Transcript Canvas Overview State College of Florida

Accessibility
State College of Florida
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What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the web. More specifically, web accessibility
means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate and interact with the web and that they
can contribute to the web. Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, including older people
with changing abilities due to aging.
Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities affecting access to the web, including visual, auditory, physical,
speech, cognitive and neurological disabilities. Millions of people have disabilities which affect their use of the
web. Currently, most websites and web software have accessibility barriers which make it difficult or
impossible for many people with disabilities to use the web. As more accessible websites and software
become available, people with disabilities are able to use and contribute to the web more effectively.
What is Section 508?
U.S. Federal Law
• Section 508 of Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 states in part: "Electronic information and data
must be equally accessible to individuals with and without disabilities.“
• Prohibits discrimination on basis of disability by recipients of federal funds
• Section 508 website: http://www.section508.gov/
Benefits
• Accessible to individuals with disabilities
• Comply with US Federal Law
• More usable for all learners using wide variety of technologies
• Accommodate different learning styles
• Assist speakers of English as second language
• Captions increase comprehension for all learners
• Captions, Text Transcripts are Searchable
• Recognize and research unfamiliar terms
• Content accessed in situations not audio-friendly
Course Structure & Layout
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Follow a simple and consistent course design
Organize related content in Folders or Learning Modules
Same display options for all Learning Modules
Design for minimal scrolling; avoid horizontal scrolling and minimize vertical scrolling
Use both icon (image) and link text on homepage
Establish a consistent layout
Same icon layout for all Folders
Consistent color scheme
Logical order of content
Design for Ease of Use
Semantic Structure
• Semantic structure is critical for accessibility
• Use true bulleted and numbered lists rather than creating it by using the tab key and an asterisk or number.
• Organize your content using true headings (sometimes labeled as “H1” “Heading 1”, etc.).
• The document title should be a first-level heading, the next level should be second-level, etc.
• HTML document should have only one H1
• Don't skip downward levels (Ex: H1 should always be followed by H2 and H2 by H3 within a section)
• Provide a table of contents for long documents.
• Provide a descriptive document or page title.
• Use true columns instead of other methods
(e.g., using the “Tab” key to create columns
one line at a time).
Tips
• Use the simplest language appropriate for your content.
• Use illustrations, icons, etc. to supplement text.
• Check spelling, grammar, and readability.
• Be careful with abbreviations, jargon, complex language, or anything that might confuse the reader.
• AVOID THE USE OF ALL CAPS. IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO READ.
Color Scheme
• Choose colors carefully
• The use of color can enhance comprehension, but do not use color alone to convey information (e.g.,
“Items in red are due this week”). Using color is fine (e.g., “The items due this week have the red word
‘due’ next to them”), it just can’t be the only way information is provided.
Ex: avoid color coding with red/green, pastels
• Applies to: Text/Background, Graphics, Documents
Descriptive Hyperlinks
• Avoid using "click here" or "email me"
• Avoid placing links too close together
• Avoid too many hyperlinks in a single document or web page ("34 is a lot")
• Link text should make sense out-of-context
• Good: There were many inventions during the Industrial Revolution of history
• Bad: For information about the Industrial Revolution click here
Text Equivalents
Alternative text serves several functions:
• It is read by screen readers in place of images allowing the content and function of the image to be
accessible to those with visual or certain cognitive disabilities.
• It is displayed in place of the image in browsers if the image file is not loaded or when the user has
chosen not to view images.
• It provides a semantic meaning and description to images which can
be read by search engines or be used to later determine the content
of the image from page context alone.
• ALT text can be added to image properties in HTML, Word, PDF,
PowerPoint, etc.
• Alternative text should present the content and function,
not necessarily a description, of an image. If you had to remove
the image, what text would you put in its place?
• Avoid words like “picture of,” “image of,” or “link to.”
• Use the fewest number of words necessary.
Multimedia Content
Audio Only
• Text-only Transcript of audio component
• Transcript must be an accessible document
Audio+Video
• Synchronized captions are required
• Text-only Transcript of audio component
• Video Description (unless talking head)
Example: http://www.hort.uga.edu
Example (talking heads): http://webaim.org/intro/#people
Can combine Text Transcript and Video Description: W3C Combined Example
Captions vs. Subtitles
Captions
• Assumes viewer cannot hear ambient sounds, include references
• Accessible
• Separate text stream (independent of video)
• Archived, indexed, searched
• Most often appear below the video
• Can be turned on/off
Subtitles
• Assume viewer can hear ambient sounds but not understand dialogue
• Not accessible
• Part of the video stream
• Subject to loss of quality during video compression and delivery
• Most often overlaid so may block important visual cues
• Cannot be turned off
All Online Electronic Content
• Web Accessibility is not limited to websites or web applications but include Microsoft Word,
PowerPoint, Excel and PDF documents.
• The guides and tutorials on the GSA 508 website are an excellent resource when developing your
materials
• http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103565
Accessibility Checker – Built into Microsoft
Disability Resource Center
Contact Information:
DRC Bradenton Office: 941-752-5295 or [email protected]
Patricia Lakey, Coordinator- [email protected]
Angela Powell, Advisor II- [email protected]
Jennifer Meier-Venice Campus Liaison- [email protected]
Online Learning Staff
Gary Baker
Director
Phone: 941-752-5431
Fax: 941-751-8185
Email: [email protected]
Dale Drees
Lead Instructional Designer
Phone: 941-752-5345
Fax: 941-751-8185
Email: [email protected]
Kendi Judy
Specialist, Instructional Designer
Phone: 941-752-5437
Fax: 941-751-8185
Email: [email protected]
John Ewing
LMS Administrator
Phone: 941-752-5254
Fax: 941-751-8185
Email: [email protected]
Melanie Wallace
Staff Assistant
Phone: 941-752-5237
Fax: 941-751-8185
Email: [email protected]