Roles and Responsibly

1. Roles and Responsibly Who is really responsible for Accessibility?

2. A Collaborative Project… ATI…

3. ATI Mission Statement… Our mission is to help provide individuals with disabilities an accessible university environment by supporting access to all technological, architectural, and educational resources available at George Mason University through the incorporation of assistive technologies, the provision of technical support, and the development of university-wide strategies for universal access.

4. Informal AT Assessments Provision of Accessible Text Assistive Technology Labs Section 508 Training/Support Technical Assistance for Computing and Library Personnel ATI Services…

5. Working Together • Disability Services Offices, Faculty, Staff, Students, Volunteers and Public with disabilities

6. Important ConsiderationsDuring Transition • Legal Rights & Responsibilities • Strategic Planning • Training • Campus Resources • Advocacy and Support

7. Different Laws Regarding Disabilities

8. Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act & 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of his/ her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity.

9. A person with a disability is any person who • Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities including walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working; • Has a record of such an impairment; or • Is regarded as having such an impairment.

10. Another Law Commonly Forgotten The Rehabilitation Act 1973, Section 508 Amendment (1998) Requires that any electronic and information technology (EIT) procured, developed, used or maintained by Federal agencies must be accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 was enacted to: • eliminate barriers in information technology • make available new opportunities for people with disabilities • encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.

11. What is included in Section 508? …. Electronic and Information Technology • 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems • 1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications • 1194.23 Telecommunications Products (If it is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) or software then it may also include 1194.21 and/or 1194.22) • 1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products (If implemented on the web will also require 1194.22)

12. 1194.25 Self Contained and Closed Products (Ex: Copiers, Fax and Kiosks) • 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers • 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria (Must be accessible with assistive technology) • 1194.41 Information, Documentation and Support (Must also be accessible) • **Section 508 only applies to • visual, hearing and mobility impairments**

13. What is Accessibility? Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product (e.g., device, service, environment) is accessible by as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" the functionality, and possible benefit, of some system or entity. Accessibility is often used to focus on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive technology. Several definitions of accessibility refer directly to access-based individual rights laws and regulations. Products or services designed to meet these regulations are often termed Easy Access or Accessible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility

14. Accessibility Solutions • Accommodations • Assistive Technology • Section 508 – Web Accessibility • Universal Design

15. Q:Who is Really Responsible?? A: Depends on the Author/Developer This involves Websites, online Documents, Videos both online and played in class, telecommunication, applications both classroom setting and taught applications (for example if a teacher is talking about blogs they need to give options and can’t demand only one product be used if it isn’t accessible.)

16. What happens if the author/developer is external to the University? • This can be considered a “trick” question at times due to the numerous variables it has. • Does the University or Agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • If not, do changes still need to be made?

17. Does the University or agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • If No………. • Then the question needs to be asked and worked out with the Office of Disability Services or Equity Office. • For example: If there is an individual with a disability involved, is the inaccessible technology considered a requirement to do the work? If the answer is yes- an accommodation may need to be made. • All rules and regulations from Section 504 now apply.

18. Does the University or agency fall under Section 508 or W3C regulations? • If yes …………… • What does the timeline say? Does it overlap? • If the product was purchased after regulations were in place then it leads to more questions.

19. If the product was purchased after regulations were in place then it leads to more questions. • Is there contract language in place stating that the developer/vendor must meet standards and regulations? • Is there policy in place stating new standards and regulations are in place and must be met? • If the answer is yes to either or both of these questions then the responsibility lies on the vendor, but how do you get them to make changes?

20. How do you work with a vendor to make changes to something that doesn’t meet compliance? • Try contacting the company and asking if they know what accessibility is and compliance standards. (VPAT) • Use the line “If you work with us now to make the necessary changes, it will help beat competition later because standards are met.” • Work with other Universities, Agencies or like companies and form user groups to keep a list of problems and contact the vendor as a group- Power in Numbers!

21. Now back to internal responsibility • Teaching Faculty and Staff • Administration Offices • IT Professionals • Managers • Developers • Procurement/Purchasing

22. What could I be responsible for and what role do I play? • Websites and content • Documents • Videos and Multimedia • Technology used in the classroom (example: accessible blog, or student option) • Kiosks (copy machines, ATM, etc.)

23. Administration • President’s Office • Provost’s Office • Senior Vice President’s Office • Deans and Directors • President’s Council • Admissions and Registrars • Human Resources and Payroll • University Relations/Policy • Fiscal Services EVERYONE is involved and ANYONE can be effected!

24. Administration Continued Most common barriers: • University wide Applications • HR paperwork and application • University applications and paperwork • Procurement/Contract language • Overall Higher Administration Support • Department/Organizational Websites

25. Teaching Faculty and Staff • Do you use a Learning Management System? Do you add content to the course? Are they documents, video, etc.? • Do you use technology for your class assignments i.e. blogs, websites, wikis, etc.? • Are you the author of a book used in class? • Do you use visuals in the classroom that give important information pertaining to the class? • Do you use webinars or other classroom capture or conferencing technology?

26. IT Professionals • Do you influence or decide on technology purchases? • Do you develop websites, applications or documentation? • Do you oversee computer classroom settings? • Do you manage others who may work on the above mentioned? • Do you work in multimedia or telecommunications?

27. Procurement/Purchasing • Is there compliance language included in contracts? • Are vendors required to provide documentation on accessibility? (VPAT) • Is there a determination and findings procedure or documentation? • Is there an Accessibility Specialist that is included in review of all purchased technology?

28. Cognitive Disabilities

29. Types of Cognitive Disabilities • Learning Disabilities • ADD/ADHD • TBI • Stroke/Seizure • Autism • Mood Disorders and PSTD

30. Technologies for Cognitive Disabilities

31. Hearing Impairments

32. Basics – Hearing Impairment • Deafness: • is defined by partial or complete hearing loss. • Levels of hearing impairment vary from a mild but important loss of sensitivity to a total loss of hearing. Older adults suffer most often from hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss affects 30 to 35 percent of the population between the ages of 65 and 75 years, and 40 percent of the population over the age of 75. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6791. Retrieved on June 21, 2007.

33. Technologies for Deaf/HOH

35. Mobility Impairments

36. Technology for Mobility Impairments

38. Visual Impairments

39. Common Types of Visual Impairments Macular Degeneration: :Diabetic Retinopathy Photos taken from http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/MacularDegeneration.asp , http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/DiabeticRetinopathy.asp

40. Common Types of Visual Impairments Glaucoma: :Cataract Photos taken from http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/Cataracts.asp , http://www.lowvisionclub.com/articles/seewhatisee.html.

41. Color Blindness (Dychromatopsia) the inability to distinguish between some or all colors. The photograph is divided in two frames, on the left it is passed through the protanopia filter (green-red color blindness), on the right through the tritanopia (blue-yellow color blindness) and around the frames the picture is not filtered. Common Types of Visual Impairments www.michelf.com/weblog/2005/sim-daltonism/. Retrieved on June 21, 2007. Photo taken from www.michelf.com/img/icon/sim-daltonism-512.jpg.

42. Technologies for Visual Impairments

44. Web Accessibility

45. What is Web Accessibility? Web accessibility means access to the Web by everyone, regardless of disability.Web accessibility includes: Web sites and applications • that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with; Web browsers and media players • that can be used effectively by people with disabilities, and • that work well with assistive technologies that some people with disabilities use to access the Web; Web authoring tools, and evolving Web technologies • that support production of accessible Web content and Web sites, and • that can be used effectively by people with disabilities.

47. Impacts of the Web on Disabilities • The Web has become a key resource for: • classroom education, distance learning, • job searching, workplace interaction, • civic participation, government services, • news, information, commerce, entertainment, • It is displacing traditional sources of information and interaction -- • schools, libraries, print materials, discourse of the workplace; • some of the traditional resources were accessible; some not. • An accessible Web means unprecedented access to information for people with disabilities.

48. Problems that may be faced Examples of design requirements for people with different kinds of disabilities include: • Visual: • described graphics or video; • well marked-up tables or frames; • keyboard support, screen reader compatibility; • Hearing: • captioning for audio, supplemental illustration; • Physical, Speech: • keyboard or single-switch support; • alternatives for speech input on voice portals; • Cognitive, Neurological: • consistent navigation, tab order, appropriate language level; • illustration; no flickering or strobing designs.

49. Operational Definition of Accessibility Web sites, software applications, telecommunication, printers, faxes, documentation, video and multimedia and computers are considered accessible when individuals with disabilities can access them and use them as effectively as people who do not have disabilities. Screen reader Simulation - Experience a screen reader and learn how inaccessible content affects screen reader users. Low-vision Simulation - View web content as seen by those with several types of vision disabilities. Learn how to design content to best work with screen enlarging software.

50. Guidebooks and Tools: • Freedom Scientific JAWS: http://www.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/jaws9-downloads.asp or Dolphin Supernova: http://www.yourdolphin.com/productdetail.asp?id=1 • AiSquared ZoomText: http://aisquared.com/ • Accessibility: http://www.accessibilityforum.org/paper_tool.html • Usability: http://www.usability.gov/pdfs/guidelines.html