E-Accessibility 101

1. E-Accessibility 101 Heidi Pettyjohn Amanda Calvert June 5, 2019

2. Compliance

3. Compliance (2) "Compliance is how you operationalize your values" - Dr. Tess Barker, Chief of Staff to Chancellor, University of Michigan Flint

4. Disability Rights are Civil Rights  “Until the twentieth century, our legal system was more likely to be used to legitimize discrimination than to prevent it” Colker, R. and Grossman, P., “The Law of Disability Discrimination for Higher Education Professionals”

5. Disability Discrimination Themes in the United States of America • Segregation and isolation • Lack of physical autonomy  • Sterilization and elimination

6. Our History • 1927 – Buck v. Bell – 8-1 in favor of forced sterilization  • Last law overturned in 1979  • Court cases remain today

7. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • Congress passes in 1972 and 1973 – Nixon vetoes • 1973 Final Passage – less financial support, less public emphasis on the nondiscrimination provision  • Section 501 – Affirmative Action programs required for federal agencies • Section 502 – Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to enforce ABA • Section 503 – AA programs required for federal contractors • Section 504 – prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal funding  • Regulations not signed into law until 1977

8. Section 504 provides: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”

9. Four Principles Equal Opportunity Full participation Independent Living Economic Self-Sufficiency Americans with Disabilities Act 

10. Where does ADA/504 Apply at UC? • Any program or activity of the college or university: academic and non-academic • Employment  • Programs and activities receiving “significant assistance” • In field placements • Athletic and school sponsored social events • Virtual and Online Spaces

11. So – what do we do? • Accommodations – modifications, adjustments or auxiliary aids or services • Access – physical, programmatic, virtual 

12. How do we define accessible? A person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability

13. How do we define accessible? A person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use

14. How do we define accessible? A person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.A person with a disability must be able to obtain the information as fully, equally, and independently as a person without a disability. (Office for Civil Rights)

15. Disability in perspective The numbers. The reality. 27.2% of US population identifies as having a disability1 West Virginia has highest percentage, Kentucky is #3, Ohio is #18, and all are above the national average.2 US Census Current Population Report Americans with Disabilities: 2014 Cornell University DisabilityStatistics.org American Community Survey Prevalence Report 2017

16. Disability in perspective Disability defined The American Community Survey definition of disability is based on six questions. A person is coded as having a disability if he or she or a proxy respondent answers affirmatively for one or more of these six categories.1 • Hearing • Visual • Cognitive • Ambulatory • Self-care • Independent Living Cornell University DisabilityStatistics.org American Community Survey Prevalence Report 2017

17. Disability in perspective More than what meets the eye… Focushttps://www.microsoft.com/design/inclusive/#inclusivethefilm Color blindNo coffee vision simulator chrome extension

18. POUR concept Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust Web accessibility is most easily achieved when people are at the center of the process.

19. POUR concept: Perceivable Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. • Alternative text on images • Captions and transcripts • Color contrast • Enlarged text

20. POUR concept: Operable Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust User interface components and navigation must be operable. This means that users must be able to operate the interface. • Keyboard accessible • Visible focus indicator • Bypass blocks of content • Accessible time limits

21. POUR concept: Understandable Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. • Language identifier • Consistent navigation • Predictable behavior • Helpful, accessible error and verification messages

22. POUR concept: Robust Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. • Validated HTML • ARIA

23. Assistive technology

24. Assistive technology NVDA TalkBack

25. The Accessibility Network The Accessibility Network empowers the UC community to create accessible, inclusive university web sites and eLearning environments for learners with all ranges of abilities. • Advocates across campus • Guidance • Resources • Training

26. What can you do today? Technology you use today: Microsoft Word Visit the Accessibility Network site for resourceshttps://www.uc.edu/about/ucit/about/accessibility/articles.html Training Be proactive Spread the word!

27. Final Thoughts