A Quick Guide to Accessible Instructional Materials

1
A Quick Guide to Accessible Instructional
Materials

• Presentation for the
• Psychology Dept. at SJSU
• Sept. 28, 2007

2
Agenda

• Policy
• Key Dates
• Overview of Accessible Instructional Materials
• Textbooks/course readers
• Word documents
• PowerPoint presentations
• Resources Workshops
• FAQs

3
Policies

• Federal
• Section 508, Rehabilitation Act
• State
• Government Code 11135
• CSU
• Coded Memorandum AA-2007-04
• SJSU
• Presidential Directive 2007-02
• Purpose Access to electronic and information
  technology for persons with disabilities

4
Key Dates

• Fall 2008
• New courses and new course content must
  incorporate accessibility
• Existing courses must incorporate accessibility
  if disabled student enrolls
• If not possible, or undue burden equally
  effective alternative must be provided
• Fall 2012
• All course offering must incorporate
  accessibility
• Undue burden policy applies

5
Instructional Materials

• Textbooks/course readers
• Online course material, as well as
  greensheets/handouts in traditional face-to-face
  or hybrid courses
• Digital or multimedia materials

6
Textbooks/Course Readers

• Plan early for texts
• work w/Spartan Bookstore DRC
• Directly contact your publisher
• Accessible Textbook Clearinghouse
• http//www.tsbvi.edu/textbooks/
• Course Readers
• Try Electronic Course Reserves
• High quality originals for scanning

7
Accessible Word

• Must
• Use automatic styles/headings for all text
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Clearly identify column/row headers for tables
• Dont use tab, spaces, etc.
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Should/May
• Use automatic bullets
• Create a table of contents (great for long
  documents)
• Group drawing elements into single image

8
Screenshot No Styles Applied
9
Screenshot MS Word Styles
10
Accessible Word

• Must
• Use automatic styles/headings for all text
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Clearly identify column/row headers for tables
• Dont use tab, spaces, etc.
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Should/May
• Use automatic bullets
• Create a table of contents (great for long
  documents)
• Group drawing elements into single image

11
Screenshot Images Alt Text
12
Accessible Word

• Must
• Use automatic styles/headings for all text
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Clearly identify column/row headers for tables
• Dont use tab, spaces, etc.
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Should/May
• Use automatic bullets
• Create a table of contents (great for long
  documents)
• Group drawing elements into single image

13
Example Grouped Image
14
Accessible PowerPoint

• Must
• Use built-in layouts
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Must cont.
• Check the Outline view, make sure titles
  display correctly
• High contrast between background and text colors
• Simple language
• Should/May
• Consistent style throughout presentation
• Remove animations

15
Screenshot .ppt Layouts
16
Accessible PowerPoint

• Must
• Use built-in layouts
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Must cont.
• Check the Outline view, make sure titles
  display correctly
• High contrast between background and text colors
• Simple language
• Should/May
• Consistent style throughout presentation
• Remove animations

17
Screenshot .ppt Outline
18
Accessible PowerPoint

• Must
• Use built-in layouts
• Provide text equivalent for all images
• Hypertext should make contextual sense (not
  click here)
• Dont rely just on color for significance

• Must cont.
• Check the Outline view, make sure titles
  display correctly
• High contrast between background and text colors
• Simple language
• Should/May
• Consistent style throughout presentation
• Remove animations

19
Resources

• Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance
  Education (http//www.catea.org/grade/guides/intro
  duction.php)
• Accessible IT _at_ NC State (http//ncsu.edu/it/acces
  s/tutorials/)
• WebAim (http//www.webaim.org/articles/)
• SJSU Center for Faculty Development
  (http//www.sjsu.edu/cfd/resources/instructional/
  accessibility.shtml)

20
Upcoming Workshops

• Create Accessible Documents with MS PowerPoint
• Mon., Oct. 1, 2-330PM, IRC 210
• Thurs., Nov. 29, 3-430, IRC 210
• Create Accessible Documents with MS Word and
  Adobe Acrobat
• Mon., Oct. 15, 2-330PM, IRC 210
• Open Lab Hours
• IRC 202, 8AM-5PM, Mon.-Fri.
• Jean Shiota, x42884
• Mei Fang, x42456

21
FAQs

• Do I have to provide accessible materials if
  there isnt a disabled student in my class?
• Yes
• Do lecturers have to provide accessible
  materials?
• Yes
• Will this initiative stifle creativity and
  academic freedom?
• Using academic freedom as reason for not
  providing accessible materials is likely not
  going to be a suitable defense (see
  http//access.sdsu.edu/faqs.htm)
• Where can I get additional help on making my
  materials accessible?
• Center for Faculty Development, 924-2303

22
Contact Information

• Hilary Nixon
• Dept. of Urban Regional Planning
• WSQ 218A
• 924-5852
• hilary.nixon_at_sjsu.edu