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"Electronic and information technology" (referred to as simply "technology" in this publication) includes a broad range of products used to acquire, store, manipulate, and transmit information. These technologies include computers, software, websites, telephones, science lab equipment, CDs, videos, photocopiers, fax machines, and calculators.
Many technology products are designed in such a way that they are inaccessible to people with some types of disabilities. For example, a person with a visual impairment may not be able to interpret telephone use instructions if they are presented only in a visual format; a person who is deaf cannot access content of a software program that is only presented aurally. Too often even those individuals with disabilities who have assistive technology, a computer and Internet connection, still cannot make full use of technology because of the inaccessible features of hardware or software. In contrast, when universal design principles are employed as technology is created or updated, the resulting products are fully accessible to a broad audience, including assistive technology users.
This tutorial, created by DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology), describes how people with disabilities use computers, tells how technology can be made accessible, and lists resources for further study. To complete the tutorial, simply read the documents and freely view the video presentations online; you can also purchase the videos in DVD format from DO-IT. You will find it easier to link to the websites if you use the electronic form of this document at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/aeit.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_dis.html.
View the video Access to Technology in the Workplace: In Our Own Words at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/access_tech.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computer Technology and People with Mobility Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_mobility.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computers and People with Sensory Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_sensory.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computers and People with Learning Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_learn.html.
Read the publication and view the video World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/www.html.
Read Section 508 Guide: Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm.
Read the WebAIM Section 508 Checklist at http://www.webaim.org/standards/508/checklist.
Read the Checklist of Checkpoints for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10/atag10-chktable.html.
Read Accessibility of Online Chat Programs at http://www.webaim.org/articles/chats/.
Read Use of Telecommunications Products by People with Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/telcom.html.
Read the Technical Bulletin: Access to Telecommunications at http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/telecomm.htm.
Read About the Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines at http://www.access-board.gov/telecomm/about%20telecomm.htm.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Section 255 Telecommunications Access for People with Disabilities at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/section255.html.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Telecommunications Relay Services at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Telecommunications Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.23.htm.
Read Creating Video and Multimedia Products that are Accessible to People with Sensory Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/vid_sensory.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Video and Multimedia Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.24.htm.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Accessibility of Emergency Video Programming to Persons with Hearing and Visual Disabilities at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/emergencyvideo.html.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Closed Captioning at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html.
Read Designing Software that is Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/design_software.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Software Applications and Operating Systems at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.21.htm.
Review Software Accessibility Checklist at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/archive/oldsoftware.html.
Read Software Accessibility at http://www-306.ibm.com/able/guidelines/software/accesssoftware.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Desktop and Portable Computers at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.26.htm.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Self Contained, Closed Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.25.htm.
Read the publication and view the video Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/real_con.html.
Read the publication and view the video Equal Access: Universal Design of Computer Labs at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/equal.html.
Read Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/equal_access_lib.html.
Read Policy Governing World Wide Web Accessibility at UW - Madison at http://www.wisc.edu/wiscinfo/policy/wwwap.php.
Read the Ohio State University Web Accessibility Policy at http://ada.osu.edu/resources/WebPolicies.htm.
Read The Goal: Making University of Washington Web Sites Accessible to Everyone at http://www.washington.edu/computing/accessible/.
Read Central Michigan University Web Policy at http://www.cmich.edu/web-policy/accessibility.htm.
Read Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility at http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/impl/.
Read Accessible Web Design Policy Statements and Standards at http://www.washington.edu/computing/accessible/resources.html.
Read Oregon State University Information Technology Accessibility at http://oregonstate.edu/accessibility/software.php.
Read Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy at http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices.cfm.
Good places to start include the following:
Technology and Universal Design at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/technology.html.
Equal Access to Software and Information at http://www.rit.edu/~easi/.
AccessIT: The National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education at http://www.washington.edu/accessit/.
IT Access for Persons with Disabilities at http://www.gsa.gov/cita.
For further information regarding accessible technology, consult http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/technology.html. To order videos in DVD format from DO-IT, consult http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Order/video.order.html. To view video presentations online, consult http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/. DVD versions may be purchased from DO-IT.
The specific DO-IT videos Computer Access: In Our Own Words and Access to Technology in the Workplace: In Our Own Words reinforce the basic content of this publication by sharing access challenges and solutions of individuals with disabilities. In the first presentation, you will hear the perspective of high school and college students with disabilities. In the second presentation, you will hear from employees.
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education.
To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.
For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, or to request materials in an alternate format, contact:
DO-ITDirector: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.
This publication is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9800324. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Copyright 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy and distribute these materials for educational, non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
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