Selected URLs For More Information
About Accessibility and
Assistive Technology:
originally composed for Assistive, Accessible Technology:
Today's High Tech with the Highest Human Touch:
A Do-It-Now Session
Ellen Perlow (eperlow@twu.edu)-Texas Woman's University School of
Library and Information Studies
3rd LITA
National Forum-Fri., Nov. 3, 2000, 3:15-4:30 pm,
Doubletree Hotel-Lloyd Center, Portland, Oregon
This document is available in alternative formats upon request.
URL:
http://twu.edu/~s_perlow/atlist.html
ACCESSIBILITY/WEB ACCESSIBILITY
SITES
1. World Wide Web Consortium
[W3C] http://www.w3c.org/
Web Accessibility Initiative [WAI]
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
W3C guidelines, technical reports, authoring guides,
referral to international statutes and policies concerning
web accessibility
2.
Center for Applied Special Technology [CAST]
http://www.cast.org/
Bobby-approved webpage validator
http://www.cast.org/bobby/
Founded in 1984, CAST is an educational, not-for-profit
organization that uses technology and universal design principles
to expand opportunities for all people. Bobby provides
comprehensive analysis of webpage accessibility, including
concerning priority level errors with explanations and referral
to W3C Accessibility
Guidelines upon which Bobby bases its analyses.
3.
HTML Writers Guild http://www.hwg.org/ Web Accessibility
Awareness Center http://aware.hwg.org/
Organization for web designers that provides training on
and resources for accessible webpage design. Online newsletter.
4. National Center for
Supercomputing Applications TOM:
Text-Only Maker
http://nlp.ncsa.uiuc.edu/tom/index.html
Tom will convert graphical web pages into text-only
pages, or hybrid text and graphics web pages.
5. United States. Department of
Justice.
Section 508 Home Page
http://www.section508.gov/
Federal accessibility guidelines, enforceable as of June 21, 2001,
applicable to Federal agencies, that affect and are applicable [state, etc. ] institutions and other
entities receiving federal funding.
6. United States.
The Access Board http://www.access-board.gov/
Independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people
with differabilities. Develops and maintains accessibility
requirements.
7. WebAIM-Web Accessibility in Mind
http://www.webaim.org/
Sponsored by Utah State University, et al., WebAIM provides news, tutorials,
materials, and resources on web accessibility standards
8. American Library
Association. Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library
Agencies Division. Equity of
Access: Issues and Resources
http://www.ala.org/ascla/issues.html#access (Join ASCLA as
active member to continue your advocacy!)
Among resources, this site links to U.S. Dept of Justice, Section 508
Instructions and Documents, papers of attorney and accessibility
rights advocate Cynthia Waddell, papers at:
9.
International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet
http://www.icdri.org/
International in scope.
10. WebABLE!, Inc.
http://www.webABLE.org/
Company which provides Web site accessibility design and
validation, seminars, hands-on workshops, and lectures on topics
involving information technology and people with differabilities,
consulting services for advanced information and emerging
technology interfaces involving people with differabilities.
Website has comprehensive resources and links to other sites on
all aspects of accessibility, as well as a searchable database
providing annotated resources (with links) for internet resources
related to differabilities and accessibility.
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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SITES
1.
Assistive Technology Act ("Tech Act") Projects
http://www.resna.org/taproject/at/statecontacts.html
U.S. state
and territory projects funded under the Technology-Related
Assistance For Individuals With Disabilities Act of 1998, as
amended. Contact for information on statewide resources;
administered by the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/index.html
2.
Alliance for Technology Access
http://www.ataccess.org/
Nationwide nonprofit network that provides technical assistance,
training and support with assistive technology.
ATA Resource Centers listed by by state
http://www.ataccess.org/MemberDirectory/atacenters.html
3.
Assistive Technology Industry Association
http://www.atia.org/
World conference; site has links to member
AT manufacturers/distributors.
4.
California State University at Northridge [CSUN] Center on
Disabilities http://www.csun.edu/cod/
CSUN Assistive Technology March 2001 Conference
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf2001/index.html
Assistive Technology Applications
Certificate Program [ATACP] Training
http://www.csun.edu/cod/training/ (highly recommended)
5. Closing the Gap, Inc.:
Computer Technology in Special Education and Rehabilitation
http://www.closingthegap.com/
Organization focusing on assistive computer technology
via bi-monthly newspaper, annual international conference,
extensive website, AT product directory/AT coordinator resources
6.
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and
Technology), University of Washington
http://www.washington.edu/doit/
Serves to increase the participation of individuals with
differabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. It
promotes the use of computer and networking technologies to
increase independence, productivity, and participation in
education and employment. Mentoring program.
7.
DRM WebWatcher: Assistive Technology
http://www.disabilityresources.org/AT.html
Website sponsored by Disability Resources, nonprofit
organization that provides information about resources for
independent living.
8.
EASI - Equal Access to Software and Information
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/
Bsed at the Rochester Institute of Technology, EASI is a
comprehensive resource to the education community that provides
information, guidance, online courses and webcasts, for instance in
barrier-free web design and educational technology in the area of
access-to-information technologies by individuals with
differabilities. Focus on K-12 as well as higher education.
Headed by award-winning Dr. Norman Coombs and Richard Banks. EASI
also maintains the discussion list
AXSLIB-L@maelstrom.stjohns.edu.
9.
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
[NIDRR]
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/index.html
Institute conducts comprehensive, coordinated programs
of research and related activities. Information on research
training centers, projects.
10.
National Rehabilitation Information Center [NARIC]
http://www.naric.com/
NIDRR-funded; collects, disseminates
results of federally funded research projects; literature
collection-commercially published books, journal articles,
audiovisuals, averages about 200 new documents per month
11.
RESNA: Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology
Society of North America http://www.resna.org/
Not-for-profit professional organization, founded in
1979, an interdisciplinary association of that promotes research,
development, education, advocacy, and the provision of technology
and by supporting the people engaged in these activities. RESNA
has a credentialing program/examination for Assistive Technology
Practitioners (ATPs) and Assistive Technology Suppliers (ATSs).
12.
University of Southern Maine. GENASYS:
Generating Assistive Technology Systematically.
http://genasys.usm.maine.edu/
"GENASYS promotes the preparation of future teachers who
can teach ALL students by stimulating catalyst and implementation
grantees and existing professional and governmental networks to
integrate and apply knowledge of Web accessibility, assistive
technology, specialized software, and universally designed
curriculum. " Comprehensive website has many resources and links
to resources on accessibility and assistive technology.
13.
University of Toronto Adaptive Technology Resource Centre
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/
Center devoted to increasing the
accessibility of information technology...involved in research
and development to find innovative solutions to accessibility
challenges.
14.
University of Wisconsin Trace Research & Development Center
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/
"...Making off the shelf technologies and systems like
computers, the Internet, and information kiosks more accessible
for everyone through the process of universal, or accessible
design."
15.
Assistive Technology Database
http://twu.edu/~s_perlow/atia.htm
Database with links to AT manufacturers'/agencies' sites
(compiled by Ellen Perlow
from materials collected by Ellen at ATIA and CSUN conferences,
updated on a regular basis; check back often for updates.
Top of Page
LEARNING MORE ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
1. Surf the web. The sites listed above are just the beginning
...
2. Attend [an] assistive technology
conference[s]/seminar[s]/workshop[s]. Participate in assistive
technology and W3C guidelines/accessible web design training,
e.g.:
EASI, CSUN, HTML Writer's Guild, RESNA,
WebABLE!, etc.
3. To learn when assistive technology conferences will be taking
place, check the websites of assistive technology [AT]
manufacturers and distributors (whose links appear on sites
mentioned above), a/k/a AT Conference Exhibitors, who announce on
their websites at which conferences they are to
exhibit/demonstrate their products. At the same time, you will be
able to learn about the latest technology these manufacturers are
creating, and perhaps be able to download demonstration software.
These same websites have numerous links to resources,
organizations and associations, and advocacy groups and
information centers for PEOPLE with differabilities (aren't we
all?) and families, as well as announcements of position openings
at the AT companies, associations, and agencies. For example: Henter-Joyce, now a division of
Freedom Scientific, which manufactures screen reader software,
has a page devoted to conferences at which the company is
exhibiting
http://www.hj.com/TradeShows/shows.htm and a page devoted to
position openings at
the company. Enabling
Technologies http://www.brailler.com/ that manufactures
Braille Embossers, has a page devoted to links to a variety of
resources about Braille, blindness, and low vision, as does Duxbury Systems
http://www.duxburysystems.com/ that manufactures Braille
translation software. The Assistive Devices Industry
Association of Canada has a Calendar of
Events in Disability, Rehabilitation and Assistive
Technology for AT conferences in 2000 and beyond, as well as
a list of
assistive technology companies in Canada.
SELECTED READING
Alliance for Technology Access. Computer and Web Resources for
People With Disabilities: A Guide to Exploring Today's Assistive Technology. 3rd ed. Alameda,
CA, Hunter House Publishers, 2000. 364 p. ISBN 0-89793-300-1 and
ISBN 0-89793-301-X.
Barbara T. Mates. Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Making
Electronic Resources Accessible to All.
Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. ISBN
0-8389-0752-0 This book also is accessible for free at:
http://www.ala.org//editions/
openstacks/insidethecovers/mates/mates_toc.html
North Dakota. Interagency Program for Assistive Technology.
Technology for All: A Guide to Solving the Puzzle.
Spring 1998. 92 pages. Agency website:
http://www.ndipat.org/
Michael G. Paciello. Web Accessibility for People
with Disabilities. Lawrence, KS: CMP Books, October 2000.
392 pages. ISBN 1-929692-08-7 Author is Founder and Chief
Technology Officer of WebABLE,
Inc. and one of the primary forces behind the World Wide Web Consortium's Web
Accessibility Initiative.
Eric A. Taub. "The Blind Leading the Sighted."
New York Times, October 28, 1999, Sec. G, p. 1 co1. 1-Circuits.
This document is available in alternative formats upon request.
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This page last updated Tuesday, November 27, 2001, 11 am
