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Issues in Online Learning Accessibility

Curriculum design and development

• Proactive Accommodation
• Universal Design for Learning/Pedagogical strategies and techniques
• Accessibility vs. Adult Learning (learning styles)
• Standards vs. Academic Freedom (organizational requirements)

Coordination and Planning

Between People

• Faculty (presenters, content experts)
• Disability Services (or other staff)
• IT Services (content developers, accessibility experts)
• Libraries
• Administration
• Others?

To Develop Policy

• International - WCAG
• Federal - Section 508
• State
• University > College > Department
• YOU

Training

• Faculty
• IT Services
• Disability Services
• Library
• Students

Resources

Hardware and software

• For end users (includes assistive technology as well as PCs, laptops, etc.)
• Server-side technologies (servers, streaming media, server-based assistive technology, etc.)
• Accessibility evaluation tools (e.g., Deque, WebXM, LIFT, etc.)

Money

• For training
• For hardware and software
• For staff
• For accessibility evaluation (tools, websites, applications)

Platform and Technology

• Instructional content and materials (texts, lecture notes, Powerpoints, simulations, etc.)
• Delivery technologies (e.g., Blackboard, WebCT)
• Communication and collaboration tools
• Other applications required for coursework (e.g., Mathematica, Perky Duck, SAS, etc.)
• Testing and other learning assessment tools
• AJAX, PDF, Flash, media, PowerPoint, etc.

Students

• Self-advocacy
• Gathering student feedback about accessibility of courses
• Training (to use course platforms, assistive technologies)

Resources for Issues in Online Learning Accessibility

• National Center on Accessible Distance Learning (AccessDL) Resources
  http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/accessdl.html
• National Center on Disability & Access to Education
  http://ncdae.org/
• AAP's Publisher Look-Up Service
  http://www.publisherlookup.org/
• Accessible Opensource Content Management System Reviews
  http://www.opensourcecms.com/
• Untangling the Web: Making Online Teaching and Learning Accessible
  http://www.umuc.edu/distance/odell/cade/tv.html
• Making Educational Software and Web Sites Accessible Design Guidelines Including Math and Science Solutions
  http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guideline/
• IMS Global Learning Consortium - Accessibility
  http://www.imsproject.org/accessibility/
• Courseware Accessibility
  http://snow.utoronto.ca/access/courseware/
• ATutor Open Source Web-based LMS designed with accessibility and adaptability in mind
  http://www.atutor.ca
• Sakai: Collaboration and Learning Environment for Education
  http://sakaiproject.org/
• Docebo Project open source suite completely free and WAI (accessibility) compliant
  http://www.docebolms.org/doceboCms/
• WebCT accessibility
  http://www.webct.com/products/viewpage?name=products_accessibility
• Blackboard Accessibility
  http://access.blackboard.com/
  • Beginner Barrier-free Web Design 
    http://easi.cc/workshops/easiweb.htm blackboard course
  • Advanced Barrier-free Web Design
    http://easi.cc/workshops/advwbsyl.htm
• IBM Lotus LMS
  http://www-306.ibm.com/able/solution_offerings/learningsolutions.html
• Test Access: Making Tests Accessible for Students with Visual Impairments: A Guide for Test Publishers, Test Developers, and State Assessment Personnel
  http://www.aph.org/tests/access2
• Test Access: Guidelines for Computer Administered Testing
  http://www.aph.org/tests/access/
• Postsecondary Students With Learning Disabilities: Barriers To Accessing Education-based Information Technology
  ttp://www.rit.edu/%7eeasi/itd/itdv10n1/wimberly.htm
• What Color Is That Comment: The Mechanics Of Online Collaboration From A Blind Student's Perspective
  http://www.rit.edu/%7eeasi/itd/itdv09n1/watts.htm
• Guidelines for Accessible and Usable Web Sites: Observing Users Who Work With Screen Readers
  http://www.redish.net/content/papers/interactions.html

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Last Revision: April 24, 2008