Thirty-Something (Million): Should They Be Exceptions?
Vanderheiden, G.C. (1990). Thirty-something million: should they be exceptions? Human Factors, 32(4), pp.
383-396.
There are over thirty million people in the U.S. with disabilities or functional limitations (of which a major
cause is aging), and this number is increasing. An examination of the role of human factors in addressing this
population is presented which would include both special designs for disability/aging and the incorporation of
disability/aging into mainstream human factors research and education. Statistics regarding the size and
characteristics of this population are presented, including the costs of disability. Examples demonstrating the
economic and commercial feasibility of incorporating disability/aging considerations in mass market designs
are provided along with a discussion of the benefits to non-disabled users.
http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/30_some/30_some.htm
Adding Feeling, Sound and Equal Access to Distance Education
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Jutta Treviranus - Adaptive Technology Resource Centre - University of Toronto
Presently, Internet or Intranet delivered curriculum does not simulate the experience of touching and
manipulating objects or environments (referred to as haptics). This restricts the number of subjects that can be
effectively taught, and the types of students who can access the curriculum. This paper describes a project that
will develop software applications that make it possible to deliver curriculum that can be touched, manipulated
and heard over the Internet or an Intranet. Both the necessary software tools and exemplary curriculum modules
will be developed. Developments will be based upon the 3D ISO standard VRML, and a Haptic API developed
by Haptics Technology Inc.
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/rd/library/papers/TREVIR_J.html
Distance Education and Individuals with Disabilities Ron Stewart
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Coordinator – Northwest Center for Technology Access – Oregon State University
Discusses legal requirements for accommodation and provides short descriptions on different aspects of
providing accessibility
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv06n1/article3.html
Delivering Accessible Library Services In A Distance Learning Environment
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Steve Noble - Manager, Product Development - Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
In the typical university setting, a student is usually expected to spend two-to-three times as many hours outside
the classroom doing reading, homework and library research as he or she may spend in class. This amount of
outside work continues to grow in both volume and importance as a student progresses to higher level classes,
finally reaching very critical proportions in graduate school. For students who participate in distance learning
settings, however, the task of "going to the library" takes on new and very different dimensions.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv06n1/article5.html
1
Enhancing Web Instruction: Using Streaming Audio And Video
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Norman Coombs, Ph.D. & Richard Banks
This presentation will focus on the uses of streaming audio and video over the web to deliver educational
materials in a distance learning format for K-12 and college students. Graphics and animation are already
commonly used on web pages to capture the attention of students. The advantage of using audio and video is
that these technologies are well suited to content delivery. Beyond catching student attention, audio and video
can provide enrich education material. Today's students have been raised on radio and video and are more
accustomed to processing such media than they are to read and digest long text content. Moreover, many people
do not like reading extensive textual material on the computer monitor. While distance learning has primarily
been based in text materials, multimedia holds the promise of being a more effective content delivery
mechanism. This presentation itself will be posted in audio on the web after the conference at
http://www.rit.edu/~easi. This presentation has four main objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
to demonstrate how to use streaming audio and video.
to demonstrate how this technology enriches instruction.
to demonstrate how audio and video can motivate K-12 and college students
to demonstrate how to make instruction using audio and video fully accessible to students with physical
and cognitive disabilities.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv06n1/article6.html
Lessons Learned When Developing An Assistive Technology Course For Independent Distance Learning
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Hal L.Gritzmacher – BemidjiStateUniversity
Within Minnesota few teachers have the expertise required to successfully meet the assistive technology needs
of students with disabilities. At the University level a need exists to provide specific information, both
preservice and inservice, to teachers and students enrolled in teacher training programs about the assistive
technology needs of students with disabilities. The overall objective of my project was to address this need.
Being a University faculty member, it seemed that the best way for me to dissemination information about
assistive technology was through a course. This course would focus on assistive technology for individuals with
disabilities and would be delivered independently using concepts of distance learning.
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/session0124.html
Developing Web-Based Distance-Learning Courses For The AAC Community: A First Step
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Russell Thomas Cross - Prentke Romich Company
This paper outlines some of the ways in which Internet technology is being used and developed to enhance the
field of AAC. Then, the focus has turned to Distance Learning, and how PRC is developing a Web-based
approach as part of its strategy for providing training support.
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/session0147.html
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Telecommunication And Distance Learning For People With Disabilities
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
James M. Barry - Director - Adaptive Communication Technology
The technology that corporate america utilizes to facilitate the exchange of data between remote conference
meeting sights is finding an application in academia. Distance learning for people with disabilities as an
expanding application of the school system, is realizing the benefit of this technology transfer.
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/session0220.html
Preparing Special Education Teachers Through Distance Learning : Lessons From The Net
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
Stephanie Kurtts and Ada Vallecorsa - School of Education – University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Discusses the North Carolina Distance Education Partnership in Special Education and the development of
Internet-based courses designed to give initially licensed teachers the certification needed to teach students with
learning disabilities or behaviorally and emotionally disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to discuss initial
perceptions of faculty and students as they take part in the distance learning experience with implications for
future course planning and student advisement.
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/session0240.html
Teaching Mathematics To Students With Physical Disabilities Using The World Wide Web: The
Planemath Program.
1998 CSUN Conference Proceedings
LewisE.Kraus – Info Use
InfoUse is running a three year project entitled "An Internet-Based Curriculum on Math and Aeronautics for 4th
-7th Grade Children with Physical Disabilities" The stated mission of this project is "To stimulate and motivate
students with physical disabilities in grades 4-7 to pursue aeronautics-related careers via the development and
delivery of accessible math education materials on the Internet."
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/Us_Eu/conf/csun_99/session0006.html
Assistive Technology For Individuals With Learning Disabilities
1999 CSUN Conference Proceedings
(Adapted from Raskind & Higgins (1998) and Raskind (1998))
Marshall H. Raskind, Ph.D. - Trafford Center for Technology and Learning Disabilities & Tobey Shaw, M.A. The Frostig Center
This workshop will present an overview of assistive technology for persons with learning disabilities through a
series of lectures and demonstrations. Technologies will be discussed and demonstrated relative to their
usefulness for helping persons with learning disabilities compensate for difficulties in the areas of reading,
writing, math, memory, and organization. Research on the efficacy of these technologies will be reviewed.
Guidelines for selecting technology will also be presented.
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/1999/proceedings/session1002.htm
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Distance Education: Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities - California Community Colleges August 1999
Developed By: The High Tech Center Training Unit in Collaboration with the Distance Education Accessibility
Workgroup
Full listings of accessibility guidelines and requirements for all California Community Colleges
http://www.htctu.fhda.edu/dlguidelines/final%20dl%20guidelines.htm
Distance Learning Case Study
Sheryl Burgstahler – University of Washington
A short case study on collaborating on the development of an online course with a blind colleague who was at
another institution.
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Academic/Distancelearning/distance_learning_case_study.h
tml
Distance Learning
Sheryl Burgstahler – University of Washington
A discussion of different disabilities and delivery methods for distance learning
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Academic/Distancelearning/
Accessible Education Through Assistive Technology
Elizabeth A. White, Shelley B. Wepner and Donna C. Wetzel - Widener University
THE Journal February 2003
Advances in technology have had a direct impact on the individual student's educational process. Schools report
that technology is having a positive effect on children's learning and their perception of themselves as learners,
which is why children with disabilities benefit from the use of assistive technology. The implementation of
assistive technology is dependent on the knowledge, skill and inventiveness of the teachers who use what they
have learned from higher education, their teaching experiences, and their attendance at continuing education
programs and in-service classes.
http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A4321.cfm
Universal Design Of Distance Learning
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D. – University of Washington
An article by Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D., University of Washington in Information Technology and
Disabilities,Vol. VIII No. 1 January, 2002. The article discuss access issues and present design considerations
for assuring that a course is accessible to potential instructors and students with a wide range of disabilities. The
field of universal design provides a framework for this discussion.
http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/itd/itdv08n1/burgstahler.htm
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Accessibility in Online Learning Management Systems (LMSs)
AnnMarie Johnson and Sean Ruppert – University of Wisconsin
Project from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. The University of Wisconsin System recently required
that all System web pages meet Priority 1 accessibility guidelines as set by the World Wide Web Consortium's
Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C/WAI). Class materials available in online learning management systems
(LMSs) should also be accessible to students and instructors with disabilities. In Spring 2001, four systems,
Blackboard 4 and 5, Prometheus 3, and WebCT 3, were assessed against theW3C/WAI guidelines for a
numerical statistic of accessibility. Practical accessibility was tested with Lynx, IBM Homepage Reader, and
JAWS. Validation was performed with A-Prompt and the W3C/WAI checklist. Blackboard 4 tended to be the
most accessible in Spring 2001. Any future LMS should be reviewed with this same procedure to determine
when improvements have been made. A new review is underway in Fall 2001. A Section 508 checklist has been
added and Blackboard 4 will not be reviewed again.
http://www.uwosh.edu/accessibility/papers/
Guidelines For Creating Accessible Online Learning Technologies
The SALT Project is a collaboration with the IMS Global Learning Consortium to make online learning
resources accessible to people with disabilities by developing and promoting specifications and effective
models that will help level the playing field for learners with disabilities.
http://ncam.wgbh.org/salt
Press Release - Making Online Learning Accessible - Guidelines Released
September 19, 2002
IMS Global Learning Consortium and WGBH Boston Publish Guidelines for Creating Accessible Online
Learning Technologies. Article lists different types of tools that will be discussed and gives short overviews of
NCAM and WGBH.
http://ncam.wgbh.org/news/pr_09192002.html
IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications, version 1.0
Cathleen Barstow and Madeline Rothburg – SALT Project
July 2002
A groundbreaking collaboration among international players in the online learning field has resulted in a set of
guidelines to educate the eLearning community about the challenges that people with disabilities face in
accessing online education, and to provide solutions and resources to solve them. Major support of these efforts
is provided by the Learning Anywhere Anytime Partnerships program of the U.S. Department of Education.
The full document.
http://ncam.wgbh.org/salt/guidelines/
5
Pima Community College: Creating Accessible Online Math Courses
Chris Lamar
Syllabus Magazine – 7/1/2003
Students with visual, hearing, cognitive, or motor impairment disabilities make up 7.2 percent of the beginning
post-secondary population. In 2002, Pima Community College (PCC), serving three counties in southern
Arizona, had 720 students identified with disabilities, and—like most educational institutions—was grappling
with how to enhance accessibility to meet the technical standards mandated by federal law Section 508 for
telecommunications, multimedia products, and Web-based curriculum and services. So, when Macromedia Inc.
and the League for Innovation in the Community College approached Chris Lamar, director of PCC's
telecommunications and production services, to collaborate in pilot-testing the newly released Macromedia
Studio MX Suite software, she jumped at the chance. "It was a real godsend," says Lamar. "They wanted to
explore the challenges of implementing accessibility standards in online courses in community colleges, and our
course developers wanted to learn how to use software designed to support those standards.".... The Pima team
created two online math courses and, in the process, confronted challenges related to conversion, pedagogy,
conventions, and interoperability with screen readers and other assistive devices.
http://www.syllabus.com/article.asp?id=7899
Access Granted - Making e-learning accessible for the disabled
Jennifer J. Salopek, e-learning Magazine
December 19, 2001
When conducting research on the Web or taking a course online, did you ever think about what you'd do if you
couldn't see the Web page? What if you needed to listen to an audiocast of a professor's lecture, but couldn't
hear? The disability community has been facing those concerns ever since use of the Internet and the World
Wide Web became widespread....
http://www.elearningmag.com/ltimagazine/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=3633
Making Online Information Accessible to Students with Disabilities, Part II
Janna Siegel Robertson and James Wallace Harris, the Technology Source
January/February 2003
Internet access and usage for individuals with disabilities is a growing problem in the field of instructional
technology. Approximately 10% of American adults have a severe disability that requires assistance in their
performance of daily activities (McNeil, 1997). In terms of visual impairments alone, 80 million people suffer
from potentially blinding eye disease, 11.4 million people have visual conditions not correctable by glasses, and
1.1 million are legally blind (University of Washington Department of Ophthalmology, 2000). To address the
concerns and issues of Americans with disabilities, Congress passed Section 508 of the 1998 Rehabilitation Act.
Since then, additional Section 508 guidelines have been adopted to meet the needs of those who rely on
assistive software devices in their use of information technology.
http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=1008
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Call for Articles: Special Issue of Information Technology and Disabilities - Access to Information and
Information Technology
Information Technology and Disabilities invites articles for a special issue to examine public policy issues
relating to access to information and information technology for persons with disabilities. Articles submitted for
this special issue should focus on current and emerging concepts of individual rights to accessible information
and information technology within public policy, either at the federal or state levels....
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/guidelines.htm
IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications
Version 0.6 White Paper – October 19, 2001
http://www.imsproject.org/accessibility/accwpv0p6/imsacc_wpv0p6.html
IMS Global Learning Consortium’s guidelines and standards for developing accessible distributed learning
systems. The document covers a variety of systems the breadth of which can be seen by its Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Primer on Accessibility
3. Principles for Accessibility in Online Distributed Learning
4. Guidelines for Flexible Media Delivery of Text, Audio, Images, and Multimedia
5. Guidelines for Developing Asynchronous Communication and Collaboration Tools
6. Guidelines for Developing Synchronous Communication and Collaboration Tools
7. Guidelines for Developing Accessible Interfaces and Interactive Environments
8. Guidelines for Testing and Assessment
9. Guidelines for Developing Accessible Authoring Tools
10. Guidelines for Topic Specific Access
Appendix A - Resources
Appendix B - List of Contributors
Appendix C - About This Document
Revision History
Colleges Strive to Give Disabled Students Access to On-Line Courses
DAN CARNEVALE
Chronicle of Higher Education - October 29, 1999
http://chronicle.com/free/v46/i10/10a06901.htm
As they race to expand their distance-education offerings, colleges and universities are finding that they must
include the virtual equivalents of wheelchair ramps when building their on-line classrooms.
A Survey Of Online Instructional Issues And Strategies For Postsecondary Students With Learning
Disabilities
Robin A. Cook, Ph.D., C.R.C. - Marsha A. Gladhart, Ph.D.
Wichita State University, Wichita, KS
7
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv08n1/cook_gladhart.htm
This paper addresses a gap in the education literature concerning issues and considerations relevant to engaging
in online instruction with adult learners who have learning disabilities. Contained within are brief background
surveys of the context in which online instruction has become popular; a comparison of online versus traditional
pedagogy techniques, and a discussion of some of the popular technology used in postsecondary institutions to
deliver online learning. Finally, the authors describe how aspects of online learning impact students with
learning disabilities, and offer suggestions for instructional strategies and appropriate accommodations and
modifications.
DISTANCE LEARNING AND DISABILITY:
A VIEW FROM THE INSTRUCTOR'S SIDE OF THE VIRTUAL LECTERN
G. Denise Lance, Ph.D.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv08n1/lance.htm
Interesting article about teaching with a disability:
“As students enter my online classroom on inclusion, I ask them to introduce themselves, sharing their current
positions, teaching experience, whether they have taken other online courses, and any experiences they may
have had with individuals with disabilities. The biggest challenge for me is whether or not to tell my students at
the onset that I have cerebral palsy. “
ISSUES IN PREPARING VISUALLY DISABLED INSTRUCTORS TO TEACH ONLINE: A CASE
STUDY
Thomas J. Tobin, Ph.D.
Westmoreland County Community College
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv08n1/tobin.htm
Much has been written about how to deliver online course materials to visually-impaired students. This essay
explores the methods by which an online support staff may assist a visually-impaired faculty member to teach
online, with special emphasis on identifying which strategies for assisting visually-impaired students are
transferable to the process of assisting visually-impaired faculty, as well as identifying areas of concern specific
to helping a visually-impaired faculty member to prepare and to teach an online course. This essay follows a
narrative of the difficulties encountered when the author was assigned to help a visually-disabled faculty
member to develop and to teach an online course.
Transcending Distances and Differences: Electronic communications tools provide new learning
opportunities for students with and without disabilities
Norman Coombs
October 2000 AAHE Bulletin
http://aahebulletin.com/public/archive/oct2000_1.asp
This article is based on the author’s lecture, "Transcending the Distance in Distance Learning: Challenging
Gaps of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, Gender, Learning Styles, and Physical Disabilities," presented at
8
AAHE’s 2000 National Conference on Higher Education. It describes Dr. Coomb’s own experiences in using
adaptive technology (he is blind) and how developing for accessible helps everyone.
Accessible Web Sites: Why They're Important and Where to Begin
Charmane K. Corcoran - Shawn D. Corcoran
About Campus - March-April 2002/Vol 7, No. 1
http://www.acpa.nche.edu/comms/disab/accessweb.htm
A short primer on accessibility and why it is important.
Making your module accessible in BlackBoard 5.5.
Carol Doyle - Accessible Curriculum Development Advisor - University of Wales Institute, Cardiff UK
updated: December 2001
http://www.uwic.ac.uk/ltsu/5min_guide_module_accessible.htm
Blackboard is an online course management system. This article provides tips for teachers on how to make
sites accessible, describes different products that allow you to check your site for accessibility, offers instruction
on how to upload accessible material to Blackboard, and gives some suggestions on using Java, frames and
online assessment tools.
University of Washington Faculty Room - Distance Learning FAQ
Sheryl Burgstahler – University of Washington
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Strategies/Academic/Distancelearning/distance_learning_faq.html
Frequently asked questions on the issue of accessibility and how to accommodate students with disabilities in
online courses. Also available are a short case study and a good list of resources.
Assistive Technology - Assistive Technology Product Databases
Kent State University, Center for Disability Studies
Copyright 2002
http://www.classaccommodation.org/asst__tech_.htm
An excellent listing of assistive technology products and resources including links to resources for each state.
Technology Integration for Students with Disabilities: Empirically Based Recommendations for Faculty
Catherine S. Fichten, Jennison V. Asuncion, Maria Barile, Christian Généreux, Myrtis Fossey, Darlene Judd,
Chantal Robillard, Christina De Simone, and David Wells
McGill University, Concordia University, Université du Québec, Université de Montréal, Adaptech Project,
Dawson College, SMBD Jewish General Hospital, Montreal
Educational Research and Evaluation 2001, Vol.7, No.2-3, pp. 185-221
9
In 3 empirical studies we examined the computer technology needs and concerns of close to 800 college and
university students with various disabilities. Findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of these students
used computers, but that almost half needed some type of adaptation to use computers effectively. Data
provided by the students and by a small sample of professors underscore the importance of universal design in a
variety of areas: courseware development, electronic teaching and learning materials, and campus information
technology infrastructure. Sex and age of students were only minimally related to attitudes toward computers or
their use in our samples. Key findings summarize the problems faced by students with different disabilities as
well as the computer related adaptations that are seen as helpful. These are used to formulate concrete, practical
recommendations for faculty to help them ensure full access to their courses.
(have abstract only - will) need to find book if you want full article
Colleges Focus on Making Web Sites Work for People With Disabilities
ANDREA L. FOSTER
Chronicle of Higher Eductation - January 26, 2001
http://chronicle.com/free/2001/01/2001012601t.htm
Discussion of why it is important to make college websites accessible and some of the costs associated with
complying (and not complying) with Section 508.
1990s Profile of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education
Cathy Henderson
American Association for the Advancement of Science. - Copyright © 2001-2002
http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint/rr/appendix2.html
By the mid-1990s, an estimated 1 million students with disabilities were enrolled in American colleges,
universities, and proprietary schools. Who are these students? What types of disabilities do they have? What are
their educational goals? Using data available from the HEATH Resource Center at the American Council on
Education, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Science Foundation, we can gain insight into
some of these questions.
Speaking Out: Perceptions of Students with Disabilities Regarding Adequacy of Services and Willingness
of Faculty to Make Accommodations
Jennifer Leigh Hill - University of Victoria
© AHEAD 1996
http://www.ahead.org/publications/JPED/jped12-1-c.html
This article examines the perceptions of 264 students with disabilities attending universities in Canada
regarding the "adequacy" of services from the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) at the postsecondary
settings they attend and the "'willingness" of faculty to make accommodations for their unique needs in the
classroom. The majority of students rated services as good or excellent. Thirty-five percent indicated their
needs were not being adequately met, with nearly one quarter of the students reporting that lack of service from
the OSD had seriously impacted their ability to pursue a postsecondary education. Even though approximately
two-thirds of the respondents reported that faculty were very willing to make accommodations to meet their
10
needs, lack of accommodation from instructors had seriously impacted the ability of roughly one third of the
respondents to pursue a postsecondary education. Twelve percent responded that faculty were unwilling to
make accommodations and 9% reported taking some type of action as a result of lack of accommodation (e.g.,
lodging a complaint with the Academic Vice-President). Recommendations to improve the quality of services
from the OSD and to foster willingness of faculty to accommodate students with unique learning needs are
given.
The purpose of the present study was to examine the perceptions of students with varying disabilities at the
postsecondary level. By means of a detailed questionnaire, this study, which involved 264 students attending
universities across Canada, endeavored to examine how students view the attempts by others (i.e.,
administrators, service providers, and faculty) to welcome them to the institution and to assimilate them into the
academic milieu. The focus of this article is the perceptions of students regarding the quality of services from
the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) and the efforts by faculty to modify their teaching in order to
provide the optimal learning environment for students with disabilities.
The Impact Of Visual Information In Web-Based Instruction On Students With Disabilities
D. Michelle Hinn
1999
http://access.ed.uiuc.edu/IVLA/ivla_paper.html
The author discussed common accessibility barriers faced by students with disabilities when trying to access
visual information included in Web-based instruction. Visual examples of access barriers are included, as well
as suggestions for the alternative design of these materials to ensure the accessibility of Web-based instruction
for all users. Additional accessibility resources are also discussed.
Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education: A Profile of Preparation, Participation, and
Outcomes
Laura J.Horn and Jennifer Berktold
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) - June 1999
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=1999187
This report provides a comprehensive profile of students with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education.
It is based on an analysis of four different surveys conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics,
which were used to address the following four issues: 1) representation of students with disabilities enrolled in
postsecondary education; 2) who among high school students with disabilities gains access to postsecondary
education; 3) among those who enroll in postsecondary education, how well do they persist to degree
attainment; and 4) among college graduates, what are the likely early labor market outcomes and graduate
school enrollment rates of students with disabilities.
Inclusion in an Electronic Classroom - 2000: AccessAbility--Enabling Technology for Life Long Learning
Robert Luke
Special Needs Opportunity Windows (SNOW) Project - Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of
Toronto
http://snow.utoronto.ca/initiatives/access_study/accessability.html
11
Providing educational opportunities within online environments, while beneficial, also has the potential to
exclude a significant portion of the population. Those that are learning and/or physically disabled may be
prevented from accessing online learning environments due to problems in the design of the technology itself,
as well as with the pedagogy directing the use of this technology. By taking into account both technical and
pedagogical accessibility considerations, people with physical and/or learning disabilities are encouraged to
become producers of information, and not just passive consumers. Operating an accessible, inclusive electronic
classroom ensures students with disabilities can participate with parity in global educational exchange.
Distance Learning: Universal Design, Universal Access
Sheryl Burgstahler - University of Washington
Educational Technology Review - Vol. 10, No. 1, 2002
http://www.aace.org/pubs/etr/issue2/burgstahler.cfm
Distance learning courses offer opportunities for education and career enhancement for those who have access
to the technologies they employ. However, many people find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide
that separates those with access to new technologies and those without. Even if they have access to these
technologies, some people with disabilities find themselves on the wrong side of a second digital divide that is
caused by the inaccessible design of coursework. This paper discusses access, legal and policy issues, and it
presents an overview of design considerations for assuring that a distance learning course is accessible to
potential instructors and students with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. The field of universal design
provides a framework for this discussion. The content of this article can be used to help distance learning
programs develop policies, guidelines and procedures for making their courses accessible to everyone.
SNOW (Special Needs Opportunity Windows)
http://snow.utoronto.ca/index.html
The Special Needs Opportunity Windows or SNOW Project is a provider of online resources and professional
development opportunities for educators and parents of students with special needs. Our online workshops,
curriculum materials, open discussion forums and other resources are available to assist you in using new
technologies to benefit all of your learners.
Web Accessibility
http://snow.utoronto.ca/access/index.html?showaccess=1
Courseware Accessibility
Courseware Reviews, Guides to Authoring Accessible Curriculum, Research
Evaluation and Repair Tools
A-Prompt, Validation and Repair Tools, Product Reviews
Emerging Technologies
Broadband, New Standards, Accessible Curriculum, VRML
Web Accessibility Resources
Web-Savvy Inclusive Design, Examples and Prototypes, CSS Generator
Adaptive Technology
http://snow.utoronto.ca/technology/index.html?showtechnology=1
Adaptive Technology Products
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A resource of computer based products for people with disabilities. Categories include augmentative
communication, screen magnification, text to speech, personal data assistants, voice output and voice
recognition.
Technology FAQ's
If a developer or manufacturer has a page for troubleshooting, or for providing more detailed information on a
product, you will find it here!
Tutorials
A collection of free, online, commercially available tutorials and product certification programs.
Curriculum Every Student Can Use: Design Principles For Student Access
ERIC/OSEP Special Project - ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education (ERIC EC)
The Council for Exceptional Children – 1998
Discusses the concepts of Universal Design – not necessarily in relation to DE but in Curriculum design and
development.
http://www.cec.sped.org/osep/udesign.html
Making Educational Software and Web Sites Accessible: Design Guidelines Including Math and Science
Solutions
WGBH – NCAM: PIVOT Project
Publishers, educational software programmers and Web site developers are increasingly aware that they must
consciously include students with disabilities in their audience. Producing materials that are accessible will
increase their reach by broadening the market to include students who have been excluded until now.
Additionally, policies are now in place or are under consideration in several markets that make accessibility a
requirement for electronic educational materials. However, few developers understand why access is a critical
need or how to provide it in their products. This document addresses both these points in detail.
These guidelines were first published in 2000 under the name Making Educational Software Accessible: Design
Guidelines Including Math and Science Solutions. They represented an ambitious initiative to capture access
challenges and solutions and present them in a format specifically designed to educate and assist educational
software developers. This work was the result of a three-year project funded by the National Science
Foundation's Program for Persons with Disabilities.
The following is the table of contents from the document:
Introduction
Educational Issues for Students with Disabilities
Benefits of Accessible Software
Policy Issues
Disabilities, Functional Limitations and Accessibility Tips
Tools for Access: Types of Assistive Technologies
Access Issues for Selected Development Environments
Guideline 1: Images
Guideline 2: Multimedia
Guideline 3: Forms
Guideline 4: Tables
Guideline 5: Textbooks
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Guideline 6: Interactivity
Guideline 7: Graphs
Guideline 8: Math
Appendices
http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guideline/introduction.html
Accessibility of Web-based information resources for people with disabilities
Axel Schmetkze
Library Hi Tech - Volume 20 . Number 4 . 2002 . pp. 397±398
The previous special-theme issue of Library Hi Tech (Vol. 20 No. 2) focused mainly on a variety of specific
information resources commonly provided by libraries: online catalogs, electronic indexes and databases, ejournals and online references works. This issue deals with accessibility issues, as they emerge in the library
and education environment, which are not specifically tied to particular vendor-supplied information products.
http://leporello.emeraldinsight.com/vl=234654/cl=46/fm=docpdf/nw=1/rpsv/cw/mcb/07378831/v20n4/s1/p397
Distance learning: the library's role in ensuring access to everyone
Sheryl Burgstahler
Journal: Library Hi Tech - Year: 2002 Volume: 20 Number: 4 Page: 420 -- 432
Abstract: Federal legislation and increasing support for the full inclusion of all students in precollege education
have resulted in higher expectations and increased participation of students with disabilities in academic
programs that have prepared them for college studies. As a result, greater numbers of people with disabilities
are attending postsecondary academic institutions and participating in distance learning offerings. This article
focuses on the role that libraries can play in assuring that all distance learning students and instructors have
access to the electronic resources they offer. It can be used to help libraries develop policies, guidelines, and
procedures for making their electronic resources accessible to people with disabilities.
http://zerlina.emeraldinsight.com/vl=3862613/cl=96/nw=1/rpsv/cgibin/linker?ini=emerald&reqidx=/cw/mcb/07378831/v20n4/s4/p420
http://zerlina.emeraldinsight.com/vl=3862613/cl=96/nw=1/rpsv/cw/www/mcb/07378831/v20n4/contp1-1.htm
Access to online learning: the role of the courseware authoring tool developer
Laurie Harrison
Journal: Library Hi Tech - Year: 2002 Volume: 20 Number: 4 Page: 433 -- 440
Abstract: Implementation of recommended design strategies can potentially allow any Web-based learning
program to be made accessible to learners who use adaptive technologies. However, one of the greatest barriers
to achieving this goal is the lack of authoring tools that support course content developers in adhering to
existing accessibility guidelines. In order to ensure universal access, attention must be given to Web pages
generated automatically by courseware programs, as well as those uploaded from an external source.
Courseware authoring environments could easily include utilities to support developers in making their online
resources accessible. This paper will review products recently available on the market using the guidelines
published by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative as a framework for analysis.
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http://zerlina.emeraldinsight.com/vl=3862613/cl=96/nw=1/rpsv/cgibin/linker?ini=emerald&reqidx=/cw/mcb/07378831/v20n4/s5/p433
An evaluation of accessibility in online learning management systems
AnnMarie Johnson; Sean Ruppert
Journal: Library Hi Tech - Year: 2002 Volume: 20 Number: 4 Page: 441 -- 451
Abstract: Millions of computer users in the USA have a disability making it difficult to use the Web. The
University of Wisconsin System recently required that all System Web pages meet Priority 1 accessibility
guidelines as set by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C/WAI). Class
materials available in online learning management systems should also be accessible to students with
disabilities. Four systems, Blackboard 4 and 5, Prometheus 3, and WebCT 3, were assessed against
theW3C/WAI guidelines for a numerical statistic of accessibility. Practical accessibility was tested with Lynx,
IBM Homepage Reader, and JAWS. Validation was performed with A-Prompt and the W3C/WAI checklist.
http://zerlina.emeraldinsight.com/vl=3862613/cl=96/nw=1/rpsv/cgibin/linker?ini=emerald&reqidx=/cw/mcb/07378831/v20n4/s6/p441
Virtually accessible: empowering students to advocate for accessibility and support universal design
Jo Ann Oravec
Journal: Library Hi Tech - Year: 2002 Volume: 20 Number: 4 Page: 452 -- 461
Abstract: Students' professional training often focuses on narrow technical considerations that exclude
accessibility concerns and universal design perspectives. This can make them ill-equipped to understand the
importance of accessibility approaches let alone become advocates for them. This article explores how students
who design Web sites and work with computer end users in support capacities can be introduced to accessibility
approaches and empowered to promote them in organizational contexts. The issues involved can also be used as
springboards for examination of larger matters concerning universal design perspectives and humanistic
approaches to management.
http://zerlina.emeraldinsight.com/vl=3862613/cl=96/nw=1/rpsv/cgibin/linker?ini=emerald&reqidx=/cw/mcb/07378831/v20n4/s7/p452
What are the Barriers to the Use of Advanced Telecommunications for Students with Disabilities in
Public Schools?
Sheila Heaviside, Cassandra Rowand, David Hurst, Edith McArthur
January 14, 2000
This issue brief focuses on school reports of access to advanced telecommunications for students who receive
special education and related services. Using data collected in the fall of 1996, it reports on whether students
with disabilities are as likely as students without disabilities to attend schools where students have access to the
Internet. The issue brief also examines potential barriers to using advanced telecommunications, such as an
inadequate number of alternative input/output devices or other adaptations, and whether teacher training is
provided.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2000042
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An Institutional Perspective on Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education
Laurie Lewis & Elizabeth Farris, Westat
August 13, 1999
This report presents the first nationally representative data from postsecondary education institutions about the
enrollment of students with disabilities and the support services and accommodations they receive. It also
contains information on the recordkeeping and reporting capabilities of postsecondary education institutions
regarding students with disabilities.
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=1999046
Providing Access to Students with Disabilities in Online Distance Education: Legal, Technical, and
Practical Considerations
Curtis D. Edmonds, J.D.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Online distance education is becoming increasingly prevalent, but many students with disabilities experience
barriers to online education. Many stakeholders are unaware of potential electronic barriers to access, do not
know the legal responsibility to provide access for students with disabilities, and are not familiar with the
methods and resources needed to improve access to distance learning programs. This limits the courses
available to students with disabilities, and impacts the quality of overall learning.
http://www.ilru.org/online/handouts/2003/Edmonds/presentation.html
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