Roles and Responsibilities: Who is responsible for Accessibility? How can we help?

1. Roles and Responsibilities: Who is responsible for Accessibility? How can we help? Kara Zirkle and Liz Miller, George Mason University - Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI)

2. A Collaborative Project…

3. ATI Services… Informal Assistive Technology Assessments Provision of Accessible Text Services Assistive Technology Labs Technical Assistance for ITU and Library personnel on AT-related issues Section 508/Web Accessibility Training and Support

4. Events Change, People Transition • The issue is not so much “change” as it is “transition” • To be a positive force, change must involve transition • Understanding the human side of change is vital • The process is more about helping people move and grow than altering events W. Bridges (1993, 2003); B. Ehren (2005)

5. Considerations in Transition . . . • Legal Rights & Responsibilities • Strategic Planning • Training • Campus Resources • Advocacy and Support • Technology and Universal Design

6. Rehabilitation Act

7. What is included in Section 508? …. Electronic and Information Technology • 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems • 1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications • 1194.23 Telecommunications Products (If it is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or software then it may also include 1194.21 and/or 1194.22) • 1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products (If implemented on the web will also require 1194.22)

8. 1194.25 Self Contained and Closed Products (Ex: Copiers, Fax and Kiosks) • 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers • 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria (Must be accessible with assistive technology) • 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support (Must also be accessible) • **Section 508 only applies to • visual, hearing and mobility impairments**

9. Who is Really Responsible? It depends on the Author/Developer • Websites • Online Documents • Videos (both online and played in class) • Telecommunication • Applications (both classroom setting and taught applications)

10. What happens if the author/developer is external to the University? This can be a tricky question due to numerous variables, such as • Does the University or Agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • Is there mention of accessibility in the contract or service?

11. Does the University or agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • If the answer is NO . . . • Then accommodations need to be worked out with the Office of Disability Services or ADA Office. • For example: If an individual with an disability is required to use an inaccessible technology in order to complete desired work, an accommodation must be made. • All rules and regulations from Section 504 now apply.

12. Does the University or agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • If the answer is YES . . . • When were the regulations put in place? (Is there a timeline for changes?) • If the product was purchased after regulations were in place then it leads to more questions . . .

13. If the product was purchased after regulations . . . • Is there contract language in place stating that the developer/vendor must meet standards and regulations? • Is there policy stating new standards and regulations are in place and must be met? If so, were they referenced? • If the answer is yes to either or both of these questions, then the responsibility lies on the vendor. However, how do you get the vendor to make changes?

14. How do you work with a vendor to make changes to something that doesn’t meet compliance? • Try contacting the company and asking if they know what accessibility and compliance standards are. (VPAT) • Example statement: “If you work with us now to make the necessary changes, it will help beat competition later because standards are met.” • Work with other Universities, Agencies or like companies and form user groups to keep a list of problems and contact the vendor as a group. Power in Numbers!

15. Now to internal responsibility • Teaching Faculty and Staff • Administration Offices • IT Professionals • Managers • Developers • Procurement/Purchasing

16. What could I be responsible for and what role do I play? • Websites and content • Documents • Videos and Multimedia • Technology used in the classroom (example: accessible blog, or student option) • Kiosks (copy machines, ATM, etc.)

17. Administration • President’s Office • Provost’s Office • Senior Vice President’s Office • Deans and Directors • President’s Council • Admissions and Registrars • Human Resources and Payroll • University Relations/Policy • Fiscal Services EVERYONE is involved and ANYONE can be effected!

18. Administration, continued Most common barriers: • University wide Applications • HR paperwork and application • Admissions applications and paperwork • Procurement/Contract language • Overall Higher Administration Support • Department/Organizational Websites

19. Teaching Faculty and Staff • Do you use a Learning Management System? Do you add content to the course? Are they documents, video, etc.? • Do you use technology for your class assignments i.e. blogs, websites, wikis, etc.? • Are you the author of a book used in class? • Do you use visuals in the classroom that give important information pertaining to the class? • Do you use webinars or other classroom capture or conferencing technology?

20. IT Professionals • Do you influence or decide on technology purchases? • Do you develop websites, applications or documentation? • Do you oversee computer classroom settings? • Do you manage others who may work on the above mentioned? • Do you work in multimedia or telecommunications?

21. Procurement/Purchasing • Is there compliance language included in contracts? • Are vendors required to provide documentation on accessibility? (VPAT) • Is there a determination and findings procedure or documentation? • Is there an Accessibility Specialist that is included in review of all purchased technology?

22. Cognitive Disabilities

23. Types of Cognitive Disabilities • Learning Disabilities • ADD/ADHD • TBI • Stroke/Seizure • Autism • Mood Disorders and PSTD

24. Technologies forCognitive Disabilities

25. Hearing Impairments

26. Technologies for Deaf/HOH

27. Mobility Impairments

28. Technology forMobility Impairments

29. Visual Impairments

30. Common Types of Visual Impairments Macular Degeneration: :Diabetic Retinopathy Photos taken from http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/MacularDegeneration.asp , http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/DiabeticRetinopathy.asp

31. Common Types of Visual Impairments Glaucoma: :Cataract Photos taken from http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/Cataracts.asp , http://www.lowvisionclub.com/articles/seewhatisee.html.

32. Color Blindness (Dychromatopsia) the inability to distinguish between some or all colors. The photograph is divided in two frames, on the left it is passed through the protanopia filter (green-red color blindness), on the right through the tritanopia (blue-yellow color blindness) and around the frames the picture is not filtered. VisCheck is a good tool to test websites and documents Common Types of Visual Impairments www.michelf.com/weblog/2005/sim-daltonism/. Retrieved on June 21, 2007. Photo taken from www.michelf.com/img/icon/sim-daltonism-512.jpg.

33. Technologies forVisual Impairments

34. Web Accessibility

35. Examples of design requirements for people with different kinds of disabilities include: • Visual: • described graphics or video; • well marked-up tables or frames; • keyboard support, screen reader compatibility; • Hearing: • captioning for audio, supplemental illustration; • Physical, Speech: • keyboard or single-switch support; • alternatives for speech input on voice portals; • Cognitive, Neurological: • consistent navigation, tab order, appropriate language level; • illustration; no flickering or strobing designs.

36. Why is Web Accessibility Important? • use of the Web has spread into all areas of society; • there are barriers on the Web for many types of disabilities; • millions of people have disabilities that affect access to the Web; • some Web sites are required to be accessible; • Web accessibility also has carry-over benefits for other users.

37. Impacts of the Web on Disabilities • The Web has become a key resource for: • classroom education, distance learning, • job searching, workplace interaction, • civic participation, government services, • news, information, commerce, entertainment, • It is displacing traditional sources of information and interaction -- • schools, libraries, print materials, discourse of the workplace; • some of the traditional resources were accessible; some not. • An accessible Web means unprecedented access to information for people with disabilities.

38. How to Ensure Accessibility and Compliance Trustees, Presidents, Deans, Administration, IT Professionals, and Faculty/Staff • Building the accessibility requirements early into the project • GSA Buy Accessible Wizard http://www.buyaccessible.gov/ • Section 508/Accessibility Trainings • Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) • Policy or other documentation providing Accessibility requirements.

39. Accessibility Tools For Faculty/Staff, Developers, Webmasters and Content Reviewers • Illinois Accessible Web Publishing Wizard for Microsoft Office • Adobe Professional v. 8.0 or higher • NetCentric • CommonLook Section 508 Adobe Plug-In • PDF Accessibility Wizard (PAW) • DeQue – WorldSpace, Ramp and UnDoc • HiSoftware – AccMonitor Accessibility Module • SSBBartGroup – Accessibility Management Platform • CourseAvenue

40. Testing Tools: Accessibility Forum Usability – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Best Practices: • Freedom Scientific – JAWS • Dolphin – Supernova • AiSquared - ZoomText

41. Multimedia, Radio and Television Faculty/Staff and Students

42. Audio Description • Avoid the need for audio description where possible, by assuring that all important information is communicated visually and audibly. • Adding more descriptive text into your monologue helps to not require audio description.

43. Free Web Accessibility Tools and Validators • Web Accessibility Toolbar • WAVE (This also comes as a Firefox Extention) • Deque WorldSpace • Functional Accessibility Evaluator (FAE) • HiSoftware Cynthia Says • Total Validator • Paciello Group WAT • Web Accessibility Inspector

44. Universal Design

45. Universal Design – Everyone Benefits • Accessible Web design contributes to better design for other users: • Multi-modality (support for visual, auditory, tactile access) benefits users of: • mobile phones with small display screens, Web-TV, kiosks. • Multi-modality increases usability of Web sites in different situations: • low bandwidth (images are slow to download); • noisy environments (difficult to hear the audio); • screen-glare (difficult to see the screen); • driving (eyes and hands are "busy"). • Redundant text/audio/video can support: • different learning styles; low literacy levels; second-language access. • Style sheets can support: • more efficient page transmission and site maintenance. • Captioning of audio files supports: • better machine indexing of content; faster searching of content.

46. Universal Design Techniques

47. Universal Design • Built-in tools – PC & Mac, Firefox Browser • Audio Books & e-Books • Bundled tools – Premier & TextHelp • Livescribe Pulse Pen • Inspiration – Webspiration • NexTalk • Docsoft • Web

48. Built-in tools • PC • Keyboard shortcuts • Magnifier • Contrast settings • Narrator • On screen keyboard • Mouse keys, filter keys, sticky keys • Dictionary, thesaurus, spelling /grammar check • Ease of Access Center • Speech recognition • Text size • Touch • Mac • Keyboard shortcuts • Magnification • Contrast settings • VoiceOver • Mouse Keys, Slow Keys, Sticky Keys • Text to speech • Talking calculator & clock • On screen keyboard • Inkwell • Dictionary, thesaurus, spelling /grammar check, word completion • Speech recognition

49. Image from - http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/ • Adobe Reader & Acrobat • “Read Out Loud” Built-in tools, cont. Firefox • Some accessibility features are dependent on the version of Firefox • Free accessibility add-ons • Firefox Accessibility Extension • Glazoom – magnifier • No color • N-Abled Web Accessibility Toolbar • Page Zoom Buttons • Extensions for Firefox: • Fire Vox – screen reader • MozBraille – screen reader (beta at present, not yet fully accessible – plans to offer Braille, text to speech and magnified output)

50. Bundled tools • Premier Accessibility/Literacy • PC and Mac versions • Reading and writing tools • Helpful for ESL • MP3 creation • TextHelp Read & Write • PC and Mac versions • Reading and writing tools • Helpful for ESL • MP3 creation • Voice recognition • Research tools • Inspiration-like tool • DAISY Reader