Index - Learning Circuits

Accessibility Equals=20 Good Design
By Cheryl=20 Johnson

With an = increasing=20 number of aging people remain in the workforce, the definitions of = =E2=80=9Cdisability=E2=80=9D=20 and =E2=80=9Caccessibility=E2=80=9D are changing. =

All people = need=20 access to learning events. There are many types of challenges people = face in=20 accessing training, whether disabled or not. As a result, it makes good = business=20 sense to ensure that we are not inadvertently excluding some learners = from this=20 growth opportunity. =

Access=20 issues aside, accessibility is simply good design. Features that benefit = those=20 with access issues also benefit those without issues. For example, when = you=20 enable the end user to make the choice to have video and graphics = displayed, you=20 also afford them the choice of faster download times and speeds. This = can=20 significantly benefit those who don=E2=80=99t have access to high speed = internet=20 connections. =

Who needs=20 access

Historically, a=20 disabled person was someone with a physical handicap that was readily = visible.=20 Traditionally acknowledge types of disabilities include hearing = impairments,=20 vision impairments, mobility impairments, learning disabilities. For = example,=20 they are in a wheelchair or use a hearing aide. However, as our = workforce ages=20 and the medical profession identifies more challenges that some face as=20 disabilities, it becomes more important to acknowledge and accommodate = various=20 challenges in learning design.

Hearing = impairments.=20 Six=20 to eight percent of the U.S. population has some = type of=20 hearing loss. The causes and degrees of hearing loss vary, as do methods = of=20 communication. It would be presumptuous to assume that all those with a = hearing=20 impairment use the same mode of communication. Due to the varying types = of=20 hearing loss, there are multiple modes of communication, in addition to = personal=20 preference. Some are lip = readers=20 while others may prefer to use sign language. Some use hearing aides = while=20 others may prefer amplification devices. =20

Typical=20 Accommodations that can be made for hearing-impaired learning in the=20 instructor-led environment include sign language interpreters,=20 transcriptionists, visual alert systems, and assistive listening = devices, to=20 name a few.

Accommodations for=20 online learning typically fall under the closed captioning category. If = your=20 online learning event requires the use of audio or sound a simple = accommodation=20 is to add closed captioning to the module.

Vision = Impairments.=20 Approximately half a=20 million Americans have vision impairments. =20 Once again, not all those who are considered = =E2=80=9Clegally=E2=80=9D blind have no=20 usable sight. A = definition of legal=20 blindness means a visual acuity of 20/200 or greater in the better eye = with best=20 correction. A small = number of=20 people are totally blind, but many have some usable site. Even those who = are not=20 totally blind appreciate some type of accommodation.

Providing = course=20 materials prior to an actual class, using recording devices, and = adaptive=20 technology accommodates both instructor-led and online learning=20 environments.

Many with = visual=20 impairments appreciate receiving course materials before the course = begins so=20 they can convert information into a more accessible format. Some may = want=20 handouts and ancillary information in an electronic format so their = computer can=20 read it, or books may be scanned and converted to text. =

Some prefer = to have=20 the text enlarged on the computer screen or CCTV with magnifying = devices. With this adaptive technology, = information can be converted and read with screen readers, magnification = devices=20 or special reading programs that can manipulate background colors and = increase=20 space between words or letters. =20 This technology can also highlight words that are being verbally = read by=20 the screen reader so the visually impaired student can track the = content.

For online = learning=20 events, keep in mind that those with vision impairments rely heavily on=20 =E2=80=9Ckeystroke equivalents=E2=80=9D to access most information = displayed on a computer=20 screen. Screen readers use keystrokes to navigate from field to field or = access=20 menu items. Also use alt text to identify and describe graphics, and = make sure=20 you do not use text in a graphic format. Often developers who want to = use a=20 particular font that is not readily accessible on the web will convert = their=20 text to a graphic. If you need to do this, make sure the graphic has alt = text=20 that provides the text. In addition, carefully choose when to use = Flash-based=20 text because it is unreadable by screen readers.

Adobe = offers a=20 website developers can use to make learning created with its software=20 accessible;

www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/section508.html.

It is also = helpful to=20 provide options for screen magnification and the ability to change = background=20 colors for those with difficulty reading small text or certain = background=20 colors. Keep in mind learners with color blindness when choosing colors = in your=20 module. For example, using a Stop Light might confuse those who cannot = easily=20 distinguish red and green.

Figure 1 (Screenshot of 508-compliant course by Atlantic = Link)=20

Mobility=20 impairments. This sort = of=20 impairment refers to conditions that limit a person's coordination or = ability to=20 move. The degree of mobility impairment will vary from individual to = individual=20 depending on the type of injury or illness.

Some = learners with=20 limited upper body mobility may request certain adaptive keyboards and = mouse to=20 access computers, or a voice recognition system that will type dictated = items.=20 Lab assistants could also offer support in the absence of these.=20

It=E2=80=99s important to=20 note that voice recognition technology typically used by those with = mobility=20 impairments is driven by =E2=80=9Ckeystroke equivalents.=E2=80=9D Make = sure the information in=20 your modules can be navigated to and accessed by a keystroke. If you use = buttons, make sure that the person can access a Next button by using the = keystroke Press Ctrl+N, for example. Quite often, this will require a = tabbed=20 order for moving around the screen from field to field, which can be = established=20 in some authoring tools. =20

Learning=20 disabilities. These = conditions=20 characterized by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of=20 listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning abilities, or = mathematical,=20 memory, and executive functioning (organizational skills). Learning = disabilities=20 are your most common =E2=80=9Chidden disabilities.=E2=80=9D Most = learning disabilities fall in=20 to one or more of the following categories: auditory processing, visual=20 processing, information-processing speed, and abstract and general = reasoning.=20

Other = conditions that=20 my affect learning:

=C2=A7 =20 Dyslexia is = another=20 form of a learning disability, which is characterized by the inability = to=20 properly decode letters when reading. =20

=C2=A7 =20 Attention = Deficit=20 Disorder (ADD and ADHD), = which is=20 typically characterized by the inability to focus for extended periods = of time.=20 Learners with ADD or ADHD may also make careless mistakes or have = difficulty=20 transitioning from one activity to another. They typically struggle to = listen=20 carefully to instructions or lectures for long periods of time.

=C2=A7 =20 Brain = Injuries, which=20 may not be visible are often complex. These impairments can affect a = leaner=E2=80=99s=20 memory, their ability to focus for long periods of time, as well as = other=20 learning challenges. They also can manifest in physical limitations, = such as=20 loss of balance, seizures, or speech impairments. Some learners with = brain=20 injuries may also struggle with organization skills or the ability to = reason=20 effectively. =20

Do not = overlook the=20 potential impact that these conditions have on learning. Although these = sorts of=20 impairments entail their own distinct conditions, they share similar=20 accommodations for learners. Because most students will not come forth = and=20 volunteer this information you may want to make these accommodations = known to=20 them in your marketing materials. This encourages them to come forth and = feel=20 safe that they will not be judged or labeled as unable to learn.

=C2=A7 =20 Test = accommodations=20 and alternative assignments.=20 Accommodations may include extra time on exams, access to a low = distraction=20 environment for test taking, obtaining a syllabus in advance to allow = for=20 preparation, modified assignment deadlines, or different ways of = completing an=20 assignment (such as oral instead of written). Accommodations should not=20 compromise the essential elements of the learning environment, however. =

=C2=A7 =20 Assistants, = tutors,=20 and counselors. Learners may need one or more people to assist with note = taking,=20 academic skills, or personal support counseling. Many programs may = already have=20 tutoring or counseling services in place and available to all.

=C2=A7 =20 Adaptive = devices.=20 There are several software programs on the market to help those with = learning=20 disabilities read and process information more effectively. They provide = a=20 bi-modal approach to reading, for example. The information scanned in to = the=20 computer is read back by screen reading technology and highlights text = as it=20 reads. It can also mask out text that is not currently being read. And = they=20 usually have built in dictionaries and thesaurus readily available to = help with=20 unfamiliar words.

The same = development=20 tools you use for screen readers or voice recognition software to create = online=20 learning can be used for people with disabilities. For example, reading = software=20 uses the same conventions to access information on the screen.=20

Systemic=20 Disabilities. Systemic = conditions=20 affect the body=E2=80=99s internal systems. There are many types but = some of the more=20 common are diabetes and epilepsy. Accommodations may include extra time = on=20 testing modules or obtaining content in advance to allow for = preparation. If you=20 know you may have a learner with this sort of disability, learn more = about what=20 triggers symptoms of the illness. For example, if developing an online = course=20 that you know will be delivered to someone with a seizure disorder, be = sure to=20 exclude flickers or blinking information on the screen.

Learn=20 more

Working to make our=20 learning events inclusive promotes a healthy work environment and = accommodates=20 far more of your employees than you may realize. It just makes good sense to = make the=20 necessary changes to help everyone enjoy=20 learning!

The following websites offer additional information and = tips on=20 achieving accessibility online:

WAI Resources on Introducing Web Accessibility; = www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html
Web=20 Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0; www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20
WebAIM Section 508 Checklist; www.webaim.org/standards/508/checklist.

Cheryl=20 Johnson=20 is a=20 performance solutions specialist with RWL Tech, with 10 years experience = in=20 learning, development, and performance; = cherstinane@readwritetechnology.com.

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