Accessibility: Some Key Concepts
| Some Definitions |
Why Practice Universal Design |
| Web Accessibility |
| Selected Web Accessibility Testing Methods |
| Sample of Accessibility-Related Sites |
| Return to a4access.org home page |
Some Definitions
-
Accessibility: the ability to access, the state of being practicable, feasible, performable, achievable, surmountable, attainable, and obtainable
- Accessible Workstation: a computer workstation with hardware, software, and peripherals that is
designed with flexibility in mind for universal usability by as broad a spectrum of users as possible
-
Web Accessibility: Anyone using any kind of Web
browsing technology must be able to visit any site and get a full
and complete understanding of the information contained there, as
well as have the full and complete ability to interact with the
site."
Source: Chuck LeTourneau, Starling Access Services.
http://www.starlingweb.com/webac.htm
- Adaptive Capacity: The genetically set range or flexibility of reactions of an organism enabling it to
respond in different ways to differing conditions. GardenWeb Glossary of Botanical Terms
http://www2.gardenweb.com/glossary/adaptive_capacity.html
- Assistive Technology: Any aid, device or tool,
compensatory strategy, used in many different environments,
information and referral, evaluation and recommendation,
resources for funding, designing, fabricating, repairing, and
fitting, training, support and follow-through service that
improves a person's functional capability."
Source:
http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/projects/EmployAT/ComputerAccessHTML/atdefinition.
htm
- Universal Design: See: The Center for
Universal Design, College of Design, North Carolina State University, Raleigh,
NC website
URL:
http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/newweb/about_ud/udprinciples.htm.
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Why Practice Universal Design
We all need access. We all are diverse and do things differently and in
many diverse ways. We learn differently. We utilize different learning styles
- visual, auditory, and/or tactile/kinesthetic - and for each of us, usually
some individual unique combination of these three approaches. Our diversity,
preferences, and abilities are all on a continuum. So by following principles
of universal design, we reach a broader audience for our products and services.
Communication via the web utilizes multiple senses and modes of communication
and interaction: sight, hearing/listening, touch, speech, mobility; and who
knows, in the future, also taste and smell
(Projection-Based Olfactory Display research by Joseph Kaye (2003-2004.
Each of these modes of communication has a diversity of variables. For instance, for the sense of sight, variables include text, graphic images, color, shading, contrast, size
and style of fonts and images, the ability to adjust font size and style, depth
perception, spacing, etc.
Along with accessibility, good website usability offers a well-indexed and easy-to-navigate site with site map.
Accessibility and usability are important for everyone visiting the website, regardless of
method of access. See:
http://www.assistivetech.net/about/accessibility.php and
http://www.usability.gov/
The World Wide Web
Consortium [W3C] and W3C's Web
Accessibility Initiative have been leaders in developing accessibility
guidelines, resources, checklists, and techniques that enable and promote
access to web-based information for our diverse and multisensory modes of
communication and learning. Probably the most well-known accessibility testing
tool is CAST's BobbyTM validator, based
on W3C's WAI's Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines.
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Web Accessibility: Some Key Sources
Center for Public Broadcasting/WGBH National Center for
Accessible Media. Projects and guidelines for
CD-ROM, multimedia, educational software accessibility
URL: http://ncam.wgbh.org/
Audio Description: Audio Description Associates (Joel Snyder)
Audio description makes the visual aurally accessible. Joel Snyder
specializes in audio description for libraries, museums, live theater, and
other performing arts.
URL:
http://www.audiodescribe.com/) For examples of an audio description see:
http://www.audiodescribe.com/samples1.html. Besides a recording device, audio
description requires a supreme mastery of and sensitivity to the language in
which the description is being presented, and extraordinary and acute
perceptual capabilities.
DAISY Consortium: international consortium responsible for
the talking book standard
URL: http://www.daisy.org/
Trace Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
College of Engineering. Designing More Usable Computers and
Software. Includes information on
Java-related projects, and links to software manufacturers' accessibility
programs and Java-related projects
URL:
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/world/computer_access/
Sun Microsystems' Accessibility Program. Includes
information on Java programming
URL: http://www.sun.com/access/
Project EASI=Equal Access to Software and Information.
Wealth of information and links to other resources on accessibility and
assistive technology, also with focus on higher education. Sponsors online
workshops and training.
URL: http://easi.cc/
Georgia Institute of Technology. CATEA [Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access]:
http://www.catea.org/ and
http://www.assistivetech.net/
Section 508 U.S. Federal Agency Accessibility Standards for Electronic
and Information Technology, issued
December 21, 2000 by the U.S. Access Board, standards that became effective
February 21, 2001, and became enforceable on June 21, 2001.
Usability.Gov: Outgrowth of extensive usability
study related to the CancerNet Website (http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/):
comprehensive information and assistance on creating both accessible and
user-friendly websites. See: http://www.usability.gov/
Government of Canada. Internet Guide. 3rd edition. Universal
Accessibility.. The Government of Canada has been a leading advocate for universal accessibility and a practitioner of accessible web design.
URL:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ig-gi/index_e.asp
Oregon State University. Technology Access Project.
The site's home page includes links to the Technology Access Project's
Mission, Services, Resources, Policies (including Distance Education Policies),
Resources, and Contact Information.
URL: http://tap.oregonstate.edu/
Georgia Institute of Technology: Accessibility. Georgia Tech
is home to the Georgia Institute of Technology's
Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access [CATEA]. The University provides
an Accessibility page that explains the
accessibility policy of the University's web presence, and provides many links to a number of
references on accessibility.
Axel Schmetzke, Ph.D.-University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point [UWSP]: Resources
URL:
http://library.uwsp.edu/aschmetz/accessible/fernunihagen/pub_resources.htm
American Federation for the Blind. Web Developers - Tips & Tricks to Improve Accessibility.
URL:
http://www.afb.org/section.asp?Documentid=1453
ATHEN: Access Technologists in Higher Education: http://athenpro.org/
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Selected Web Accessibility Testing Methods
- Use text-only browsers
- Turn off the graphics. JavaScript, style sheet browser, audio features
- Do not use the mouse to navigate. Instead, use the tab and arrow keys to navigate webpages.
- Test out webpages turning off the monitor or not looking at the
screen, using screen readers to hear your webpages; screen readers such as:
- Webpage Validators:
- Enlist people who do things differently to test out webpages. For
instance, contact campus Accessibility Office to publicize need for
accessibility testers.
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Sample of accessibility-related websites
Notice the validation icons on the webpages.
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This page last updated Thursday, 6 April 2006, 10 pm CDT
