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During this presentation, faculty and administrators will become more aware of:
Approximately 45-60 minutes.
Department chair, faculty, staff, teaching assistant, student, or other department member who has an understanding of technology used by students who have disabilities and of key elements of accessible Web page design. This presentation may be presented or co-presented by a staff member of a campus unit responsible for providing academic accommodations for students with disabilities and a Web page developer.
For further preparation for this presentation, consult The Faculty Room at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Academic/Webpages/.
Today we'll be discussing the universal design of Web pages to allow access for all people regardless of their abilities or disabilities.
The objectives of today's presentation are to... (Paraphrase objectives on visual.)
The World Wide Web has rapidly become a popular tool for educators. On their Web pages, faculty members post syllabi and other course materials and provide links to useful resources for students. The Web has mushroomed in popularity because it is such a powerful and versatile medium. Much of its power comes from the fact that it presents information in a variety of formats while also organizing that information through hypertext links. Unfortunately, due to the multimedia nature of the Web combined with the poor design of some Web sites, many students and other Web users cannot use the full range of resources this revolutionary tool provides.
For example, some visitors cannot see graphics because of their visual impairments or cannot hear audio because of hearing impairments. Some users have difficulty navigating sites that are poorly organized with unclear directions because they have learning disabilities, speak English as a second language, or are younger than the average user. Other visitors use older equipment or slow connections or modems that limit access to multimedia features.
Some students use "adaptive" (or "assistive") technology with their computer to access the Web. For example, a student who is blind may use a speech output system to read aloud text that is presented on the screen. This system may be composed of screen reading software and a voice synthesizer. A person with a mobility impairment may not be able to use a mouse and relies on the keyboard for Web browsing.
We will now view a videotape where individuals discuss various ways that they access computers, some using adaptive technology.
It is important to keep in mind that the people in this videotape might be accessing your Web site. To create resources that can be used by the widest spectrum of potential visitors rather than an idealized average, Web page designers should apply "universal design" principles. They should consider the special needs of individuals with disabilities, individuals older or younger than the average user, people for whom English is a second language, and those using outdated hardware and software.
Assuring that individuals with disabilities have access to computing resources can be argued on ethical grounds. Some simply consider it to be the right thing to do. Others are more responsive to legal mandates.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires that people with disabilities be given the same access to public programs and services, including educational programs, that are offered to people without disabilities.
The ADA is civil rights legislation that reinforces and extends the requirement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that "no otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities shall, solely by reason of their disabilities, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of a public entity." When people think of the ADA they often think of elevators in buildings, reserved spaces in parking lots, and lifts on busses. However, the ADA accessibility requirements apply to people with all types of disabilities and to all programs and resources offered at our institutions, including those offered using computers and the Internet.
Disabilities covered by legislation include, but are not limited to, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, hearing impairments, visual impairments, speech impairments, specific learning disabilities, head injuries, psychiatric disorders, Diabetes, Cancer, and AIDS. The conditions listed may limit people's abilities to perform specific tasks. Some of these conditions are readily apparent; some are invisible. Some affect computer use; some do not.
Additionally, some students who have conditions with the same label may have very different abilities when it comes to performing specific tasks. For example, one student who has Cerebral Palsy may have difficulty walking. For another student, Cerebral Palsy may result in no functional use of his hands or voice. Ultimately, a student who has a disability requires accommodations only when faced with a task that requires a skill that his disability precludes. This may include computer access.
The Department of Justice has clarified that the ADA applies to Internet resources in that, "covered entities that use the Internet for communications regarding their programs, goods, or services, must be prepared to offer those communications through accessible means as well."
As more information is delivered using network technologies, postsecondary faculty and administrators play an increasingly important role in ensuring that everyone has access to resources provided via the World Wide Web.
A good place to begin discussing accessible Web design is with the principles of universal design.
Designing a product or service involves the consideration of myriad factors that include aesthetics, engineering options, environmental issues, safety concerns, and cost. One issue that designers often overlook is that of universal design.
In general, universal design means designing products and services that can be used by people with a range of characteristics, abilities, and disabilities.
Universal design is defined by the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." At this center, a group of architects, product designers, engineers, and environmental design researchers collaborated to establish a set of principles of universal design to provide guidance in the design of environments, communications, and products.
General principles of universal design include: the design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities; the design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities; the design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities; the design can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with a minimum of fatigue; and appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
Electronic resources that are universally designed provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement.
When designers apply these principles, their products meet the needs of potential users with a wide variety of characteristics. Disability is just one of these characteristics. For example, one person could be male, tall, fifteen years old, a poor reader, and blind. All of these characteristics, including blindness, should be considered when developing a product he might use. Universal design techniques can be applied in the design of packaging, software, appliances, transportation systems, and many other products and services. Examples of universal design in architecture are ramps, automatic door openers, and Braille labels on elevator control buttons. Following universal design principles in creating a Web site provides access to all users regardless of their abilities, their disabilities, or the limitations of their equipment and software.
When universal design principles are applied to the design of Web pages, people using a wide range of adaptive technology can access them. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an industry group founded in 1994 that develops common protocols which enhance interoperability and guide the evolution of the Web, has taken a leadership role in this area. The W3C is committed to promoting the full potential of the World Wide Web to assure a high degree of usability by people with disabilities.
As stated by Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web, "The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect." The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) coordinates W3C's efforts with organizations worldwide to promote accessibility. Its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines tell how to design Web pages that are accessible to people with a wide variety of disabilities.
More recently, in response to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board has established standards for the procurement, development, and use of technology by Federal agencies. One section establishes standards for designing accessible Web pages. Although the legislation applies directly to Federal agencies, the standards are being used as guidelines by many institutions who want to assure that they are compliant with the ADA.
Now we'll watch a videotape presentation called World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design. This presentation shares access issues and solutions for people with disabilities. The content of this presentation is included in your handout entitled World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design.
To create pages that are accessible, Web page developers must either avoid certain types of data and features or create alternative methods for carrying out the functions or accessing the content that is provided using the inaccessible feature or format.
When it is not possible to use an accessible technology, an alternative version of the content should be provided. However, Web page designers should resort to separate, accessible pages only when other solutions fail. Maintaining a separate page is time consuming. Alternative pages tend to be updated less frequently than "primary" pages and, therefore, often provide outdated information to the site visitors using them.
Besides practicing universal design guidelines in developing your Web pages, encourage feedback about accessibility from Web visitors.
Notify your Web site visitors that you are concerned about accessibility by including a statement about accessibility on your page. Encourage your users to notify you with their accessibility concerns. For example, the DO-IT home page at the University of Washington includes this statement:
"The DO-IT pages form a living document and are regularly updated. We strive to make them universally accessible. You will notice that we minimize the use of graphics and photos, and provide descriptions of them when they are included. Video clips are open captioned, providing access to users who can't hear the audio. Suggestions for increasing the accessibility of these pages are welcome."
Test your Web page with as many Web browsers as you can, and always test your Web page with at least one text-based browser, such as Lynx, and with the audio-graphics-loading of a multi-media browser turned off. This way, you will see your Web resources from the perspectives of people with sensory impairments.
Testing your Web site with accessibility testing programs. These programs provide a report of accessibility barriers to your site. Several are referenced in your handout. Finally test your Web page using the keyboards alone to determine if you have full access to the information.
If universal design principles are employed in Web page development, other people besides individuals with disabilities will also benefit from the design. They include people working under environmental constraints such as noisy or noiseless environments; people whose hands or eyes are occupied with other activities; people for whom English is a second language; people using older, outdated equipment; and individuals using monochrome monitors.
The World Wide Web is just one example of an electronic resource that students with disabilities may need to access for their courses. When purchasing and designing other electronic resources including applications software, on-line catalogs, encyclopedias, and indexes, consider whether these resources will be accessible to students utilizing adaptive technology.
Instructional and administrative Web pages should be developed with universal access as a goal. Accessibility guidelines should be incorporated into general campus Web page publication guidelines or standards.
The standards your campus adopts could be those developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium, those used by the Federal government in response to Section 508 legislation, or a list tailored to your campus. When choosing standards or guidelines it is best to gain high level support and include all key stakeholders (including students with disabilities, faculty, administrators, and Web designers) in the process.
A task force can then draft policy and select guidelines. They can develop dissemination plans and recommendations for the provision of training and support. They can also recommend how the policy might be enforced and/or how complaint sites will be rewarded. Policies and procedure should be evaluated and revised on a regular basis.
(Ask participants the following or similar questions for discussion.)
(Consider discussing a case from the Presentation Tips section of this notebook. Case #6 on page 77 would be appropriate.)
As our program comes to an end, I'd like to ask what was the most significant insight or question you had today? Please feel free to share a brief comment with the group.
I hope this program has given you a clear understanding of the impact that the combination of computers, adaptive technology, and electronic resources can have on the lives of people with disabilities. Faculty and administrators have a legal responsibility to assure equitable access to resources and services. The information provided in this program should have given you tools to begin implementing universal design principles when developing and updating Web pages. Applying these guidelines will help level the playing field for people with disabilities.
Here are some resources that might be useful to you as you work to maximize effective communication with all students in your classes. (Elaborate.)
For comprehensive information on accommodations, a wide range of case general resources, visit The Faculty Room at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/. This resource was developed at the University of Washington as part of a nationwide project to provide resources to faculty and administrators so that they can make their courses and programs accessible to all students. You can link to this resource from ____ (Arrange to make the link from your campus/departmental disabled student services home page before the presentation.). Consider linking to this Web site from your departmental Web pages for faculty.
Thank you for your time today and for your interest in finding ways to ensure that all of the students in our programs have equal opportunities to learn, explore interests, and express ideas.
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