CETIS accessibility roundup

Sharon Perry from the University of Wales and co-ordinator for the CETIS (Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards) Accessibility SIG (Special Interest Group) has just posted this bumper-crop of useful accessibility resources and events which have been added to the CETIS-TechDis Accessibility site since November:

"The links below will actually take you to the article itself, which may not be on the CETIS website and may not be accessible. However, where an article is not in HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language) format, then this will be noted for each entry.

CETIS-TechDis Courses and Training listings

Accessible Events: A Good Practice Guide for Staff Organising Events in Higher Education (Word Format - 401Kb) by Tina Elliott, National Disability Team, Lawrie Phipps and Sue Harrison,TechDis, May 2005.This guide provides suggestions and recommendations on ensuring that events are accessible. It has information on planning an event, support workers, technology, alternative formats, and includes a set of checklists.

CETIS-TechDis Design links and resources

A List Apart An online magazine with a focus on the design, development, and meaning of web content, and particularly the techniques and benefits of designing with web standards.

CETIS-TechDis Making e-Learning Accessible resources

Paving the Way to Excellence in e-Learning (PDF Format - 2Mb) - by NLN Materials Team, BECTA. These guidelines cover pedagogy, accessibility, standards and quality assurance for e-learning.

Removing Barriers and Anticipating Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students in Built Environment Degree Programmes (PDF Format - 855Kb) - by P Farrell and R Middlemiss, University of Bolton, December 2005. This guide provides a series of action points to ensure that Built Environment courses are as inclusive as possible and also provides examples of reasonable adjustments that can be made. It covers all aspects of learning within such a course.

CETIS-TechDis Guidelines for Accessible Web Design

Are Guidelines Enough?  An Introduction to Designing Web Sites Accessible to Older People - by S Milne, A Dickinson, A Carmichael, D Sloan, R Eisma and P Gregor, inIBM Systems Journal, August 2005. This article discusses the reliance on accessibility guidelines by web developers and the importance of developing a holistic approach to accessibility.

Guidelines for Writing Usable and Accessible Web Content by the University of Bristol. These guidelines provide concise information with examples on on writing usable and accessible web content.

Web Publishing Guide - by the University of Bath, October 2005. This guide provides information about why a website should be made accessible, recommendations on making web content accessible, and how to evaluate the accessibility of web content.

CETIS-TechDis Accessibility SIG New Projects and Standards

CanCore IMS ACCMD Integration Start Date: Autumn 2005. Expected Completion Date: Spring 2006. Aim: "The inclusion and support of metadata elements for equitable access to online and digital learning resources." The IMS ACCMD (AccessForAll Meta-data) Specification will be integrated into CanCore's LOM (Learning Object Meta-data) guidelines. The Project Summary gives further details. In an interview with CanCore, Jutta Treviranus, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre Toronto, gave a brief overview of how the work ties in the IMS AccessForAll Specifications:  Podcast of CanCore Interview (MP3 Format, 12.7Mb, 14 minutes in length), transcript of CanCore interview

ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission) JTC1 (Joint Technical Committee 1) SC36 (Subcommittee 36) Individualized Adaptability and Accessibility in e-Learning Education and Training - Start Date: 2nd November 2004. Expected Completion Date: 2005/2006 (estimated). Aim: To integrate the IMS ACCLIP (Accessibility for Learner Information Package) and IMS ACCMD (AccessForAll Meta-data Specifications) into a single multi-part standard. Project Documents: There are several relevant project documents to date. These include:

N1139 - Text of FCD 24751-1, Individualized Adaptability and Accessibility in E-Learning, Education and Training Part 1: Framework (PDF Format - 531Kb). Date: 1st November 2005. Part 1 of the multi-part standard - it lays out the scope and defines the reference model for Parts 1 and 2 below.

N1140 - Text of FCD 24751-2, Individualized Adaptability and Accessibility in E-Learning, Education and Training Part 2: Access For All Personal Needs and Preferences Statement (PDF Format - 640Kb) Date: 1st November 2005. Part 2 of the multi-part standard - it covers the IMS ACCLIP Specification and defines accessibility needs and preferences, which can then be matched to resources (as defined in Part 3 below).

N1141 - Text of FCD 24751-3, Individualized Adaptability and Accessibility in E-Learning, Education and Training Part 3: Access For All Digital Resource Description (PDF Format - 1.3Mb) Date: 1st November 2005. Part 3 of the multi-part standard - it covers the IMS ACCMD Specification and defines the accessibility meta-data that expresses a resource's ability to match the needs and preferences of a user (as defined in Part 2 above).

CETIS-TechDis Useful Organizations listings

Accessify:Tools, wizards, articles and tutorials on web accessibility.

A List Apart: An online magazine with a focus on the design, development, and meaning of web content, and particularly the techniques and benefits of designing with web standards.

Examples of Web and e-Learning Accessiblity Policies

RDN (Resource Discovery Network) Accessibility Statement. The accessibility statement is around a third of the way down the page and briefly states which guidelines the site aims to follow. It also includes a list of some of the actions taken to improve accessibility on the website.

University of Bristol Web Accessibility Policy Statement. This web accessibilility policy statement includes information on legislation, guidelines, and implementation.

University of Dundee Web Code of Practice. This code of conduct includes a section Disability Discrimination (in the "Legal Requirements" section) and recommends to which guidelines the University's websites should comply.

University of Leeds University Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines give an introduction to SENDA (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act), a description of what needs to be done, a definition of accessibility, some tips and a list of resources.

Comments

[Jennifer Rimmer]

I think spanish is a cool language for every one to learn

[mark]

Found a page on Accessify to examples of good looking accessible sites. Something i've wanted for a while now. [just in case you're interested: http://www.accessify.com/features/articles/good-lookers/ ]

[Emmadw]

Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten what a useful resource Sharon's got there!

Incidentally, do you go to the SIGs at all? I've generally not been able to get there - teaching, I'd hoped to go to one in Bangor a couple of years ago (blizzarded off), but did manage to get to Birmingham in November.

[Josie]

I'd love to but unfortunatly it isn't essential to my current role. I haven't been to any of them. The next one looks fantastic too:

"There will be a joint meeting of the CETIS Accessibility Group and Portfolio SIG on Friday 10th March 2006 at TechDis, York Science Park.

The full agenda is still to be confirmed, but it will centre around on-going work connecting e-portfolios with accessibility, in the contexts both of
e-portfolio usability and enhancing access to higher education.

The provisional agenda includes:

Presentation by TechDis - Alistair McNaught, TechDis

Social inclusion and e-portfolios – Anna Home, University of Bristol.

Anna will discuss 'widening participation' and 'social exclusion'. She will cover accessibility aspects of some e-portfolio projects, which seek to enhance access to HE for a range of different learners.

Demonstration of an ACCLIP Implementation – Fiona Henry, Loughborough College Loughborough College’s Personal Profile Project is one of the only institutions in the UK to implement part of the IMS ACCLIP (Accessibility for Learner Information Package) Specification. Fiona will give a demonstration of how the specification has been implemented for their electronic progress files. Further information is available from http://www.loucoll.ac.uk/projects/ppp1.asp.

The PETAL (Personal E-portfolios for Teaching And Learning) Project – Ellen Lessner, Abingdon and Witney College

Ellen will give an overview of the PETAL Project. Further information is available from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=deletpetal.

The meeting will run from 10:00 to 16:00 (registration from 10am). As always, it’s free to attend, and lunch and refreshments will be provided."

[Emmadw]

Yes, I thought that one sounded good, but York's quite a way from Portsmouth, and in any case I have to convince the current 2nd years that day why they'd want to do my final year option (Educational Computing!)