Several terms have emerged in recent years that describe similar though somewhat distinct design concepts. The terms accessible design, usable design, and universal design are all approaches to design that can result in products that are easier for everyone to use, including people with disabilities.
For most of us, reading a web page containing mathematical calculations is simple. As we read, we automatically translate the mathematical expressions into operations and equations. Looking at a formula, we know which operations to perform and in what order. Now imagine, rather than viewing the equation, having it read to you character by character from left to right. Even a simple equation like "One over one plus two plus two" can be interpreted many ways with different results.
The Boston Public School system is known for its commitment to incorporating technology and universal design into its public institutions and classrooms. In 2001 the Access Technology Center (ATC) moved into the Boston Public Schools' Office of Instructional Technology (OIT) to expand technology access and training opportunities for teachers.
Digital Frog International, the award winning software company known for their interactive frog dissection programs and their digital field trip series, has created their first fully accessible software title.
Each October during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) works with the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy to promote Disability Mentoring Day (DMD).
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is located within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, is the federal entity charged with collecting and analyzing data related to education.
The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), at the American Printing House for the Blind, is a central repository for National Instructional Materials Access Standards (NIMAS) files. In addition the Center acts as a conduit through which the files are made available to authorized users to convert the files into fully accessible textbooks for students.
NIMAS refers to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard. It is a provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and was endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education as the preferred approach for publishers to provide accessible curricular materials to students in grades K-12.
Speech impairments alone generally do not interfere with most computer use. However, advanced computer-based speech synthesizers are close enough to human quality to act as substitute voices and thus provide a compensatory tool for students who cannot communicate verbally. Students with portable systems can participate in class discussions once adapted computers provide them with intelligible speaking voices.
In DO-IT projects such as AccessComputing and AccessSTEM, project staff developed an easy-to-use document called Preparing for Success with Work-Based Learning Experiences. This "work-based learning menu" was developed to be a useful, non-threatening tool in securing employer support for work-based learning offerings to students with disabilities.