A weekly half hour chat focused on improving access to education for PK-12 students through the use of Accessible Educational Materials (AEM), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Assistive Technology (AT).
Tonight we're chatting about Web Accessibility and we are ready to access your thoughts, questions and expertise on this important topic! Let's go! #PatinsIcam
I'm Vicki Walker, PATINS Specialist for DHH and Transitions Primary Age. I'll be your moderator this evening and will do my best to keep up with everyone! #PatinsIcam
A1: The law stands behind accessibility (IDEA, Title II of the ADA & Sections 504 & 508 of the Rehabilitation Act). Many complaints have been filed & accessibility has been enforced around the U.S. https://t.co/kMZ05EYEIx#PatinsIcam
A2: Websites should be accessible to all individuals including people with visual, auditory, physical/motor, & cognitive/language disabilities. #PatinsIcam
A1: Usability needs to be in forefront for sure. U can have wonderful info, ultimately useless 2 some if it cannot be accessed in the way to which is needed #PatinsIcam
A3: Your school community reaches beyond its Ss to parents/guardians, community members, staff, etc. Your website should provide equal access for all involved who support Ss growth. #PatinsIcam
There are family members and stakeholders who might need things to be accessible and everyone deserves the ability to gain the information! #PatinsIcam
A3: School websites need to be accessible for everyone. Even if your school does not receive federal aid, under Section 504, 508 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, online services and programs must be fully accessible.
#patinsicam
There are family members and stakeholders who might need things to be accessible and everyone deserves the ability to gain the information! #PatinsIcam
A3: It needs to be accessible especially to those that we expect to support Ss with work at home, signing digital permission slips, completing forms, etc #PatinsIcam
A4: Correct headings, proper alt text, proper unique and descriptive links, proper use of color, proper content navigation, and captioning. #patinsicam
A4: Design elements should include alternative text or captions for all images, closed captions for videos, heading structure, recognizable links that are specific (no “click here”) #PatinsIcam
A4 yeah Sandy, ALT descriptions used with images. Tactile display like refreshable braille for those who are double-impaired (blind and deaf). #patinsicam
A4: Keep flashing content to a minimum, use true text rather than images of text, offer good color contrast, don’t use color alone to convey meaning #PatinsIcam
A4: Try navigating your site using a screen reader like the ChromeVox extension to better understand web design from the viewpoint of a user who is blind or has low vision #PatinsIcam
And not only to access info, but the school or organization likely benefits from interaction from parents and community. No interaction w inaccessible content. #PatinsIcam
A5: Adobe and Word have an accessibility feature built in that can check PDFs and documents. Check out Grackle, a free extension for Google Doc accessibility. #PatinsIcam
A4: Pictures with meaning. Use them to guide the eye to specific points so that stakeholders don't have to read through to find needed sections #patinsicam
A5: Adobe and Word have an accessibility feature built in that can check PDFs and documents. Check out Grackle, a free extension for Google Doc accessibility. #PatinsIcam
A5: This is a HUGE awareness piece. Most don't even know they are placing inaccessible docs into what may be an accessible website or platform. #PatinsIcam
A5: Two simple places to start are making sure the text is real text (can you copy/paste it) and making sure all images are tagged with alt text descriptions of the images. #PatinsIcam
A6: There sure are! The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 https://t.co/O3zsyjmMPb are referenced in many of the complaint resolutions. They have been adopted by many countries around the world as well #PatinsIcam
A6: A breakdown of the guidelines and a checklist for your site can be found along with lots of other useful info at https://t.co/MObgIr5uBu#PatinsIcam
Q8: What recommendations do you have for someone who is just starting to improve a district’s website’s accessibility? Where can they start? #PatinsIcam
A8: Start with awareness of WHY accessibility of all content is important for everyone who's adding content to the website. @PATINSPROJECT can help! #PatinsIcam
A8: Think about everyone who adds content to your site and organize training for them. Starting with content that students are regularly asked to access for coursework should be prioritized. #PatinsIcam
Q9: Many educators access Open Educational Resources (OER) for their online content. Is it safe to assume that these materials are accessible? Why/why not? #PatinsIcam
A9: Nope. It’s better to assume that resources found online lack accessibility and to check anything that you find to ensure accessibility before adding it to your site #PatinsIcam
A8: It was a reality check when I learned that when providing links to other websites within your website, THOSE websites need to be accessible as well. I was almost embarrassed 4 not realizing that important piece. #PatinsIcam
A9: I am hopeful that #GoOpen#OER & accessibility will go hand in hand one day #PatinsIcam Such a huge open door for T creativity & personal design 4 Ss when using OER...makes my heart heavy thinking there are no accessibility guidelines/laws YET
Well, the same laws apply to OER as to purchased materials. We have to remember keep schools aware of this. Guidelines for creating are a huge open door, you're right! #PatinsIcam
