gathered direct feedback from students, which helped tailor the tool’s use to the real needs of each class covered by the pilot.

After preparing the classrooms and participants, the implementation of ShareTheBoard went smoothly. The following key features of ShareTheBoard were evaluated as accessibility solutions:

• Board View – Live Whiteboard Streaming
  Each student can clearly view the whiteboard on their device, no matter where they are seated or whether they are participating remotely.
• Board Memory – Automatic Note-Taking
  Gone are the days of frantically scribbling down every word from the board while students focus more on copying notes than understanding the subject matter. No more taking photos of the whiteboard after class, compromising the lecturer’s security and privacy.
• AI Features
  With transcription, students using assistive technologies (like text-to-speech) can, effectively, hear whiteboard content. The lecturer can enhance handwritten notes with additional context, analysis, or explanations.
• Annotations and Collaboration
  Students can co-create content on the whiteboard and actively engage in lessons. When necessary, or if the lecturer wants to “call on a student,” the option for students to add annotations and write on the virtual board – whether attending in-person or remotely – can be enabled. This is especially important for students with mobility limitations, allowing every student to participate actively, regardless of their physical condition or location.
• No Change in Teaching Style
  Lecturers used traditional tools and proven teaching methods. Furthermore, thanks to the pilot, the application was enhanced with full automation – basic functions now start automatically without the lecturer having to do anything extra.

After the pilot, we collected detailed feedback from lecturers and students. Their feedback and suggestions made it possible not only to confirm the effectiveness of ShareTheBoard in an academic setting. It is this data that confirms the success of the implementation:

96% of students stated that the whiteboard was more readable thanks to ShareTheBoard, eliminating the challenge of reading notes from more distant or remote positions.

59% said the greatest benefit was being able to track content on their own devices, as this gave them greater control over their learning.

92% believed ShareTheBoard should be used in more courses, especially technical subjects that require analysis and diagrams.

Classes became more accessible to everyone, especially students with visual impairments, dyslexia, ADHD, and physical disabilities. Magdalena Dolińska recalls an anecdote that perfectly illustrates the real impact of ShareTheBoard on everyday learning. For a long time, she was unaware that one of her students had serious vision problems and was unable to read the content on the whiteboard. Only during the pilot did the student share that thanks to ShareTheBoard, his problem was solved.

“In my language classes, I had the opportunity to teach using the app. Above all, it’s something that doesn’t distract the instructor from the lesson. I hope it will be adopted. It’s a great aid for students, not only those with disabilities or impairments.”

— Magdalena Dolińska, Rector’s Representative for the Quality of Education

The key point is that the student in question had not revealed his difficulties up until that moment – this situation perfectly illustrates the importance of creating universal solutions that support diverse needs without requiring students to draw attention to their condition. True educational support should not require individuals needing help to feel awkward or to demand special treatment.

“For me, ShareTheBoard represents the essence of universal design – I stand by these words.”

— Agnieszka Kossowska, Head of the Accessibility and Support Centre for People with Special Needs

ShareTheBoard embodies the idea of universal learning design – a solution that is useful and accessible to all participants, eliminating barriers before they even appear. As a result, the technology not only supports students with unique needs but also improves learning for the entire group – students can focus on understanding the material instead of scrambling to find a solution or suffering silently. This is what true educational equity means – creating an environment where everyone can participate to the fullest of their abilities, without having to disclose their limitations or special needs.

Local media took an interest in the pilot’s demonstrated advancements in didactic accessibility, raising awareness and informing other universities that the solution is already available:

• Interview on local radio – “Scientific Salon”
• Report on Polish TV
• Local newspaper article
• Local TV article
• News on the University’s website, with video footage

While ShareTheBoard has been developed and refined over many years, every implementation – especially one as interesting as the one at Opole University of Technology – provides valuable feedback. This process accelerates the product’s technological evolution, creating a true solution to real users’ needs.

Here are some of the lessons and improvements resulting from this pilot project:

• Remote Control mode – created to relieve instructors, reduce resistance to new technology, and accelerate the implementation of the solution on a larger scale (e.g., across the entire campus). This mode allows ShareTheBoard to be managed without any intervention from instructors.
• Improved interface and user experience – Board View and Board Memory have been consolidated into a single intuitive interface, eliminating the need for students to switch between browser tabs. A number of additional improvements – such as the ability to change the application’s color theme – further enhance accessibility and allow for better collaboration with supporting tools.

The ShareTheBoard pilot at Opole University of Technology is a great example of how technology can support inclusivity without interfering with traditional teaching methods. Thanks to the dedication of the faculty, the university’s openness, and genuine collaboration with the ShareTheBoard team, a more accessible and welcoming learning environment was created.

What’s most important – this is just the beginning. Immediately after the pilot, discussions started about implementing ShareTheBoard in more lecture halls, and thanks to the collaboration with Opole University of Technology, the application is constantly evolving – benefiting universities worldwide!

Opole University of Technology is setting new standards in accessible education – we encourage other universities to follow their lead.

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