2. Making the GRADE: Improving Access to E-learning Marsha Allen, Web Developer Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education, Southeast Disability & Business Technical Assistance Center, Center for AT & Environmental Access (CATEA), Georgia Institute of Technology

3. Objectives Increase awareness of the barriers students with disabilities face in accessing the Internet. Provide resources for tools that identify barriers and solutions to accessing the Internet. Inspire enthusiasm to learn more.

4. About Our Project GRADE www.catea.org/grade/ Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education

5. GRADE Mission Improve the accessibility of distance education for students with disabilities throughout the nation with: –Training and technical assistance, –Information dissemination, and –Research.

6. Office of Post Secondary Education (OPE) at the U.S. Department of Education under Grant #P333A020050. ©2003 All Rights Reserved, Georgia Tech Research Corporation. GRADE Funding & Copyright

7. Project Collaborator www.sedbtac.org Southeast Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center

8. DBTACs Network of 10 Regional Centers with over 2,200 affiliates at the local, state and regional level. Contact Your Regional Center for ADA and Accessible IT in Education 800-949-4232 (v/tty)

9. States Served by Southeast DBTAC Alabama Florida Georgia Kentucky Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee

10. DBTAC Mission Facilitate voluntary compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Facilitate widespread use of education-based accessible electronic & information technology.

11. Location: GRADE, Southeast DBTAC Atlanta, GA

12. And We’re Off … Push the green button to start.

13. Students with Disabilities in K-12 One of every twelve students (or 5.2 million students) in U.S. has some form of disability. Enrollment in special education grew twice as fast as overall school enrollment. Percentage of students with disabilities graduating from high school with a diploma has risen steadily in recent years (51.7% in 1994 to 55.4% in 1998). (Source:US Census, 2000)

14. Students with Disabilities in Higher Education Percentage of college freshmen with a disability has more than tripled over the last twenty years (3% in 1978 to over 9% in 1998). One in eleven (or, 154,520) first-time, full-time freshmen entering college in 1998 self-reported a disability ranging from hearing, speech, orthopedic, learning, health- related, partially sighted or blind, or other conditions (HEATH, 1999). Nearly all public postsecondary institutions enroll students with disabilities (approximately 98% of public institutions in 1998). (Source: NCD People with Disabilities and Postsecondary Education, 2003)

15. Students with Disabilities in Higher Education In a recent study, 31% of the participants with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) indicated that their disability was first identified at the postsecondary level. (Source: NCSPES, 2002) When declaring a primary disability, 44% of the participants with an attention deficit disorder (ADD) indicated that their disability was first identified at the postsecondary level. (Source: NCD People with Disabilities and Postsecondary Education, 2003)

16. On the Same Page … Defining Commonly Used Words

17. Assistive Technology (AT) Any technology used by people with disabilities to help them accomplish or improve access to environments and activities in education, employment, recreation, and daily living tasks. Items or products can be acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized. –i.e. Wheelchairs, hand controls, communication devices. Can include tools or software to help use computers.

18. Computer AT Voice-activated software allows people who cannot use a keyboard to enter text.

19. Computer AT Trackballs allow people who do not have the dexterity to use a mouse to move around on a computer screen.

20. Computer AT Screen readers translate the text of a computer screen into speech for persons who are blind or visually impaired.

21. Computer AT Magnification software allows people with low vision to read computer screens at a comfortable level of print.

22. Information Technology (IT) More and more often, colleges and universities are integrating into all aspects of the student’s experience. Online Registration Class Assignments Grade Posting Distance Learning Testing Housing

23. IT Products –Websites –Software applications Instructional or office software –Telecommunications products telephones, cell phones –Multimedia content DVDs, videotapes, broadcast, TV –Self-contained, closed products copiers, fax, or kiosks

24. IT or AT? 1. Laptop used by students and teachers in a classroom to enhance and facilitate learning. –Purchased and supported by general education. 2. Laptop purchased to help a student with a disability write because she cannot hold or manipulate a pen but is able to use a regular or adaptive computer keyboard. –Helps user to compensate for a physical limitation. –Purchased and supported by special education. Exact same technology can, in some situations, be used as either.

25. Barriers to Access Barriers generally occur when information technology is not designed to take advantage of assistive technology devices.

26. Barriers to Access Software that requires the use of a mouse to perform commands is inaccessible to people with disabilities that cannot use a mouse.

27. Barriers to Access Copier that has controls outside of accessible reach ranges is inaccessible for persons who use wheelchairs.

28. Barriers to Access Computer lab that is located in an inaccessible building cannot be accessed by people with mobility disabilities.

29. Internet Barriers Students with disabilities can face a variety of barriers to accessing Internet sites.

30. Internet Barriers Educators that use the Internet in their classrooms should be aware of these barriers and work to remove these barriers from college and university websites.

31. Accessible Information Technology Designed to be available to anyone, no matter what sort of assistive technology may be used, and regardless of how or where the information is accessed.

32. Universal Design (UD) Design of products, environments, and communications to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. “Design for all, Inclusive design,Lifespan design”

33. How Does UD Relate to Access? Provides for varying ability not as special condition but as common occurrence throughout life. At any point in our lives, a person’s ability to function can be altered temporarily or permanently. Maximizes range of users who will be able to use, regardless of environment, situation or disability -- hands-free, eyes-free, or ears-free use. Usability (Human Computer Interaction – HCI) and aesthetics are mutual.

34. How are the seats different? … In the mark-up. Same applies to UNIVERSAL DESIGN of Internet sites.

35. Internet Barriers Internet pages are constructed using a special code or language. Most familiar language is called HyperText Markup Language (HTML).

36. Internet Barriers This code (or markup) indicates where text and images appear on an webpage. About Us ADA

38. The Internet Barriers Experience

39. More Than Color… Original Image

40. Screenreaders Get Information One Word At A Time Hearing is Seeing … And By Viewing Links Or Headings In Page.

41. Setting the Table Without proper coding, this data table would be unreadable.

42. Reading Order of Tables Screenreadersread informationacrosstables in alinearway therebymakingit difficulttounderstand informationcontainedin tables.

43. Listening to the Web C B A D

44. Mouse Hunt … Southeast DBTAC: Your Regional Resource Center for the ADA

45. Hit the Lynx…

48. Passing the Test Perform user testing. View in text-only browser. –Lynx Viewer www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html Use screenreader or voice-enabled tool. –IBM Home Page Reader www-306.ibm.com/able/dwnlds/index.html

49. Passing the Test –Catch the WAVE: http://wave.webaim.org/index.jsp –Don’t Be Hermish www.hermish.com/check_access.cfm –AIS Web Accessibility Toolbar www.nils.org.au/ais/

50. Available Tools List: http://www.w3c.org/WAI/ER/existingtools.html Some symbols denoting web accessibility: Passing the Test

51. Print with images OFF and black/white to reveal issues like contrast, distractions, print settings. Navigate without a mouse (keyboard only). Check the load time. View in various graphic browsers, operating systems. Use tools to validate code/markup and style sheets. Passing the Test

52. Implementing Universal Design: Resources, Tips, and Tools

53. Beyond the Web … Various barriers also exist in –Word, Excel, PDF, and PowerPoint files. Examples of barriers: –Multiple columns. –Lack of structure which AT relies upon. –Lack of textual equivalent for images, media. –Lack the software to view the document.

54. Illinois Accessible Web Publishing Wizard for Microsoft Office Converts Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets to accessible, valid webpages with style sheet through an easy-to-use interface that automates most of the conversion needed for accessibility. Adds “Save As Accessible Web Page” option under File menu of all Office applications. http://cita.rehab.uiuc.edu/software/office/index.html

55. GRADE Resources & Services Fact Sheets Lunch N’ Learns Leadership Institute Trainings, Publications, & Exhibits Retrofit Courses as Accessible Models MERLOT Partnership Technical Assistance www.catea.org/grade/

56. Accesselearning Free, online 10-module tutorial from GRADE. Addresses most common needs in distance education with instruction in techniques to: –Enhance the usability for all students. –Improve the accessibility for students with disabilities. www.accesselearning.net/

57. Contents of Modules Each module covers one common component in distance learning providing: –Background information –Step-by-step techniques –Practice labs with PC and Mac files –Resources –How to upload to CMS (WebCT, Blackboard)

58. Modules 1-5 1.Access Barriers in Distance Learning 2.Planning for Accessibility 3.PowerPoint 4.Video 5.Animations

59. Modules 6-10 6. Word Documents 7. Excel Documents 8. PDF Files 9. Common Web Elements (HTML) 10. Scripts and Java

60. Navigation Structures within AEL

61. A Typical Page in AEL

62. AEL Tools and Software Page

63. A Lab Assignment in AEL

64. An AEL Evaluation Form

65. AccessIT National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education www.washington.edu/accessit/

66. AccessIT Knowledge Base Searchable database of questions and answers regarding accessible E&IT www.washington.edu/accessit/kb.php

67. Webcourse: Introduction to Accessible Technology in Education A free online course that provides an introduction to accessible information technology in education. www.washington.edu/accessit/webcourse.php

68. Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) Provides knowledge, technical skills, tools, organizational leadership strategies, and vision to empower organizations to make their content accessible to people with disabilities. www.webaim.org

69. Dive Into Accessibility Online book that answers 2 questions: –"Why should I make my web site more accessible?" –"How can I make my web site more accessible?" Contents can be organized by: person, disability, design principle, web browser, publishing tool www.diveintoaccessibility.org

70. Accessibility in Distance Education Focuses on helping faculty develop accessible online learning materials for people with disabilities. Offers 5 sections based on common questions: – What is Accessibility? - “How To” – Understanding Disabilities - Best Practices – Legal Issues www.umuc.edu/ade/

71. Legal Requirements for Accessibility to Information Technology

72. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II requires communication with people with disabilities be as effective as communication with others. Passed in 1990, well before the Internet was in widespread use.

73. ADA and the Internet Department of Justice letter opinion states: –“Effective communication” requirement applies to the Internet. –Covered entities using the Internet must be prepared to offer communications through accessible means.

74. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Passed in 1998. Took effect in 2000. Applies to programs and services of the federal government.

75. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Federal departments or agencies must provide: – Technology accommodations to their employees with disabilities. –Design of accessible federal websites. –Procurement of accessible IT.

76. Section 508 and Education U.S. Department of Education letter in 1999 interpreted Section 508 to have application to state entities, including some public colleges and universities.

77. Section 508 and Education This administrative interpretation has not yet been adopted by a federal court. However, states may choose to adopt Section 508 as part of their Internet access policies.

78. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Example: –University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) adopted Section 508 as part of its web accessibility standards, both for newly designed pages and “legacy” pages created before 2001.

79. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act No standards under the ADA for Internet accessibility, but … Universities,like UWM, that adopt Section 508 policies voluntarily will likely be able to show that they are complying with the accessibility requirements of the ADA.

80. Standards To understand exactly what web designers must do to make information technology accessible to people with disabilities, it is necessary to have adequate standards.

81. Web Accessibility Standards World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Federal Section 508 standards

82. W3C WCAG Written by international consortium of leaders in accessibility and web design. 1.0 current version; 2.0 due out this year. www.w3c.org/WAI

83. Section 508 Standards Draws from the W3C WCAG, but does not contain all the elements. www.section508.gov

84. “Universal design of instructional materials and activities makes the learning goals achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, engage, and remember. This is built into the design and systems and not added on after-the-fact.” - Council for Exceptional Children

85. “The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone, regardless of disability, is an essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director, Inventor of the World Wide Web

86. Redefine true accessibility to be a state of … UNIVERSAL DESIGN. THINK Challenge To You …

87. Contact Us Web: www.catea.org/grade/ www.accesselearning.net/ Phone: 404-894-4960 (v/tty) Fax: 404-894-9320 Email: marsha.allen@coa.gatech.edu robert.todd@coa.gatech.edu