UDAC Minutes – 8-19-2011
The Committee on Universal Design and Accessibility (UDAC)
(for campus communications & computing)
A sub-committee of the Chancellors’ Advisory Committee on Program Access
C4C conference room (N215), 1:00 – 2:30
Members Present
Howard (DS), Will (UComm), Jane (ContEd), Duncan (OIT), David (Systems), Grant (ASSETT), Vanessa
(Counseling/Psych services), Susan Kelmer (DS), Christine Renda (guest speaker from CU-Denver)
* indicates “to-do” item
Housekeeping
1.
Minute taker for today’s meeting. – Susan Kelmer
Committee Structure
2.
3.
Discussion about having a co-chair in lieu of the OIT hire. *Howard suggested we all
nominate by secret ballot and see what turns up. He will do this by email. The OIT hire is
still quite some ways off, as much as 6 months.
NRC Study – resources past November. There is nothing new on this front. Meetings
have taken place, and a vote was taken, but results of the vote and status of funding is not
know.
New Business
4.
Digital Storytelling.
a. Christine works with the dept. of Anthropology and digital collaboration. The group
wants to move policy, make policy change, and it might be helpful to consider
developing an online class for web developers, whether they are IT or others, that may
design websites as part of their coursework. The class would give them tips and tricks
and strategies for making their content accessible through UD. Looking at classes
already listed on Skillsoft for anything that related to the ADA. There is no course that is
mandatory or voluntary that deals with the issue of accessibility. The work Christine has
been doing with Digital Storytelling lends itself well to training of this sort. (Get
proposal from Howard). There would be three components of the program. Digital
storytelling would show learners what is missed when UD is not followed. The third
component is a study to follow up and see if the digital stories actually work to engender
engagement.
b. Dave thinks that if UDAC is working on issuing a policy regarding UD, then CU must
provide training to people so that they can follow the new policy. Course cannot be
developed by his department unless there is policy in place, which there isn’t right now.
Courses could eventually be offered through Skillsoft, which is the preferred method of
delivering courses to faculty/staff.
c. The study and development of the course could help UDAC move forward as an “expert”
and carries more weight and makes it more likely to be funded. Two methods to delivery
– “Harvard” style where it is available to anyone anywhere, not just campus staff; the
second is through Skillsoft, where they taking of the course and passing of the course
would be recorded and tracked.
d. Howard asked for those to volunteer to support this effort. Dave pointed out that UDAC
has to decide if this is the direction we want to go as a group. Christine would like
suggestions on where to go ask for funds. Duncan McBogg of the group asked if there
are other campuses that are already doing this, other campuses that have a policy we
could look at. CSU apparently has something a policy in place. CSU doesn’t have a
course on how to do it. Cath may have this information/resources. Our resources should
be a how-to, even if only basic. More than just rule-setting, but telling them how to do
what needs to be done. Vanessa Luna talked about how engineers often design for
themselves, not for the end user, and how can designing for the end user be worked into
the digital storytelling. Viewed a video about “Heather” who has CP and talks about why
it’s important for her Aide to get paid a living wage. Duncan interested in helping to
develop the
e. Howard does not think that any other university is doing these kinds of videos now, *but
he will ask ATHEN.
f.
Christine said that the project could begin without the digital storytelling, but eventually
it would need to be there. Howard said that if we could show that this might be
disseminated nationally, to other colleges/universities, this could make a big difference in
funding. National Research foundation and National Education Association are two
prospects for funding at a national level.
g. If we are going to take it national, we should not limit it or develop it for Scansoft.
h. Motion: Committee agrees to pursue funding to develop a multi-media project that will
include digital storytelling by and about people with disabilities along with instructional
materials for use with all people incorporating the use of Universal Design, as a tool for
increasing awareness and use of UD on this campus and elsewhere.
i. Motion was seconded and passed.
i.
Completed project would be versatile, be able to be used in multiple locations and with
multiple personnel in various stages of involvement.
j.
Howard will look at federal grants to see what is available. Christine will look at what
the CU foundation and other private foundations might have available.
Update on UCB Accessibility Guidelines
5.
Will Kubie showed what he has come up with in regard to working on the guidelines. They
have been working on a common Drupal templates and themes to make it easier to update
and create web pages with UD already in place.
http://drupaltemplates.colorado.edu
a. At bottom of that page are a listing of themes that can be used that can change the
background image or color themes, and layouts. There is enough variety for everyone.
Tools for creating photo slideshows, that are set up to ask for alt-tags and other accessible
functions/features as needed. Have moved away from a static HTML file to a dynamic
Drupal CSS format that allows for variety, yet keeps UD in place. There is also a sort of
“wizard” setup process that can be used, with checkboxes that allow them to pick one
item or another to set up their page. The site admin should have access to all of these
tools. Not currently available to the campus as a whole, but should be available through
OIT when the project is completed. Policy/guidelines need to be “official” before we can
release this to the campus at large. Policy changes can take a year or more to come to
pass. Current guidelines are under the “visual identity” tab on http://brand.colorado.edu.
b. Dave noted that another place for guidelines is at
www.colorado.edu/policy/webguidelines/ .
c. Are those consistent, or vastly different? Howard suggested taking our current guidelines
and publish them as the latest and greatest. Could we develop something in the interim
that could cover everything. Will said that the first update will be to the template. He
added that it is difficult to keep things maintained since they are changing all the time.
Too much flux to create decent instructions that will cover everyone. UDAC needs to
keep focused on this.
d. There was some concern expressed by Howard (and Jane?) on the lack of an updated site
for web guidelines and the prospect that it could take quite a while – perhaps at least a
year - before they are updated in content and format.
Upcoming on Webinars
6.
August 25th – Strategies and Case Studies for Improving Digital Access on the College and
University Campus – 10 a.m. to 1:35 p.m., location TBD. UDAC members can attend locally
for free (if room can be found).. Not free for while campus, just UDAC. Howard is still
looking for a location.
7.
August 31 – Web Standards, HTML 5 and Accessibility (same details as above).
Training for Campus/Accessing Higher Ground
8.
Wednesday or Thursday, $125. Friday $90. DS is looking into scholarship funding.
Accessibility Summit
9.
September 27 (Tuesday) $479. Daylong webinar by Environments for Humans. Agenda
looks good. Would like to promote it to campus, to find funding for attendance.
Other Business
10.
Vanessa - cannot upload to the counseling dept. website on Joomla. Lost their contact who
was doing most of the work, and have no other resources. Asking for resources to help
update the site. Grant may be able to help, he will contact her.
Next Meeting
11.
September 16th at the Tree House, 1 p.m.