Baking in vs. Bolting On: Strategizing Accessibility Kelly Hermann VP, Accessibility Strategy University of Phoenix

Bolting on… Accessibility is an after thought Not part of the design Not integrated into the environment May be functional but not the best user experience Retrofitting = more expensive Takes more time

Baking in… Included as part of the design at every stage Part of the aesthetic of the environment Better user experience Integrated More efficient and cost effective

What does this mean for digital environments? Need to approach design of digital environments like we do with the design of a building An accessible LMS and online course = ramps and elevators in a building Proactive approach = one size fits most including accessibility without knowledge of a student e.g., posting videos with captions Reactive approach = individual tailoring accommodations that are provided to students based on specific needs e.g., extended time for tests

Understand the context – legal requirements Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Americans with Disabilities Act Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA

Getting started Starts first with understanding the current climate and culture of the institution Campus-wide approach – finding your new champions “What’s in it for me?” Policies and procedures Understanding the technology Professional development opportunities

Developing policy – who is at the table? Accessibility committee – do you have one? Membership: Academics Information Technology – infrastructure/hardware Educational technology – course design/tools Procurement Student Services Disability Services Financial aid & business office Marketing Enrollment/Admissions Legal & ethics/compliance Veteran’s affairs/services Student and community stakeholders

Developing policy – what is included? Adopting a standard Stakeholder roles within the process How will the campus spend its money? Define how you will work with external partners Plan for curriculum design & evaluation Courses Library Academic support & tutoring Addressing campus web presences, services and resources

Why is setting a standard important? Establishes a benchmark level of accessibility Provides information and guidance for what to do if a tool, site or resource is not accessible Consistency Proactive – gives a baseline level of accessibility that is baked in during development rather than bolted on after the fact Allows you and your partners to know what you are asking for, especially from vendors and outside partners.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines The four principles of accessibility are: 1). Perceivable – The ability to see, hear, or experience information. 2). Operable – The ability to use a keyboard, use a mouse, or interact in multiple different ways. 3). Understandable – Creating clarity or understanding, such as labels, information, and relationships. 4). Robust – To the broadest extent possible, learning outcomes are based on learning the topic and are tool agnostic. Users may change use a tool to interact with content.

What gets reviewed? Need to understand how your learning management system works – what will students and faculty experience? Third party content – from My “insert your subject here” lab and textbook resources to general websites linked in the course. Documents Video and audio content Tools like Tableau, QuickBooks, Toolwire, etc.

Accessibility evaluations Several components (this is not an exhaustive list): Review of the VPAT and any other documentation provided by the vendor. Interaction with a screen reader – how does the tool behave? Can the user understand where he/she is and select menu options? Multiple inputs – can we move around the tool using a keyboard as well as we can with a mouse? Do we have time to navigate all elements before inactivity triggers an action? Are there alternatives for any non-text content? Captions? Alternative text? What is the color contrast and display like?

Questions to ask internally What is this tool, product, or website going to be used for? Learning objectives are at the heart of the fundamental alteration and undue burden analyses we must do in accessibility and disability services. Are there alternative means to teach this content to students? We frequently remind folks that we have been teaching math in the university setting long before any of the publishers came up with their companion sites and tools. Go back to the basics to find your alternatives. Who are our students? At UOP, I work with adult students. I know this means they tend to have older assistive technology or may have acquired their diagnosis after their last formal schooling. This has an impact on how I can accommodate and ensure accessibility.

Questions to ask vendors and partners What accessibility standards do you follow during planning, development and QA or testing? How is this addressed with new releases after product launch? How do you evaluate your product for accessibility? Do you conduct any user testing with screen readers? Are you aware of any known compatibility issues with common screen readers? Does your company have an accessibility road map? What feedback mechanism do you have in place for us to share accessibility concerns?

What happens when something is not accessible? Is it a fundamental alteration to remove the content or tool? Go back to the learning objectives of the course Guide for essential elements What alternatives exist? Do they allow the student to access the content independently? Develop the plan before a student enters the course

Looking ahead to the breakouts

Procurement Standard policy component imposed by OCR in recent resolution agreements. Intent is to install a fail safe mechanism to ensure that all tools purchased by the institution meets the accessibility criteria What should it include? Statement of standards Evaluation process – how will you know if a tool meets the standards? Required information from the vendor – VPAT, accessibility road map. Contract language – who is responsible for what, etc.

Course review and revision First, how are your courses designed? Master course model or do faculty have the ability to design and offer their own courses? When does it make sense to review course components in your process? Insert accessibility at that point. What resources do you have to conduct accessibility evaluations? Who has the requisite knowledge and ability? Refer to WCAG principles and guidelines

Campus culture & accessibility AKA, what will fly on your campus and what is a hard “no” regardless of how it is pitched? Critically important to understand the unwritten rules of how things get done on campus. Who are the power brokers on campus? How does the campus react to external demands and regulations? What population has the most influence? Are issues pushed from a student- centric perspective? Do folks say that everything is student-centric and –focused but their arguments are typically faculty, administrative or staff focused? What is the governance structure like? How often do you hear arguments about academic freedom from your faculty? LK to lead