Faculty Accessible Web Content Guide
Accessibility Guidelines for Instructors of Web Classes
1. Welcome
Accessibility Guidelines for Instructors of Web Classes
Cynthia Andresen
Services for Students With Disabilities
June 2006
2. Why Online Courses for Persons with Disabilities?
Why Online Courses for Persons with Disabilities?
Online courses remove obstacles to learning by using:
- Design
- Software
- Hardware
- Captioning
- Changes to the physical environment
3. Reasons Online Classes Make Sense for Persons with Disabilities
- Use technology to "read" online materials
- Use technology to "write" assignments
- Remove attendance policy issues
4. Reasons Online Classes Make Sense for Persons with Disabilities (continued)
- Intrinsically provide additional time for assignment completion
- Lessen the need for "human intervention" in accommodations
- Remove transportation-to-campus issues
5. Why Accommodate for Online Classes?
Federal law states:
"Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 says that any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance must not discriminate on the basis of disability for otherwise qualified persons."
6. What Does The Law Require Us To Do?
Under the ADA (Title II), public entities (including postsecondary institutions) must provide effective communication, regardless of whether they communicate through print media, audio media, or computerized media such as the Internet
The "effective communication" rule applies to universities and colleges using the Internet for communications regarding their programs, goods or services.
7. What Does the Law Require Us To Do? (continued)
Colleges and Universities must be prepared to offer the same communications to individuals with disabilities via an accessible medium
The state can almost never demonstrate that an otherwise reasonable, proposed accommodation constitutes an undue financial burden because it (the state) is generally considered to have limitless resources
8. How Does This Affect PSTCC Faculty?
- Section 504 and the ADA are civil rights laws that are enforced by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the U.S. Department of Justice
- The THRA is a state law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires equal access to programs, facilities, benefits and services
- Title II of the ADA is a federal law that requires schools to enact equal access to its programs and facilities by providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities
9. So What Does this Mean for Faculty and Staff at PSTCC?
Course developers and instructors may be sued individually for violations of section 504
Institutions may be sued under the Tennessee Human Rights Act (THRA) for money damages, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief, and there is no monetary cap on recoverable damages for discrimination toward persons with disabilities
10. What About WebCT and Our Online Courses?
A school that is both a recipient of federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education and a public entity is covered by both Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Public colleges and Universities are also covered by the Tennessee Human Rights Act
11. SSWD Accessibility Recommendations
Use Universal Design (UD)
"An approach to the design of products, services and environments to be as useable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation."
Universal Design Link
12. SSWD Accessibility Recommendations (continued)
Add the disability disclosure information to your syllabi: Click Here for the Disability Syllabus Statement
13. SSWD Accessibility Recommendations (continued)
- Incorporate accessibility into centralized IT acquisitions
- Only purchase and use technology that is accessible
14. SSWD Accessibility Recommendations (continued)
- Be proactive
- Design courses to be accessed by all users
- Don't wait until there is an accommodation issue - be prepared BEFORE one arises
- Keep an ongoing dialogue with students
15. Concerns for Students with Visual Impairments
- Inability to view graphics
- Images may be blurred
- Font size too small or font type and style too difficult to read
- May see monitor screen "flicker"
16. Designing Courses for Students with Visual Impairments
- Use alternative-text (alt-text) to describe the nature or function of a non-text object, e.g. text used to explain an image
- For help regarding HTML issues please contact Education Technology Services
17. Designing Courses for Students with Visual Impairments (continued)
- Provide an alternative format of "text only" content
- Provide the student with a hard copy or file copy of the course material
- Use straight-forward clear fonts such as Arial 18 or 20 point font
- Do not use flashing text or graphics
18. Concerns for Students with Hearing Impairments
- Inability to hear audible sounds from conversations, video clips, class chat rooms, music, lectures, or podcasts
- Need to have captioned transcription of sound and video exactly as being spoken or played; not paraphrased
- Text must be available simultaneously with the audio portion in an easily accessible text
19. Designing Courses for Students with Hearing Impairments
- Provide captioned media when using auditory media (movies, voice- overs, etc.) simultaneously as the audio portion occurs
- Provide written descriptions and transcripts of auditory material BEFORE using it in class when there is no accessible version built into the media, or do not use the auditory material
20. Concerns for Students with Learning Disabilities
- Difficulty seeing and understanding views with multiple graphics and movement
- Navigating websites
- Need software to "read" to them
- Need extra time to complete assignments
- Need software for spelling and grammar
21. Designing Courses for Students with Learning Disabilities
- Use similar practices as you would for students who are visually impaired
- Use alt-text
- Provide an alternative format of "text only" content using HTML, MS Word, or Rich Text Format (rtf)
22. Designing Courses for Students with Learning Disabilities (continued)
- Provide student with a hard copy of the course material and descriptions
- Use a straight-forward clearly defined font, such as Arial
- Highlight key points of the text with color
23. Concerns for Students with Mobility Impairments
- May be using trackball (adaptive mouse), voice recognition or other software that slows response time
- May not be able to come to campus for quizzes or exams
24. Designing Courses for Students with Mobility Impairments
- Longer time for discussions and in-class online assignments
- Extended time for online quizzes and exams
- Allow evaluations to be taken online rather than have student commute to campus
25. Concerns for Students with Seizure Disorders
- Sensitivity to monitor "flicker"
- Possible causes of seizures from viewing online include the use of vibrant colors, flashes, and quick or sporadic movements
26. Designing Courses for Students with Seizure Disorders
- Clearly cited captions for pictures and graphics
- Do not use Flash, vibrant colors, or motion
- Create "text only" area if graphics need to be used
- Use straight-forward fonts
- PDF files are not accessible to many users with disabilities; always provide an alternative such as HTML, MS Word, or rtf if using PDF files
27. SSWD Staff
- Ann Satkowiak - Director
- Phone: (865) 539-7153 Email Ann
- Sarah McMurray - Coordinator
- Phone: (865) 539-7091 Email Sarah
- Don Amos - Coordinator/Technology
- Phone: (865) 694-6751 Email Don
- Cynthia Andresen - Coordinator Transition and Outreach
- Phone: (865) 539-7249 Email Cynthia
- Michele DeFelice - Coordinator/Lead Interpreter
- Phone: (865) 694-6434 Email Michele
28. Internet Resources
29. Internet Resources (continued)