NCDAE Accessibility Newsletter - August 2012
In this Edition:
- Featured Article: Accessibility, Accreditation and the Evolution of Digital Technologies
- Featured Resource: The Institution's Web Accessibility Study Team
- Emerging Cost Issues
- Common Web Accessibility Issues in Higher Ed
- Latest Accessibility "Cheat Sheet"
- Partner Highlight: WebAIM Blog Post
- Useful Resource: Accessibility Tips for Google Apps
- In the News
Featured Article: Accessibility, Accreditation and the Evolution of Digital Technologies
The evolution of computer and internet technologies has had a profound effect on modern higher education. Nowhere has this effect been more apparent than in the field of Distance Education. What was once a niche domain used only by those who were unable to attend school as traditional students has now, thanks in great part to the web, become a common part of most students' curriculums.
Featured Resource: The Institution's Web Accessibility Study Team
We often get the question, “who should participate in our institution's self-study team or task force committee on web accessibility?” This resource sheet is intended to walk you through the logic for selecting the most representative committee, to help you begin to identify the best individuals, and then provide some strategies to enlist and sustain their participation.
Emerging Cost Issues
GOALS staff are working with diverse postsecondary institutions on case studies that will illustrate cost issues faced as web accessibility becomes institutionalized. GOALS staff are currently conducting focus groups on cost issues at Universities, Community and State colleges nationwide.
Common Web Accessibility Issues in Higher Ed
I have had the opportunity to evaluate the accessibility of many websites across business, education and government. While certain issues, such as missing or inappropriate alternative text, seem to be common on many websites, I have noticed that some accessibility issues seem to be more frequent in Higher Ed.
Latest Accessibility "Cheat Sheet"
GOALS is pleased to announce a new addition to our growing collection of resources to assist in creating accessible content. The newest handout addresses the topic of captioning videos in YouTube.
View the Captioning YouTube Videos Cheat Sheet
View all Accessibility Cheat Sheets
Partner Highlight: WebAIM Blog Post
Four Keys to System-wide Web Accessibility
The main focus of the GOALS project is to help institutions of higher education develop a system-wide approach to web accessibility. We analyzed several exemplary post-secondary institutions to identify what sets these institutions apart from schools that have been less successful in implementing web accessibility. These findings helped form Recommended Practice Indicators for Institutional Web Accessibility.
Useful Resource: Accessibility Tips for Google Apps
The University of Michigan has provided a helpful list of known accessibility barriers and work-arounds for Google Apps. This resource addresses issues in Google Apps including Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and more.
In the News
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Reaches Senate Decision
UN Disability Treaty approved by Senate committee - bipartisan vote 13-6. It contains important Article on digital accessibility.