A Universal Design Approach for Providing Computer Access

University of

Washington

Seattle

Sheryl BurgstahlerTerrill Thompson

22

Access to IT is Important Because IT:

Access to IT is Important Because IT:

changes the way we live, work, learn, & communicate, & play

drives advances in other fields powers the economy

changes the way we live, work, learn, & communicate, & play

drives advances in other fields powers the economy

Presentation Outline

• About our two Centers at UW• Approaches to Access• Assistive Technology• Universal Design Approach• Implications for Practice• The UW Experience• Resources

Access Technology Center (ATC) Founded 1984 Funded by UW

DO-IT Center Founded1992 Supported with federal, state,

corporate, private funds Expanded to DO-IT Japan in

2007

Two UW CentersTwo UW Centers

DO-IT Center

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, & Technology

DO-IT Goal: To increase the success of individuals with disabilities in postsecondary education & careers, using technology as an empowering tool.

DO-IT Addresses Challenges

diminished support systems after high school

little access to successful role models inadequate self-advocacy skills lack of or ineffective accommodations low expectations on the part of people

with whom they interact & …

…lack of access to technology that can increase:

…lack of access to technology that can increase:

• education• careers• family life• community• recreation

• independence• productivity• participation

in

ensures computers, software & computing services

are accessible to UW faculty,

students & staff

The Access Technology Center…

Consults & trains on accessible design of IT

Hosts showroom of assistive technology (AT)

Consults & trains on hardware & software

Integrates AT into campus computer labs

Ability on a ContinuumAbility on a Continuum

seehearwalk

read printwrite with pen or pencilcommunicate verbally

tune out distractionlearn

manage physical/mental health

seehearwalk

read printwrite with pen or pencilcommunicate verbally

tune out distractionlearn

manage physical/mental health

Evolution of access approaches:

Evolution of access approaches: Attitude ActionExclusion NoneAllowed if you can fit in

Cure, RehabilitationAccommodation

Social justice Universal DesignAccommodation

Accommodation =Accommodation =

Alternate format, service, &/or adjustment for a specificindividual

“Coffeepot for Masochists”, Catalog of Unfindable Objects by Jacques Carelman; in Donald Norman’s The Psychology of Everyday Things, 1988

Universal design =

“the design of products & environments to be usable by all

people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for

adaptation or specialized design.”

The Center for Universal Designwww.design.ncsu.edu/cud

Universal design =

“the design of products & environments to be usable by all

people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for

adaptation or specialized design.”

The Center for Universal Designwww.design.ncsu.edu/cud

How could you universally design a name tag?

How could you universally design a name tag?

• an attitude that values diversity, equity, & inclusion.

• a goal.

• a process.

• practices that make educational products & environments welcoming, accessible, & usable for everyone.

• an attitude that values diversity, equity, & inclusion.

• a goal.

• a process.

• practices that make educational products & environments welcoming, accessible, & usable for everyone.

UD in education is:

Apply universal design to:Apply universal design to:

• Student services• Instruction• Technology• Physical spaces…

• Student services• Instruction• Technology• Physical spaces…

Problem SolutionProblem Solution

access to computers

access to electronic resources

access to computers

access to electronic resources

assistive technology

(AT)

universal design

assistive technology

(AT)

universal design

Very Short History of AT: Rodney & the Apple II

• 6 years old• No use of hands & legs

• Used Mouth wand• Issue: Could not press 2 keys at once

• Solution: Engineering student build switch box to lock shift, control, repeat keys

Closing the Gap Resource Directory provides just a sample of:

342 hardware products 982 software products 112 other AT 251 producers of AT

Now: Thousands of Products

2323

Jeanine Cook, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer EngineeringNew Mexico State University

2424

Sang-Mook Lee, Ph.D.GeoscienceProfessor, Seoul National University

• sip & puff, head controls• onscreen keyboard• English speech input• phone-computer

interface

2525

Anthony ArnoldAT SpecialistPrentke Romich

• synthesized voice on communication device

• touch screen• computer-based

environmental control, phone access

2626

Kayla BrownUW student

• laptop computer• miniature mouse• speech

recognition• smart phone

2727

Jessie ShulmanBA, InformaticsBusiness Analyst Amazon.com

• speech output• speech input• grammar/spell

checker

2828

Nicole TorcoliniBachelors Degree Computer ScienceStanfordGoogle

• speech output• Braille translation

software• Braille display &

printer

2929

Imke Durre, Ph.D.ClimatologistNational Weather Service

• speech output• Braille translation

software• Braille display & printer• speech input• Morse code foot switch

3030

Christian Vogler, Ph. D.Computer Scientist Gallaudet University

• visual notifications for

audio alerts• captions• sign language

Christian Vogler, Ph. D.Computer Scientist Gallaudet University

• visual notifications for

audio alerts• captions• sign language

AT may be part of the solution

AT may be part of the solution

Image: Many StairsImage: Many Stairs

Old School Technologies

Today: Technological Diversity

We All Have Choices

Today's Design Process

• Make no assumptions about users' needs or technologies

• Design and develop according to standards

A Very Brief History of the World Wide Web

A Very Brief History of the World Wide Web

Sir Tim Berners LeeSir Tim Berners Lee• Proposed the Web in

March 1989 • Demonstrated it in

1990• Wrote HTML in 1993 • Founded the World

Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1994

• Proposed the Web in March 1989

• Demonstrated it in 1990

• Wrote HTML in 1993 • Founded the World

Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in 1994

HTML 1.2HTML 1.2

• Written by Tim Berners-Lee in a memo in June 1993

• Introduced the <img> tag• Simultaneously introduced the ALT

attribute for people who couldn't see the image

• Written by Tim Berners-Lee in a memo in June 1993

• Introduced the <img> tag• Simultaneously introduced the ALT

attribute for people who couldn't see the image

W3C Accessibility StandardsW3C Accessibility Standards

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

• 1.0 published in 1999

• 2.0 (the current version) published in 2008

• Three levels of success criteria - 26 “Level A” success criteria – the most important

- 13 “Level AA” success criteria – also important

- 23 “Level AAA” success criteria – maximum accessibility

• Four principles (POUR): - Perceivable

- Operable

- Understandable

- Robust

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

• 1.0 published in 1999

• 2.0 (the current version) published in 2008

• Three levels of success criteria - 26 “Level A” success criteria – the most important

- 13 “Level AA” success criteria – also important

- 23 “Level AAA” success criteria – maximum accessibility

• Four principles (POUR): - Perceivable

- Operable

- Understandable

- Robust

More W3C Accessibility Standards

More W3C Accessibility Standards

• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0

• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 • Accessible Rich Internet Applications

(ARIA)• Defines new markup that communicates: • Role (e.g., menu, slider, dialog, alert) • State (e.g., is this hidden? Is it expanded?)• Properties (e.g., what are the maximum

and minimum values on a slider? What is the current value?)

• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0

• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 • Accessible Rich Internet Applications

(ARIA)• Defines new markup that communicates: • Role (e.g., menu, slider, dialog, alert) • State (e.g., is this hidden? Is it expanded?)• Properties (e.g., what are the maximum

and minimum values on a slider? What is the current value?)

IT Accessibility Standards & The LawIT Accessibility Standards & The Law

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act• Passed in 1973; no IT accessibility standards

• Americans with Disabilities Act • Passed in 1990; no IT accessibility standards

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act• Amended in 1998 • Requires IT accessibility of federal agencies• IT accessibility standards published in 2001• Standards currently undergoing a "refresh"• Latest draft (December 2011) adopted

WCAG 2.0 at Level AA

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act• Passed in 1973; no IT accessibility standards

• Americans with Disabilities Act • Passed in 1990; no IT accessibility standards

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act• Amended in 1998 • Requires IT accessibility of federal agencies• IT accessibility standards published in 2001• Standards currently undergoing a "refresh"• Latest draft (December 2011) adopted

WCAG 2.0 at Level AA

Proposed New ADA RulesProposed New ADA Rules

• July 2010 - U.S. Department of Justice proposed new rules that clarify ADA requirements related to web accessibility

• Jan 2011 – Public comment period ended

• In RFC DOJ was considering adopting WCAG 2.0 at Level AA

• More news – maybe rules – expected in July 2013?

• July 2010 - U.S. Department of Justice proposed new rules that clarify ADA requirements related to web accessibility

• Jan 2011 – Public comment period ended

• In RFC DOJ was considering adopting WCAG 2.0 at Level AA

• More news – maybe rules – expected in July 2013?

The law requires that we include everyone1 but…The law requires that we include everyone1 but…

1 “qualified individuals”

Why wouldn't we do that anyway?

Including everyone benefits our course, our institution, and our world…

Including everyone benefits our course, our institution, and our world…

What are higher education institutions

doing to promote IT accessibility?

What are higher education institutions

doing to promote IT accessibility? Developing accessibility policies

• 26.1% of Doctorate institutions have policies that address web or IT accessibility (8.4% of all U.S. institutions)

Offering trainings, providing support resources, building community Approximately 100 institutions have over 1000 results

when searching their website for "web accessibility" Building accessibility requirements into RFPs and

contracts We're dependent on IT vendors for accessibility If we don't all demand accessibility, they can't hear us

Developing accessibility policies • 26.1% of Doctorate institutions have policies that address

web or IT accessibility (8.4% of all U.S. institutions) Offering trainings, providing support resources,

building community Approximately 100 institutions have over 1000 results

when searching their website for "web accessibility" Building accessibility requirements into RFPs and

contracts We're dependent on IT vendors for accessibility If we don't all demand accessibility, they can't hear us

Universal Design & Video: Closed Captions

Universal Design & Video: Closed Captions

Captions make video accessible to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Captions help ESL viewers

Captions can be translated on-the-fly into other languages

Captions are searchable

Captions make video accessible to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Captions help ESL viewers

Captions can be translated on-the-fly into other languages

Captions are searchable

Universal Design & The iPhone

Universal Design & The iPhone Speech output Speech input Screen/text enlargement Variable colors/contrast Audible, visible, vibrating alerts Assignable ringtones Bluetooth connectivity for

keyboard, refreshable Braille display, …

Accessibility built-in for most apps

Speech output Speech input Screen/text enlargement Variable colors/contrast Audible, visible, vibrating alerts Assignable ringtones Bluetooth connectivity for

keyboard, refreshable Braille display, …

Accessibility built-in for most apps

Universal Design & Video: Interactive Transcript

Universal Design & Video: Interactive Transcript

Provides access to video for:

Braille users (Deaf/blind)

People with low Internet bandwidth

People who want information quickly

Provides access to video for:

Braille users (Deaf/blind)

People with low Internet bandwidth

People who want information quickly

Share Your StoriesShare Your Stories

What are you doing on your campus that exemplifies a Universal Design approach to technology access?

What are you doing on your campus that exemplifies a Universal Design approach to technology access?

The UW ExperienceThe UW ExperienceReporting structures & roles of Access Technology Center, Learning Technologies & Disability Resources for Students

Reporting structures & roles of Access Technology Center, Learning Technologies & Disability Resources for Students

The UW ExperienceThe UW Experience

IT Accessibility Task Force with representation from: UW External Affairs UW-IT Disability Resources for Students Office of Risk Management

IT Accessibility Task Force with representation from: UW External Affairs UW-IT Disability Resources for Students Office of Risk Management

The UW ExperienceThe UW Experience

IT Accessibility Task Force focused on three areas: Enhancement of online UW-IT Promote accessible IT Explore policies/processes

IT Accessibility Task Force focused on three areas: Enhancement of online UW-IT Promote accessible IT Explore policies/processes

The UW ExperienceThe UW ExperienceIT Accessibility Task Force accomplishments of members: Collaborated to create accessible WordPress

and Drupal Templates/Themes Updated content/organization of IT

Accessibility website & added videos Video captioning RFP Risk assessment report developed UW Marketing helping to promote

accessibility Continuing to work together

IT Accessibility Task Force accomplishments of members: Collaborated to create accessible WordPress

and Drupal Templates/Themes Updated content/organization of IT

Accessibility website & added videos Video captioning RFP Risk assessment report developed UW Marketing helping to promote

accessibility Continuing to work together

ResourcesResources

IT Accessibility Website www.uw.edu/accessibility

DO-IT Video www.uw.edu/doit/video

Center on Universal Design in Educationwww.uw.edu/doit/CUDE

IT Accessibility Website www.uw.edu/accessibility

DO-IT Video www.uw.edu/doit/video

Center on Universal Design in Educationwww.uw.edu/doit/CUDE

Questions?Questions?