Building Accessible Sites
Jason Maseberg-Tomlinson
Assistant Director
Disability Support Services
History of Internet Accessibility
• "The power of the Web is in its universality.
Access by everyone regardless of disability is
an essential aspect."
• Tim Berners-Lee, the current director of the
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), credited
as one of the inventors of the World Wide
Web.
What is Accessibility?
• In regards to digital content, a document is accessible when it can
be used by a wide variety of programs and is developed with
adherence to standards.
• Accessible documents can be used by adaptive technology that
delivers the content in a mode that is accessible to the student.
• Adaptive Technology refers to a wide variety of software and
hardware that acts as translator for the student.
– Screen Readers on a computer read contents of a screen with a
synthetic voice (ex. JAWS / NVDA)
– Text-to-Speech programs allow students to highlight text that software
reads back to them. (Ex. NaturalReaders)
– Magnifiers enlarge content on the screen for visual impairments (Ex.
ZoomText).
– Braille displays turn all computer commands and documents into
Braille. (Ex. PAC Mate).
Universal Design
• Excellent article by the Disabilities, Opportunities,
Internetworking and Technology center
• Seven Principles
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Equitable use
Flexibility in use
Simple and intuitive
Perceptible information
Tolerance of error
Low physical effort
Size and space for approach and use (for physical
access)
Legal Backdrop
• Institutions of Higher Education follow laws,
statutes, and policies at many levels. In
Kansas, we must follow the:
– Rehabilitation Act, Sections 504 and 508
– Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended
– Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act
– Kansas Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
– Kansas State Course Accessibility Standards Policy
Kansas State Course Accessibility Standards
Policy
• Course Accessibility Standards Policy
• “Many of the courses offered at Kansas State
University use technology to enhance course
delivery, both on-campus and through distance
learning (referred to as eLearning). The United
States Department of Education, Office for Civil
Rights (OCR) has stated that eLearning must be
designed and delivered in such a way that all
students, including students with disabilities,
have equal access to course content.”
Other Reasons for Accessibility
• Documents that are accessible are often
easier for all students to use (Universal
Design)
– Accessible PDF files are searchable
– Accessible videos allow ESL students access to the
printed word if they are still working on verbal
skills
– Accessible Word documents are easier for you to
change in the future thanks to style sheets
Other Reasons for Accessibility (Continued)
• It is necessary for every individual to have
access to content. It is our right. Being a
person with a disability is a protected class
that we will all enter as we age, if not sooner.
Add Accessibility from the Start!
• It is far easier to build accessible content
when you start putting content together than
to add in accessibility as a retrofit once a
student needs accommodations.
• All students deserve content in a timely
manner; don’t let students fall behind while
making files accessible.
• The next PowerPoint will define accessibility
Web Accessibility
• Some items to keep in mind:
– Make sure that you use text for links as much as possible.
Graphic “buttons” often lack the correct elements for
accessibility.
– Make sure you use alternative text for any graphic elements.
– Use headings and lists for proper structure.
– Use a consistent layout for all of your pages and content.
– Do not use frames and use tables for data only, not for
aesthetics.
– Use CSS for aesthetics with HTML
– If you plan on using Flash, make sure that you enable all
accessibility options.
• Here are 25 more ways to make your site accessible.
Text File Accessibility
• Text files include:
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MS Word
Open Office
Word Perfect
iWork Documents
• Use styles with heading levels, lists, and paragraph text (tips for Word
2003 and Word 2010)
• Use lists and bold items to make content stand out rather than lengthy
prose
• Add alternative text to pictures
• Use tables for complex data
• Use sans serif fonts for materials to be read online and serif fonts for print
materials (these are easier to read in their respective mode)
• Check WebAIM.org for more information on MS Word file accessibility
PDF Accessibility
• PDFs may all look alike, but accessibility may differ a great
deal.
– This is a simple scanned page
– This is a scanned page that is accessible
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Can you spot a difference?
Try to highlight text.
The first page was scanned just like a picture.
The second page used Adobe Acrobat Professional to
perform OCR and to make sure that the text was usable by
screen readers or for searching.
• Even better, you can add tags to text and add headings just
like an HTML page or text document done with styles.
Captioning
• Each semester, many videos are placed into KState Online. We have had a number deaf and
hard-of-hearing students in online courses who
need captions with all video content.
• Record only what is important and keep your
videos appropriately short.
• As you plan your course, be aware of what costs
are associated with captioning. A list of agencies
is provided by K-Access.
• Create MP4 or FLV video files and you can easily
add captions to these files with K-State Online.
Transcripts
• If you use audio files without video, transcripts
need to be made.
• Ideally, you can use the transcript you wrote
before making the file. Otherwise, transcripts
can be made by listening to your file (this takes
about 5-6 hours per hour of audio) or you can
send your audio file to a transcription agency.
• Place the transcript near your audio file as a .doc,
.rtf or .txt file for students to use.
Software Accessibility
• Any software that students use must be
accessible. If you link to a webpage for
content, use a publishing company’s textbook
software, or have students use software for
class, make sure to find out what options are
available to make that software accessible.
Contact a representative of the company.
• Here is a list of 29 questions on accessibility
for software vendors.
Contact Information
Jason Maseberg-Tomlinson
Assistant Director
Adaptive Technology Specialist
Disability Support Services
Ph# 785.532.6441
jasontom@k-state.edu