Transcript Document 7478938

Cape May County Technical High School
and Cape May County ETTC
present
Accessibility Technology Design
Awareness
Developed by Diane Stelacio
and Julie Stratton
Staff Developers – July 2005
Session Objectives
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To increase awareness of accessibility
barriers blocking content from being
received
To increase understanding of the legal and
moral obligations
Identify universal design techniques and
resources for further exploration
Experiencing a Barrier
Assistive vs Accessible Technology
Assistive or Adaptive Technology commonly
refers to "...products, devices or equipment,
whether acquired commercially, modified or
customized, that are used to maintain, increase
or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities..."
(Rehab Tool, 2004)
Assistive vs Accessible Technology
Accessible
Technology?
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Accessible Technology refers to design
methods, techniques and guidelines for
making computers and their applications
fully accessible to people with disabilities.
(Rehab Tool, 2004)
Why require Universal Design?
American Disabilities Act
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The American Disabilities Act was passed
to ensure equal opportunities to
individuals having disabilities. More
recently section 508 has been passed
establishing technology requirements.
Section 508
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“Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information
technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal
government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic and information
technology to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees
and members of the public.
An accessible information technology system is one that can be operated in
a variety of ways and does not rely on a single sense or ability of the user.
For example, a system that provides output only in visual format may not
be accessible to people with visual impairments and a system that provides
output only in audio format may not be accessible to people who are deaf
or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities may need accessibilityrelated software or peripheral devices in order to use systems that comply
with Section 508.
(U.S. Department of Justice, 2004)
SREB
The Southern Regional Education Board and the
federal No Child Left Behind legislation recognize
technology's role in helping students meet
higher goals for academic performance. States
need to make sure that all students - including
those with disabilities - have access to and can
use technology.
(Griffin, 2004)
Identifying Barriers and
Accessibility Techniques
Color Cues
The use of color is frequently added to
draw attention to an object.
Green implies go
Red implies stop
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What happens if a person is color blind
or does not have a color monitor?
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Add alternative ways to convey the
information to all users.
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Notice you still know what this signs
means without the use of color.
Color cues
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Notice the message is
conveyed using more than one
way to transmit the
information.
Red implies stop on the stop
sign.
The shape of the sign
The word Stop is clearly
posted
Have an awareness that a
person who is color blind will
not gain the meaning from the
color. Add text and use
universal signs to convey a
greater understanding.
Graphics
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Have you ever
opened a web page
and seen this image?
Did it convey the
information you were
looking for?
Graphics
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Solution - Use the
alternative text feature
provided as part of the
authoring tool used to
design the web pages.
When an individual is
using a screen reader or
the image is not
available the alternate
text is available to
convey the message.
Graphics
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The image is available
and the alternative text
has also been added.
The alternative text is
available if needed
however it is only
loaded when the image
can not or an individual
is using a screen reader.
Graphics
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Do the all convey the information equally?
Making adjustments during development will effect who
can access the information.
Text
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The size of text can be adjusted or
controlled using the View pull down menu
in the browser.
Adjust the size of the font to largest by
pointing to View, Text size, largest. All
text will then be easier for anyone with
poor vision to view.
Text
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Is all the text on the screen
enlarged?
Yes, all text is enlarged. The
problem is not everything that
appears to be text is really text.
The “buttons” used to link to other
menus (example: Current
Students) are buttons with words
on top. Buttons are images which
will resort back to the suggestions
for using graphics.
Suggestion: Use text instead of
buttons and include the links to
the text.
Adding Sound
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Adding audio and video – Adding video
clips to the site seems to make the
information even easier for everyone to
gain the benefit of the message.
Adding Sound
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Not everyone has the software
that is required to play the
video clip.
Have you ever clicked on a link
and been required to download
a program just to hear the
message?
Did you complete the task or
back out of the site?
If you decided to download the
program did your computer
support the required program.
Adding Sound
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Not everyone is familiar with the computer
software. This would appear to provide the
resources yet still the image on the right
provides no information.
Adding Sound
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When adding video and
audio clips include
alternative methods to
receive the information.
Text conveying the same
information under the
graphic box would convey
the message to those
that cannot hear or
retrieve the audio for any
reason.
Documentation
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When attaching a page to the web site make it available
in more than one format. The PDF format is a graphical
representation of the document, an image, and like an
image is not available to all users. Individuals utilizing
assistive technologies or screen readers can not access
the meaning intended. The solution to this is attaching a
text version in addition to the PDF.
So what should you do now?
Previewing Software and Web pages
Look for alternatives methods to receive the
content while previewing.
•
Test by
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Turning off the speakers
Turning off the images
Adjust the text size
Navigate the software/site using only the mouse
Navigate the software/site using only the keyboard
So what should you do now?
Designing Software and Web pages
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Include alternative methods to convey the content to
viewers.
Test the access by using outside sources.
Expand your understanding of W3C Guidelines.
Explore to discover the legal requirements governing the
content you develop.
Increasing accessibility makes sense. The content is more
accessible to all users increasing the audience size.
Resources
QUICK TIPS TO MAKE ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES
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For Complete Guidelines & Checklist: www.w3.org/WAI
Images & animations: Use thealt attribute to describe the function of each visual.
Image maps. Use the client-side map and text for hotspots.
Multimedia. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.
Hypertext links. Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example,
avoid "click here."
Page organization. Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for
layout and style where possible.
Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.
Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide alternative content in case active features are
inaccessible or unsupported.
Frames. Use the noframes element and meaningful titles.
Tables. Make line-by-line reading sensible. Summarize.
Check your work. Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG
(W3C, 2003)
Testing Access
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A-Prompt
http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca/
Bobby, CAST (Center for Applied Special
Technology)
http://www.cast.org/bobby/
WAVE (Web Accessibility Versatile Evaluator)
http://wave.webaim.org
Resources
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ADA accessibility requirements apply to Internet Web pages.
(1996). The Law Reporter, 10(6), 1053-1084. Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and
Technology) - Accessible Web Page Design
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/web-design.html
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Trace Research and Development Center
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/
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W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
Works Cited
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Griffin, D. (2004). Why is technology access for students with disabilities important?
Retrieved June 5, 2005 from
http://www.sreb.org/programs/EdTech/pubs/PDF/WhyAccessImportant.asp
Rehab Tool. (2004). World-class assistive technology making a world of difference.
Retrieved June 5, 2005 from http://www.rehabtool.com/at.html
U.S. Department of Justice. (2004, August). A guide to disability rights laws.
Retrieved June 5, 2005 from http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm#anchor62335
W3C. (2003, January 17). WAI Quick Tips Reference Card. Retrieved June 4, 2005
from http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips/
Presenter Contact
Diane Stelacio & Julie Stratton
Home page – www.capemaytech.net/ettc
Fax – (609) 465-3877
Phone – (609) 465-2161
Email – [email protected]
Or [email protected]