Transcript Digital (Web) Accessibility Talk Session

Digital (Web)
Accessibility
Talk Session
THAT Camp 2017
Stephanie Robbins, M.Ed.
Assistive Technology Coordinator
Disability Resources and Services
University of Colorado Denver
 Overview of Digital/Web Accessibility
 Can get very technical, but we're going to
stick with the basics!
Purpose for
this Session
 Insight on how people with disabilities access
computers and digital content
 Collaboration & Discussion
 I want to hear about your experiences and
thoughts!
Talking Points
 What is digital (web) accessibility?
 How do people with disabilities access digital and
online content?
 Visual Impairments (Blind/Low Vision)
 Hearing Impairments (Deaf/Hard of Hearing)
 Mobility Impairments (Limited or no use of
arms/hands)
 What technologies are available to allow people
with disabilities to access digital content?
 What can I do to incorporate digital accessibility?
What Is Digital
Accessibility?
 Ask the Audience! What do you think is
digital/web accessibility?
What is Digital
Accessibility?
 Digital/Web Accessibility means that people with
disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, it means
that people with disabilities can perceive, understand,
navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can
contribute to the Web.
 Resource: W3C (World Wide Web Consortiuminternational community of organizations, full time
staff and the public to develop the standards for the
web- and they include accessibility! Lead and founded
by Tim Berners Lee who invented the
internet) https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.p
hp
Hear From
Students &
Faculty with
Disabilities
 You Tube Video: A Personal Look at
Accessibility in Higher Education
Visual
Impairments
 Ask the Audience! How do people with visual
impairments access a computer, let alone web
content?
 Assistive Technologies are available that allow users
with low vision and blindness to access digital content
through magnification and screen reading software.
Visual
Impairments,
cont.
 Magnification Software: Zoomtexthttp://www.zoomtext.com/
 Screen Reading Software: JAWShttp://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness
/JAWS
 Free trials available for download
 Built in Magnification/Screen Readers on
Windows/Mac (PC- Magnification/Narrator, MacZoom, Voice Over)
Hearing
Impairments
 Ask the audience! How does a person with
hearing impairments access digital content
such as videos, online lectures, etc?
 Closed Captioning is available for MOST media video
players (this is the most accessible format since it
provides dialogue of sound effects, music, narrators,
and laughter).
 You Tube, Kaltura, Quicktime, Windows Media
Player, etc.
Hearing
Impairments
cont.
 Video content creators can post a written transcript of
the video (Not the most accessible format, but it is a
better option than nothing!)
 There are several companies that provide closed
captioning (Not endorsing one over the other):
 Caption Sync:
http://www.automaticsync.com/captionsync/
 3play Media: http://www.3playmedia.com/
 Rev: https://www.rev.com/
Sample of an
Accessible
Video
 You Tube Video: Stuck on an Escalator
 What did you notice about the video?
Mobility
Impairments
 Ask the Audience! How does someone with a
mobile impairment (i.e.,upper extremity)
access a computer, let alone digital content,
with a mouse and keyboard?
Mobility
Impairments,
cont.
 Assistive technology software such as speech
recognition can allow a person with a mobility
impairment to use their voice to navigate their
desktop, write documents, browse the web and
more!
 Dragon Naturally Speaking is one of the most
popular speech recognition programs and the
most accurate:
http://www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm
 Speech recognition is also built into Windows
and Mac (Dictation).
 Using speech recognition to successfully
navigate the web takes training & practice!
 How do these technologies work with the web
and digital content?
Digital
Accessibility
 In order for these assistive technologies to be
successful in navigating and accessing digital
content, THE WEB CONTENT MUST BE
CODED TO THE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS,
IT MUST BE CREATED TO BE ACCESSIBLE.
 If the web/digital content is not created to be
accessed by assistive technologies, then the
content will not be fully accessible or not
accessible at all.
 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAGCreated by the W3C):
https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/
Web
Accessibility
Standards:
WCAG
 Let’s break down the standards! 4 Guidelines
 Perceivable (Code alternative text for images)
 Operable (Make all functions available from the
keyboard)
 Understandable (Make text content readable
and understandable)
 Robust (Maximize compatibility with assistive
technologies)
Web
Accessibility
Standards:
Section 508
 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Amended in 1998)
 Requires access to programs and activities funded by
federal agencies and federal employment.
 Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires access to
electronic and information technology in the federal
sector and the Board was authorized to develop and
maintain accessibility standards for such technology.
 “The Board” Refers to the U.S. Access Board:
The U.S. Access Board is a federal agency that promotes
equality for people with disabilities through leadership in
accessible design and the development of accessibility
guidelines and standards for the built environment,
transportation, communication, medical diagnostic
equipment, and information technology.
https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards
 Software applications and operating systems
 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications
 Telecommunications products
508 Standards:
What do they
cover?
 Video and multimedia products
 Self contained, closed products
 Desktop and portable computers
To review the Section 508 standards, visit:
https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards
Select the link for Section 508 Standards under Communications & IT.
What about
Documents &
Educational
Materials?
 Standards for Documents and Educational
Applications will be the same as the web standards.
Examples: Include headings, Include alternative
text for images, and ensure tables are structured
properly.
 Resources:
 Microsoft Accessibility:
https://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/of
fice2013/
 National Center on Disability and Access to
Education (NCDAE):
http://ncdae.org/resources/cheatsheets/
 National Center on Educational Accessible
Materials
http://aem.cast.org/
What Can I do
to Include
Digital
Accessibility?
 Research the accessibility resources for the software & applications
you know and use! (Start with the resources I’ve provided and
incorporate 3-5 accessibility guidelines)
 Microsoft Office: Word, Power Point
 Adobe: PDF
 Learning Management Systems: Canvas, Blackboard,
Desire2Learn
 WordPress, Drupal, Share Point
 More resources on the THAT Camp Website:
http://ahadenver2017.thatcamp.org/digital-accessibilityresources/
 Contact your IT Department, Disability Resources Office, HR Office
and/or Compliance Office to find out who at your institution or
workplace provides IT accessibility support.
 Questions to ask: Is there a digital or web accessibility policy? Do
we have resources on our website? Who can provide a training?
 Talk with colleagues & co-workers, don’t tackle digital accessibility
alone!
 Discuss: What are some other ways that you can include or foster
digital accessibility in your workplace?
Questions?
Stephanie Robbins
Assistive Technology Coordinator
University of Colorado Denver
[email protected]
Office: 303-315-3517