Web Accessibility Information and Tutorials

1
Web Accessibility Information and Tutorials

• A Web Validation Saga

2
Brief Bio

• Deborah W. Proctor is a recent graduate of a
  Ph.D. program in Education Technology from Walden
  University. Deborah joined the Office of the
  Chancellor in March of 2004. In her role as
  e-Curriculum Director she is responsible for
  communicating opportunities to institutions in
  the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
  system to expand online programming and to
  provide information on the array of academic
  services available to the system through
  Minnesota Online. Prior to her work with
  Minnesota Online, Proctor was a 14 year faculty
  member at Pine Technical College. She has
  history of numerous projects and
  initiatives related to curriculum, faculty
  development, teaching and learning with
  technology, and accessibility for students with
  disabilities.

3
The World Wide Web

• Once upon a time there was no Internet
• Now the Internet impacts society through
• Electronic commerce
• Information acquisition
• Community operations
• The Internet has become a collection of
  communities and technology
• A Brief History of the Internet
• http//www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtmlI
  ntroduction.

4
Change and the Internet

• Evolution of the Internet brings new challenges
• Architecture of the Internet and WWW has been
  driven by designers
• As the Internet grows its stakeholders grow and
  new demands are put upon the architecture of the
  WWW
• A Brief History of the Internet
• http//www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtmlI
  ntroduction.

5
Information Technology Has Changed the World

• An estimated 54 million people in the United
  States have a disability
• The number of people with disabilities will grow
  as the population ages.
• Problems of disability and inaccessible
  technology are linked to demographics, economics,
  and issues of justice
• National Council on Disability (NCD, 2001). The
  Accessible Future. Retrieved May 10, 2004, from
  http//www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2001/acce
  ssiblefuture.htm

6
Federal Mandates

• Section 504 (1973)
• A Rehabilitation Act which is considered civil
  rights legislation for persons with disabilities
• Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
• Prohibits discrimination in employment, programs
  and services
• Section 508 (2001)
• Requires accessible web and electronic resources
  for local, state, federal government and
  government contractors

7
ADA the WWW

• ADA 1990 requires state, local government and
  places of public accommodation to communicate
  effectively with individuals with disabilities
• The effective communication rule applies to
  covered entities using the Internet for
  communications regarding their programs (Waddell,
  1999)
• Chisholm, W. (1999) Creating Accessible Content
  for the WWW and Distance Education Aug 99

8
Section 508, the WWW, and MnSCU

• Went into effect June of 2001 requires agencies
  accepting federal funds to be accessible to
  persons with disabilities
• MnSCU states that there is, sufficient legal
  basis to require that our sites are accessible.
• Minnesota web accessibility standards(2002)
  Minnesota State Colleges and Universities(MnSCU)
  Retrieved May 10,2004 from http//www.its.mnscu.ed
  u/webmaster/access/

9
Disability Types

• Physical disabilities
• Cognitive, language, and learning disabilities
• Auditory disabilities
• Visual disabilities

10
2 Kinds of Disability WWW

• Disabilities caused by physical, cognitive,
  auditory, and visual disabilities
• Technology disabilities related to outdated
  technology
• Both of these types can be excluded from your
  materials without adherence to W3C, WAI, and
  Section 508 (2001) guidelines
• Horton, S. (2000). User-centered design for
  media-rich web sites. Syllabus New Dimensions in
  Education Technology 14,(22-26)

11
Web Accessibility Initiatives/W3C

• Access has been a concern for the web since its
  beginning
• In 1997 the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was
  formed to watch over the Internet
• A spin off of W3C called Web Accessibility
  Initiative was charged to develop accessibility
  guidelines

12
WC3 Guidelines

• Images animations - use alt attribute to
  describe visuals
• Image maps - use client MAP text for hotspots
• Multimedia - provide captioning, transcripts of
  audio, descriptions of video, and accessible
  versions

13
More WC3

• Hypertext links - use text that makes sense if
  read out of context
• Pages - use headings, list, and use CSS
  (cascading style sheets) for layout when possible
• Scripts, applets, plug-ins - provide alternative
  content in case features cant be supported

14
Last of WC3

• Frames - label with the title or name attribute
• Check your work - validate the HTML, use
  evaluation tools and text-only browsers to verify
  accessibility
• Section 508 mimics these guidelines

15
Web Validation Information

• Web validation can be done by following
  guidelines for Section 508, WAI, or using a web
  validation software such as Bobby (2002)
• Bobby will view your URLs and assist your web
  validation efforts.
• Bobby (2002) Watchfire Corporation Retrieved. May
  10,2004 from http//www.watchfire.com/products/des
  ktop/bobby/default.aspx

16
Bobbys Seal of Approval

• Bobby software analyzes pages for accessibility
• You may display a Bobby Icon after making changes
  to comply with WAI and Section 508 guidelines

17
Section 508 User Check

• Bobby checks for html code compliance with 508
• Requires one to review the checks triggered on
  the page
• Some checks may not apply to your page

18
Sample of how an organization physically checked
their complianceww.wids.org 508 compliance page
Retrieved May 10, 2004
19
What Do I Need to Know?

• Basic HTML
• Computer Skills
• Internet and Keyboarding skills
• Reading and Decoding skills
• How to ask for help from college staff
• Webmaster
• Chief Information Officer
• Computer savvy colleagues

20
Accessibility Web Tutorial 1

• Thatcher, J. (2003)ITTATC Web accessibility
  course.Information and Technology Technical
  Assistance Center.
• Retrieved May 10, 2004 from http//www.ittatc.org/
  training/webcourse/

21
Accessibility Web Site Tutorial 2

• WebAccessibilityInMind.(2002)Section 508 Web
  accessibility checklist
• Retrieved May 10, 2004 from http//www.webaim.org/
  standards/508/checklist

22
Accessibility Web Tutorial 3

• Doyle, C. (2001) Making your module accessible in
  BlackBoard 5.5. University of Wales Institute.
• Retrieved May 10, 2004 from http//www.uwic.ac.uk/
  ltsu/5min_guide_module_accessible.htm

23
The Center for Applied Technology

• CAST is an excellent resource for accessibility
  information their stated purpose is
• To expand opportunities for people with
  disabilities through the use of technology
• Also does research and product design on
  curriculum, and software for schools and colleges
• Excellent sources for web validation, eReaders,
  universal design, teaching and learning
• The Center for Applied Technology (2000) Cast, 39
  Cross Street, Peabody, MN 01960. Retrieved
  September 10, 2002 from http//www.cast.org

24
Who Benefits from Accessible Technology?

• According to a recent Microsoft study the
  majority of computer users will benefit
• People with mild difficulties (37)
• People with severe difficulties (25)
• People with no difficulties to minimum
  difficulties least likely to benefit (37)
• Identifying Who is Likely to Benefit from the Use
  of Accessible Technology
• Retrieved May 10, 2004 from httpwww.microsoft.com
  /enable/research

25
(EASI) Retrieved May 10, 2004

• Today's distributed computer environment means
  that providing support for the technology needs
  of students and professionals with disabilities
  is a global responsibility. It requires extensive
  planning and cooperation across several
  departments. "If it takes a village to raise a
  child, then, it takes the global commitment to
  support the adaptive technology needs of students
  and professionals with disabilities. It is no
  longer the sole province of the computer. It
  cannot be relegated to the disabled student
  office either. Seamless service requires
  campus-wide cooperation.