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Hieli tUcJi Center rrrainino Vnit
21050 McClellan Rd. Cupertino, CA 95014
www.htctu.net
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HTCTO
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Foothill - De Anza Community College District
California Community Colleges
Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Creating Accessible Online Classes
High Tech Center Training Unit
of the California Community Colleges
at the
Foothill-De Anza Community College District
21050 McClellan Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 996-4636
http://www.htctu.net
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Copyright 2009 HTCTU
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd-nc/l.O/
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Contents
Creating Accessible Online Classes
Background & Overview
Introduction to Assistive Technology
Introduction to Alternate Media
Campus Accessibility Resources
Legal Issues
Usable Web Accessibility
Production Plans and Workflows for Success
Course Production Plan ExaIllples
Basic Accessibility Skills & Formatting
Accessibility Principles for Electronic Documents
Creating an Accessible Document in Word
Accessible PDF
Accessible PowerPoint.
Adobe DreamWeaver
WYSIWYG HTML Editors
Captioning & Multimedia Accessibility
Basic Formatting Concerns for Captions
Laws on Video and Captioning
The Distance Education Captioning and Transcription (DECT) GranL
Captioning Essentials
Using Any Video Converter
Express Scribe
YouTube: easy Do-it-Yourself Captioning
Optimizing Content for Online Delivery
CMS and LMS Access Issues
Live Delivery of Web-Based Learning (CCCConfer)
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Introduction to Creating Accessible Online Classes
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Background & Overview
Introduction to Digital Media
Electronic or digital media includes a wide range of technologies and content. When
properly designed these media can encourage interest and participation by students
in otherwise dry or uninspiring subjects. Naturally, this is recognized as a great tool
in designing and delivering Web based instruction.
One of the powerful aspects of electronic media is the potential to increase the
complexity and density of information in learning materials while simultaneously
offering the end-user control over how they receive or experience the information.
To properly utilize this power requires understanding and following the best
practices for proper design.
When an individual has a disability that prevents them from utilizing a particular
sense or ability, often an Assistive Technology(AT) will be used to provide this
or similar functionality. In the context of digital media, AT is used to translate
information from one medium to another in order to provide a means for individuals
to navigate and interact with the content.
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Some information is obviously going to be difficult if not impossible for people
with certain disabilities to access without AT. This is where AT comes in and creates
an alternative format of the information that can be accessed via a different sensory
system. For individuals who are blind or who have low vision, visually-oriented
information can be converted into audio and/or tactile information. For individuals
who are deaf or hard of hearing, verbal information can be delivered as text, charts,
tables, and illustrations.
Human ability and disability exist on a continuum, just as the range of digital media
and technology provide a continuum of options and considerations for representing
information. The facts, principles, concepts, and procedures of most disciplines
should be able to transcend different digital media limitations. Typically, by
following the prescribed standards and best practices for any given technology you
can produce the most usable and functional content possible. Often, this is enough
to provide access to students using AT.
AT and Digital Media
Basic Digital Media Categories
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Text
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Images
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Audio
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Video
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Complex
These classifications of media effectively cover the majority of options for
delivering Web-based instructional content. Each media type has certain advantages
and considerations in regards to accessibility, but with a little understanding they
can all be used to deliver digital content in an accessible way.
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With any digital media, it is always important to understand the playback context
the student will open the content in.
Following is a table of basic access strategies for these media types.
Media
Type
Access Strategy
Text
Generally accessible to most assistive technologies such as
screen readers and electronic reading systems.
Images
Provide a textual equivalent that can be rendered into an
accessible format via assistive technology for non·sighted
viewers.
Audio
Provide a text transcript of the audio information that can be
rendered into an accessible format via Assistive Technology
for non-sighted viewers.
Video
Captioning should be put in place (open or closed) in order
to provide an equivalent experience for individuals who are
unable to hear the audio content.
Complex
Complex media containing other media types (text, images,
audio, and video) must begin with the best practices for
accessibility in each of the included media types. In addition,
appropriate markup of headings and other content must be
applied to the different media constructs throughout the
media file. By applying appropriate markup and definition to
content, assistive technologies can better process and interact
with the material.
We'll be discussing these media types in more detail throughout the following
sections.
Text
As the most common form of digital information, digital text has many advantages
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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in the number of AT applications that can access it. Text is often thought of as
the base-level digital format for providing access to information, as most AT can
process digital text.
However, there is more to providing access than simply allowing information to be
represented in alternate formats. Access to information in general, and to education
specifically, is increased when effective organizational structures are provided. By
organizing the content into sections defined by headers we are allowing a means for
the end user to efficiently navigate and interact with the material. In providing this
structure we also increase the overall usability of the information for all students,
regardless of disability.
Digital text comes in a variety of formats, and it is common to denote the type of
file format with a three or four letter extension following a period, indicated here in
parenthesis after each file type.
There is a range of accessibility and usability potential among the digital text
flavors, running from simple to powerful. Starting with Plain Text (.txt), which is
quite literally, plain text with no formatting, moving to Rich Text Format (.rtf)
documents, spanning proprietary document formats like Microsoft Word (.doc
or .docx) and InDesign (jndd), etc., and ending up with the ever common HTML
(.htm or .html) and PDF (.pdf).
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Digital Text Formats in Order of Potential Usability:
1. HTML
2. RTF
3. TXT
Digital Text Formats in Order of Intrinsic Accessibility:
1. TXT
2. RTF
3. HTML
Technical accessibility really refers to the ability of assistive technology to
process the information. Usability is the degree to which an individual can
understand and make use of your content. In order to maximize the effectiveness
of your digital text, it is important to emphasize the USABILITY of your
content, not just the technical accessibility.
Proprietary Issues
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There are many digital file formats that use digital text, but not all file formats will
open interchangeably without owning the proper application. Because of this, a key
consideration is to use a non-proprietary file format or ensure that the necessary
technology to open the file is also available to the student.
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Of all the digital text formats, properly formatted HTML provides a high level of
access and usability while being freely distributable and easily viewed by many
freely available applications.
Images
Images have a unique power to instill emotions and affect attitudes in ways that
textual information can not. Images also take advantage of our visual ability
to decode complex and sophisticated information, allowing us to quickly and
automatically make sense of it while organizing it under different categories.
It is easy to see how digital images can be a tremendous asset in designing and
delivering Web-based instruction.
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Sometimes a powerful instructional image is conveying complex information that
is most effectively represented as graphic information, and sometimes it is just a
pretty picture. Either case may be appropriate or even vital to your course content,
but in the case of images that contain information significant to the instruction, you
will need to provide a textual description of the content.
Containing the Image
Whatever the ultimate purpose and instructional value of an image may be, most of
the time images will be contained in some sort of document file. Depending on the
document format, you may be able to associate a text description of the information
directly into the image. Sometimes you will need to place the textual description in
the document either before or after the image, or as an image caption.
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Relationship Between Digital Images and Documents
Images aod Alternate: Text rJaq\lire a document to ilet jlS a~contaiMr"l(l order
to provide an association between the two elements.
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Combined Unit
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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In the above image, the alternate text given is "relationship between alt text and
image within a document". This description effectively conveys the message
contained in the image. Note that the complex details are not mentioned, as the
concepts they are explaining have already been presented in the preceeding text.
The relationship between digital images and the documents they are contained in
is important to understand. Most digital image files do not allow you to embed
textual information inside the image file. Typically, when you place the digital
image into an electronic document, the electronic document will provide some
means of associating a textual description with the image. However, if you use that
image in another document or different document format, you will likely have to
re-associate a textual description with the image in the new document format. This
is because the textual information is only associated within the context of the bigger
digital document. The individual digital image file remains a separate entity from
the associated text. For example, in a Web page, the "alt" tag is used to describe the
content of an image, but the "alt" tag is part of the Web page, not part of the image.
A Picture is Worth...
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As part of the range of content that can be contained in an image, you will find
digital images of textual information, but this is not the same as digital text. A quick
and easy way to check if you're dealing with digital text or a digital image of text
is to try and select the text on your screen and copy it to a word processor or text
editor. If you can copy the text into the word processor or text editor, you're dealing
with digital text. If you can't copy the text, you may be dealing with an image of
text.
There are computer programs that can try to determine what the actual text is inside
a digital image, these programs are known as Optical Character Recognition
(OCR) programs. When you use an OCR program on digital text, it will save the
resulting digital text as a text file (.txt, .rtf, .doc, .html, etc.)
Until computers are able to look at an image and automatically determine the
content, providing an effective text description for images is vital to ensuring
accessibility and usability of that digital image.
Audio
Digital audio can be stored in several different formats, and with a wide variety
of quality and file size. Regardless of the specific digital audio format used, the
strategy for providing access remains the same: provide a transcript.
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Audio information can convey many types of information, from verbal dialogue to
music and sound effects. Obviously, verbal dialogue can be transcribed into text,
but transcribing music and sound effects is not as easy to do. Typically, if you can
not provide a direct transcription, you can try to describe the nature/effect the music
or sound effect is trying to create.
In general, the basic rule of thumb is to provide a transcript of the spoken dialogue
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
and other meaningful audio content for individuals who may be deaf or hard of
hearing.
Audio fifes must always be accompanied by a text transcript.
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Text Transcript
Audio File
+
Unlike digital image files, certain audio file formats will allow you to permanently
associate textual information with the audio content. In this way, the audio file
always has the textual description included no matter where you copy or move the
file. There is an important limitation, however, as the playback device or software
must provide a method for viewing the textual description.
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Some common audio files that support the permanent association of textual
descriptions are MP3 (.mp3), MP4 (.mp4), Apple Audio Codec (.aac), Quicktime
Audio (.mov), and the Apple proprietary formats (.m4a, .m4b, .m4v). It is important
to know which file format your audio information is in, and how to associate textual
information with that file.
Example Audio File and Transcript
Sample Audio File (MP3, 13 KB)
Accompanying Transcript (RTF, 5 KB)
Even if you embed the transcript of an audio file in the meta-information (ID3
tags) of that digital file, you should also provide the text transcript as a separate
download. If a student is completely deaf (as opposed to having a degree of partial
hearing loss) they may prefer to only have to download the smaller text file rather
than the much larger audio file where the transcript is embedded in the ID3 tags.
Remember that producing good quality recordings can also help increase the
accessibility and usability of audio files for individuals who are hard of hearing. If
the overall quality of an audio recording is poor, AT will have an even more difficult
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
time with the information.
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Video
Digital video information typically includes audio, which again needs to be
transcribed. However, because it is video, the text transcript must be delivered
synchronously with the corresponding dialogue as it is spoken on screen. This is
called captioning, and it comes in two flavors: open and closed.
Closed Captions are the captions that you can turn on and off, assuming that you
know how to work your television's remote control.
Open Captions are the captions that are permanently turned on, similar to foreign
language subtitles.
There is an important distinction between captions and subtitles: subtitles provide a
translation of dialogue, while captions provide a textual indication of all significant
audio information, including sound effects and music. For accessibility concerns,
subtitles are not equivalent to captions because subtitles do not convey all of the
significant audio information of the video.
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Captions vs. Subtitles
Captions
Native Language
Subtitles
X
X
Translation
Dialogue
X
Significant Audio
X
X
Depending on the digital video file format, the production tools you have available,
and your level of technical skills and abilities, the options for creating captions will
vary. Ultimately, with proper planning and resources it is possible to caption digital
video for use as instructional materials in Web-based instruction.
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Today there is a small pool of digital video file formats commonly in use that allow
for captioning. They are Quicktime Movie (.mov), MPEG (.mpg or .mpeg), AVI
(.avi), Flash Video (.flv or .swf), Windows Media (.wmv or .asx) and Real Player
Media (.rpm)
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Complex Digital Media
Complex media refers to those digital media formats and systems that can contain
multiple media types at the same time, and/or provide means for user interaction
with the content.
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Complex media can be a single digital file or a system that coordinates multiple
digital files being exchanged between the instructor and students. HTML and PDP
files are common examples of complex media files that can support a variety of different media types. Learning Management systems such as MoodIe or Blackboard
are examples of complex media delivery systems, providing a variety of ways to
organize and deliver digital content and offering multiple methods for interaction
with the content and other users.
Complex Digital Document
Digital Text
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Interactive Forms
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•. &
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Digi,ta I Video
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Typically, complex digital media is an assemblage of discreet media files such as
text, images, audio, and video. By following the best practices for creating these
individual digital files, you can help ensure the accessibility and usability of the
information when it is presented as part of a complex document or digital media
system. In addition, it is important to become familiar with any built-in accessibility
tools that are included in whatever complex media file format or system you use.
In addition to ensuring the accessibility of the discreet media assets used in a complex media file or system, it is critical to ensure accessibility of the various interactive aspects to ensure that they are compatible with different AT.
Introduction to Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology (AT) refers to a broad spectrum of devices and software that
can be helpful to people with disabilities. Relative to Distance Education, AT typically refers to a range of technology used for communication and cognition. As
technology is often a determining factor in how distance education is designed and
delivered, it is critical to ensure accessible technology is compatible with instructional technology and media.
•
Many forms ofAT deliver a specific format of media, or "alternate media" to an
individual with a disability. Alternate media is any form of media that is appropriate
and effective in communicating with a specific sensory ability. Many forms of modern media such as MP3 's and HTML pages become "Alternate Media" specifically
when used by individuals with disabilities. One of the key aspects of understanding
alternate media is separating the message or content from the mode of presentation
or specific media form. This means you create one piece of content that can be used
by multiple forms ofAT.
One of the ultimate goals in designing accessible instructional materials is to provide the end user with the ability to effectively control and customize the presentation of information. The ultimate realization of this concept is a single electronic
document that can be presented through any interface the student might choose (or
require). By defining content with consistent logical and navigational structures
such as headings and page numbers, you allow content to be consistently and accurately rendered on a variety of interfaces. This allows for the end user to have
control over the various nuances of their specific interface without the author having
to anticipate every possible technology that might be used to view the content.
Principles of Universal Design
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The concept of one source document that can be accessed by all forms of assistive
technology and automatically converted into an accessible format needed by the
recipient is sometimes referred to as "Universal Design for Learning" or "DDL",
borrowing from the architectural concept of Universal Design. While the overall
concepts of Universal Design are admirable, within the context of designing accessible online courses, it can sometimes be more helpful to think in terms of "Uni13
Creating Accessible Online Courses
versal Compatibility". The idea of creating a document that can be everything to
all users can be a bit overwhelming, but perhaps it is a little less intimidating to
create a document wherein the material has the appropriate structure for assistive
technology to snap onto. Ensuring that instructional technology and media is able
to interface with assistive technologies is the primary focus of creating accessible
web-based instruction.
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Assistive Technologies
Following is a list of common categories of AT. It is important to recognize that
this list is just a starting point, as the ultimate range of assistive technologies is
as varied as the range of disabilities.
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Screen Readers
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Screen Magnifiers
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Speech Recognition
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Closed Captioning Decoders
• Alternative Keyboard Access
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Refreshable Braille Displays
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Reading Systems
We'll be taking a closer look at these technologies in the following sections.
Screen Readers
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Screen readers are a form of Assistive Computer Technology (ACT) that
provide an audible rendering of computer-based information.
Typically used by individuals who are blind, screen readers are intended to provide
visual information as audio information (sound). This is not altogether difficult in
and of itself, but challenges can arise when screen readers are faced with certain
types of content. Emerging media formats and technologies that do not provide a
means for reorganizing and delivering the information via an alternate interface or
media form are common challenges for screen readers.
Screen readers are also used to control Refreshable Braille Displays, which allow
for dynamic representations of Braille characters through tiny mechanical pins
aligned in a long strip.
Screen Magnifiers
Screen Magnifiers are a form of ACT that provide an enlarged view of the
computer display. The more sophisticated screen magnifiers also provide the
ability to alter the visual display in ways that can enhance readability for certain
visual disabilities.
Enlarging digital content can have surprisingly drastic effects on basic academic
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
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processes such as reading comprehension and basic ability to navigate a graphic
user interface. Simple acts like reading a line of text can become careful acts of
eye-hand coordination.
CCTV's
Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) systems provide a means for enlarging nonelectronic information, and in some cases, provide limited means for altering the
display characteristics to improve legibility for certain visual disabilities.
CCTV's are available in a wide range of configurations and styles. Typically, the
most versatile and highest quality CCTV systems are also the most expensive
and bulky. Smaller, more portable systems are emerging that improve the
portability factor, but these remain quite expensive.
Speech Recognition
Speech recognition is a process in which spoken dialogue is analyzed and
converted into digital text. Results vary tremendously between users and
technology platforms, and there is no system in existence that can deliver
perfect speech recognition 100% of the time.
Users of speech recognition frequently spend extra effort to correct and maintain
the most accurate user profiles and performance of their system.
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Closed Captioning Decoders
Closed Captioning decoders are the essential element in displaying traditional
analog broadcast captions, often referred to as "Line-21" captions. Whatever the
underlying technology may be, the concept is the same: present a synchronized
text version of the spoken dialogue and meaningful audio content.
With digital video files, the Line-21 model from analog broadcasting is not
always supported, so alternate technologies have been created to provide the
basic functionality required to display synchronized textual information with the
spoken dialogue and meaningful sound events.
Alternative Keyboard Access
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Alternative Keyboard Access refers to specialized switches and software that
provide better control for individuals with various disabilities. Sometimes these
solutions are just physically adapted keyboards, and sometimes they are limited
switches with software-driven routines to provide the full range of key options
available through a traditional "QWERTY" keyboard. Often times the computer
mouse will be replaced with a custom switch or keyboard-based control. One
of the common issues with alternative keyboard access is the use of specialized
keyboard commands that either conflict with existing keyboard commands for
other programs, or are impossible to emulate via certain customized switches.
Refreshable Braille Displays
A refreshable Braille display is a system of presenting computer information as
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Braille code. Using a series of plastic pins, different Braille characters can be
presented dynamically to allow the information from a computer display to be
rendered as Braille information. Available in varying sizes, these refreshable
Braille displays require a software application to convert the electronic
information into Braille as well as a properly structured document that can be
parsed and translated into Braille.
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Reading Systems
Reading systems are used to present visual information as auditory information,
as well as providing a means to alter and customize the visual appearance of
electronic information.
Common features of reading systems include an ability to visually highlight
words as they are being read aloud, as well as the ability to enlarge and change
text fonts and document colors. Some reading systems include dictionaries,
homonym checkers, and word prediction functions. Mind mapping and critical
thinking tools are also provided in some reading systems.
Disability by AT and AU Media
Recognizing that both human difference and technological innovation
contribute to the dynamic nature of AT, the lines can blur between categories
ofAT, and sometimes technologies are abandoned as newer and more effective
technologies are developed. In addition, often individuals will have multiple
disabilities that require combinations ofAT and alternate media.
Here are some common disability types with corresponding examples of
common AT and alternate media accommodations:
16
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Blindness: Screen Readers, Refreshable Braille Displays, DAISY, Braille,
Books on Tape, Audio CD's, MP3 's, Digital Note-taking
•
Low Vision: Screen Readers, Screen Magnifiers, Large Print, DAISY,
MP3 's, Audio CD's
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Deafness: Cochlear Implants, Hearing Aids, Assistive Listening Devices,
Closed Captioning, ASL, Remote Captioning, Remote Video Interpreting,
Text Transcripts, Digital Note-taking
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Mobility Impairment: Speech Recognition, Specialized Keyboards,
Alternate Switching Systems, Word Prediction Software, Custom Interface
Modifications
•
Learning Disabilities: Reading Systems and Study Tools, which typically
provide some sort of audio and visual reinforcement, separation,
synchronization, and layout alteration. Other common study tools provide
word prediction, and features for organization and outlining information.
To see how reading can be affected by Dyxlexia see http://www.readregular.
comlenglish/dyslexia.htrnl (opens in new window).
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Introduction to Alternate Media
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Alternate media is an alternative medium of presentation from that in which
the work was originally done. A regular hard-copy book, for instance, may be
converted into an electronic (e-text) book. E-text is words (text) that a computer
can read. E-text is the basis for all alternate media formats.
The Office for Civil Rights (sometimes abbreviated OCR) has determined that
there are three important criteria for providing accommodations to students with
disabilities:
•
timeliness of delivery
•
accuracy of the translation
•
provision in a manner and medium appropriate to the significance of the
message and the abilities of the individual with the disability
In order to most easily meet these criteria, online course materials need to be
developed from the beginning with accessibility in mind. In this module, we
will look at the issues involved with making documents accessible and usable
by the widest possible range of students.
Electronic Text (Etext)
•
HTML, ASCII, MS Word, RTF, etc...
Digital or Electronic Text (Etext) is the category of media comprised of simple text.
While some digital media formats such as HTML or MS Word documents can also
contain images and sound files (among others), they are also representative of the
first level of technical access for electronic information.
Large Print
Large print is a category of print larger than the standard printed addition. While
this definition is somewhat arbitrary, most body type set as larger than 14 pts is
considered to be "Large Print," though typically the value is closer to 18 or 20 pts.
However, sometimes large print is created in much larger sizes. As one of the least
sophisticated visual accommodations to use, large print is a very common fonn of
alternate media for older individuals dealing with sudden degenerative vision loss.
Large print is often pri nted in a sans serif font
•
with additional spacing. This font is called
APHont and is avaUable free from Ame,rican
Printing House for the Blind: www.aph.org.
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Braille
Created in the mid-1800s and named after its inventor Louis Braille, braille is a
code for tactile reading and writing, used by individuals who are blind. Based on
a six-dot pattern that was designed to fit under an individual's finger-tips, braille
characters are used to transcribe words, numbers, characters, and symbols. Since
braille only contains 63 symbols, there are extensive rules, known as braille
"codes," that assign different meanings to the same braille symbols, depending on
when and how the symbols are used. Special braille codes are used for complex
information such as math, science, and music. Braille can be embossed onto paper
or rendered via refreshable braille displays to display digital information.
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Closed Captions (CC)
Closed Captions are the textual transcripts of spoken dialogue and significant
auditory information in video and film media. A variety of technologies are used
to create and present closed captions, depending on the specific visual media being
used. There is also a significant difference between Closed Captions and Subtitles,
18
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
as Subtitles only present textual equivalents of spoken dialogue, whereas Closed
Captions provide a textual equivalent for all meaningful audio information. Closed
Captions are different from Open Captions in that Closed Captions can be turned on
or off by the person watching the visual information. Open Captions, like traditional
subtitles, can not be turned off by the person watching the visual information, and
are always onscreen.
MP3's and Other Audio Files
WAY and MP3 are file formats for audio information. MP3 is a smaller (more
compressed) format, which is why it has become so popular. Most MP3 players provide limited ability to navigate (move forward and backwards) through the content.
Some MP3 players do allow "time jumps" or allow an individual to create "bookmarks" that create reference points for easy navigation.
DAISY
Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) is a media format that combines
the power of digital text with the appeal and power of audio-based information to
provide an alternative for individuals with traditional print disabilities like Dyslexia,
Blindness, and other learning disabilities that make visual learning more difficult.
DAISY content can be navigated via a logical heading structure as well as traditional page numbers, offering an efficient and easy method to navigate audio content. In
addition to improved navigability, users can also interact with the content in more
powerful ways. Keyword searching and the ability to add custom bookmarks to the
content allow auditory learners to interact with their learning materials in much the
same way as visual learners interact with traditional printed materials.
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Hardware and Software DAISY Players:
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Alternate Media and Assistive Technologies by Disability Type
Recognizing that both human difference and technological innovation contribute
to the dynamic nature of AT, the lines can blur between categories of AT, and
sometimes technologies are abandoned as newer and more effective technologies
are developed. In addition, often individuals will have multiple disabilities that
require combinations of AT and alternate media.
Here are some common disability types with corresponding examples of common
AT and alternate media accommodations:
•
•
Blindness: Screen Readers, Refreshable Braille Displays, DAISY, Braille,
Books on Tape, Audio CD's, MP3's, Digital Note-taking
•
Low Vision: Screen Readers, Screen Magnifiers, Large Print, DAISY,
MP3's, Audio CD's
•
Deafness: Cochlear Implants, Hearing Aids, Assistive Listening Devices,
Closed Captioning, ASL, Remote Captioning, Remote Video Interpreting,
Text Transcripts, Digital Note-taking
•
Mobility Impairment: Speech Recognition, Specialized Keyboards,
Alternate Switching Systems, Word Prediction Software, Custom Interface
Modifications
•
Learning Disabilities: Reading Systems and Study Tools, DAISY (these
typically provide some sort of audio and visual reinforcement, separation,
synchronization, and alteration. Word prediction, organization, and
specialized study tools.
Campus Accessibility Resources
Consider the support services available to you at your campus, specifically, your
campus resource base for accessibility information. Do you know what services are
available and how to request them? Does this system make sense from a student's
perspective, and from the added perspective of different disabilities?
Disability Services
•
•
How does your campus deliver disability services to students.
•
What sources of assistance are available to both instructors and students?
•
Does your campus have an Alternate Media Specialist? If so, who is it and
how would you contact this person? Be specific.
•
Does your campus have a Learning Disability Specialist? If so, who is and
how would you contact this person? Be specific.
21
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Does your campus have a computer lab that trains students with disabilities
in the use of assistive technologies? If so, where is it and who's in charge of
it? Be specific.
Faculty Development
•
Are there faculty training opportunities for disability-related issues, or accessibility
training workshops, etc.?
Library
•
Consider your library. What resources are available to you as an instructor
for creating accessible instructional material?
•
What resources does your library have and which are accessible for students
with various disabilities? For example, book holdings, electronic databases,
periodicals, and references, etc.
Legal Issues
Federal Laws
Federal Laws Requiring Access:
•
Americans with Disabilities Act: Title 2
•
Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Sections 504 & 508
•
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act is federal legislation that requires private and
public entities to provide accessible accommodations to facilities, programs, and
services, for individuals with disabilities.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 is federal legislation prohibiting
discrimination based on disability. The legislation applies to all federal agencies,
agencies receiving Federal assistance, Federal employment, and contractors
working for the Federal Government. You can find more information about Section
504 by visiting http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction:=Content&lD:=15.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 is federal legislation requiring that
electronic information and information technology be accessible to individuals with
disabilities. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure,
maintain, or use electronic information and technology. There is more information
about Section 508 at http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm.
22
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
California State Laws
•
State Laws Requiring Access:
•
California Government Code 11135
•
Section 67302 of the California Education Code
California Government Code 11135
California Government Code 11135 brings to California state law the protections
and standards of access found in Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act,
and Section 508 ofthe Rehabilitation Act. Read the legislation at http://www.spb.
ca.gov/civilrights/documents/CALIFORNIA CODES II.pdf.
Section 67302 of the California Education Code
Section 67302 of the California Education Code requires publishers of postsecondary instructional materials to make available an electronic version of the
materials for students with print-related disabilities. Certain provisions apply, such
as the requirement for the student to legally own a copy of the book, and to have a
verified print-related disability. You can read the legislation at http://www.leginfo.
ca. gov/cgi-bin!displaycode?section=edc&group=67001-68000&file=67300-67302.
•
Table of Comparisons between State and Federal Access Laws
State or
Fed
•
Law
Application
Mandates
Federal
Law
Section
504 of
Rehab
Act
Anyone
receiving federal
funds
Opportunity for disabled
students to participate must be
as effective as that provided to
others
Federal
Law
Section
508 of
Rehab
Act
Federal entities
Provide access to electronic
and information technology
Federal
Law
ADA
Title II
Public entities
Equal information access,
including print and computerbased information
State
Law
Section
11135
(SB 105
& 302)
California state
entities
Applies Section 508 standards
and Title II guidelines to state
23
Creating Accessible Online Courses
State
Law
Section
67302
(AB 422)
Postsecondary
textbook
publishers
Must provide print-disabled
students with e-text of
purchased textbooks
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Legal Opinions
•
There are many legal opinions from the Chancellons Office, but the following four
opinions represent significant developments that affect online distance education
design and delivery:
•
Legal Opinion E 00-33
•
Legal Opinion M 01-17
•
Legal Opinion M22-02
•
Legal Opinion M 03-09
Legal Opinion E 00-33 regards AB 422, which added section 67302 to the
California State Legal Code, requiring the publishers of post-secondary
instructional materials to provide electronic versions to students with verified print
disabilities. Read the legal opinion at: http://www.galvin-group.comJdspsresources/
assets/Legal Opinion 00 33.pdf.
Legal Opinion M 01-17 specifies that Section 508 ofthe Rehabilitation Act of 1973
as Amended in 1998 applies to the California Community College Technology and
Telecommunications Infrastructure Program (TTIP) funding. Read the legal opinion
at: http://www. cecco. edu/Portals/4/Legallopinions/attachments/03 -09.pdf
•
Legal Opinion M22-02 details the responsibilities of community colleges to ensure
that students with disabilities are provided equal, effective and legally-required
access to audiovisual materials in video format. Read the legal opinion at: http://
www.htctu.net/divisions/altmedialcaptioning/cc/LO M 02-22.pdf
Legal Opinion M 03-09 explains the requirements added to California State
Government Code section 11135 by SB105. These requirements extend the
obligations of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as Amended in 1998
to all California State\ entities. Read the legal opinion at: http://www.cccco.edu/
SystemOffice/DivisionslLegaliLegalOpinions/tabid/293/Default.aspx
Summary of Laws
California community colleges, along with all public institutions of higher
education, are required to provide access to classes and materials for students who
have disabilities. A number of federal and state laws apply, but we are going to
focus on two: Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Section 504 applies to any college campus that has received federal funding. If you
take the money, the requirements of Section 504 trail along with it.
24
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Section 508 applies to the California community colleges and the California State
Universities because of California state law (SB 105 and SB 302, codified into
California State Law as part of the Education Code Section 11135).
Section 504 requires that the specific needs of individuals with disabilities be
accommodated so that those individuals can learn as effectively as their nondisabled
peers. These accommodations are driven by student requests. The disability service
offices on your campuses are set up specifically to deal with accommodations under
Section 504.
(Please note that accommodation laws also apply to campus employees, and your
campus human resources department will handle these. The campus disability
services office is specifically for student needs.)
Section 508, on the other hand, requires that the campus buys (in the case of
hardware/software) or creates (in the case of Web pages and distance ed courses)
provide access to all electronic and information technology (E&IT-Web
pages, computers, course management systems, hardware, software, etc.) for
all individuals with disabilities-students, staff, and even the general public.
Complying with Section 508 is a general campus responsibility and is not driven
by individual request, rather the E&IT on campus is expected to be as accessible as
possible right from the start.
•
Section 504 deals with specific accommodations for specific persons; Section 508
deals with general access for all persons.
Under Section 504, the individual makes a request and the campus honors it. Under
Section 508, the idea is to have the access already in place whenever someone who
needs it shows up--even if you did not know the person was coming.
Section 508 is designed to provide general access. When something is not fully
accessible, however, then the individual makes a request under Section 504. So the
two laws work together, with Section 504 taking over whenever full access has not
been provided under Section 508.
Section 508
Section 504
•
Accommodation
Access
Based on request
No prior request needed
Helps individual student/employee
As accessible as possible to all
Handled by specific departments
on campus
General campus responsibility
(everyone !)
Doing what it takes to make it
work
Finding the most workable solution from
the beginning
25
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Begins where Section 508 leaves
off
Leaves off where Section 504 begins
Section 504, Section 508, and Distance Education
•
Under Section 508, distance education courses need to be designed in an accessible
way from the very beginning. Section 508 is very clear on the requirements for Web
accessibility, giving very specific standards, which include examples. An extensive
look at the Section 508 standards is beyond the scope of this course, however,
the point of all the standards is to ensure that materials delivered on the Web are
accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The key points to keep in
mind are summarized below.
Usable Web Accessibility
•
Use Headings
•
Describe content-based images
•
Name hyperlinks descriptively (examples below illustrate good usability
practices for labeling links).
Well-labeled, clear directions: Click Here for the Course Outline
Unclear directions: Click Here
•
Include symbols with color to *emphasize differences*
•
Navigate the Web page using the keyboard
•
Solutions for MS Word
•
Use the styles and formatting options to specify headings
•
Avoid using tables or text boxes to control layout and positioning of Word
documents
•
Include text descriptions when adding content-rich images
•
Specify column headers for data tables
Solutions for MS PowerPoint
•
Use the PowerPoint templates
•
Add your text descriptions to images
•
Avoid using the Save as Web page option as the only delivery method, can
save as PDF using Microsoft Save as PDF plug-in OR Adobe Acrobat
•
26
If recording PowerPoint as a video, need to develop a captioned version
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Solutions for Adobe PDF Documents
•
•
Start with the creation of accessible MS Word/PowerPoint documents
•
Styles applied in MS Word can automatically create PDF Bookmarks
•
Use the "Adobe PDF" option from the menu bar ofMS Word
•
Need to be using MS Word 2000 or later AND Adobe Acrobat 5,6,7,8, or 9
•
Another option is the Microsoft Save as PDF plug-in in Office 2007
Key Issue - Proper Document Workflow
Production Plans and Workflows for Success
Given the many different types of media available to work with, and the many
possibilities to engage the learner with multiple modes of communication, it
becomes important to have a master plan when reviewing a given course for
accessibility. If you are not a teacher, you will need to work closely with the teacher
who will be delivering the materials to make an effective production plan.
Creating your Accessibility Production Plan
•
In order to successfully manage the process of producing accessible materials for
online teaching, it is essential to have a plan. A production plan can help you stay
on track as well as help you coordinate your efforts with other staff and faculty in
the design and delivery of your online instruction.
An Accessibility Production Plan forces you to consider and assess all accessibilityrelated components in your online course production plan. This valuable exercise
accomplishes the following goals:
1. Provides structure to your curriculum planning & course design.
The plan forces you to get organized! It helps align your course objectives with
course design, instructional strategies, evaluation, and content delivery.
2. Reviews institutional resources available.
The plan ensures that you take into account associated production resources,
budget, personnel, infrastructure, special materials, etc.
3. Evaluates inventory of media elements.
•
The plan identifies all media elements required each week, and then breaks them
down by file type: HTML, audio, video, etc. This process helps you track seemingly
accessible pieces of media (such as Word documents, PowerPoint, or PDFs), that
are easy to miss and often overlooked.
27
Creating Accessible Online Courses
4. Projected timeline for completion.
The plan serves as a handy reference with alternate media production delivery
schedules, turnaround time for captioned video requests, and other deliverables.
Your objective is to create a production plan for a course to be delivered online. The
final document from this exercise, in the format of your choice (Word, Excel, PDF,
html, etc.), will grow over the coming weeks, but for this week you should have a
rough weekly breakdown of your course.
•
Review examples of production plans provided in the next chapter. Feel free
to explore and customize plans to your specific needs, but at a minimum, your
production plan should include the following information:
1. Weekly breakdown of course content and lesson plans (include learning
objectives, learning activities, assessments), etc.
2. Inventory of media objects list file type: html, audio, video, PDF, etc.
3. Accessibility status of media objects: accessible/inaccessible; specifics of
alt. media or conversion plans are required.
4. A production timeline that includes projected and actual completion dates of
accessible media assets.
•
5. Related comments/notes.
•
28
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Course Production Plan Examples
Following are two different production plans showing different approaches to
managing the different media assets and the requisite accessibility work that needs
to be performed.
Weekly Breakdown in Table Format
Here is an example of a production plan, based on a weekly organization structure:
Course Title: English Literature: The Romantics
Target Delivery Date: Spring semester
Week 1: Introduction to Course
Learning
Objective
•
Knowledge
of Course
Objectives
Week I: Introduction to Course
Content
Student
Assignment Given
Presentation
Questions for
discussion
forum.
Download and read
Syllabus
Syllabus
Quiz over
Syllabus
content
Contact
information
under instructor
profile in LMS
Syllabus
Locate contact info
and use it to send an
introductory email to
instructor.
Questions
posted to
discussion
forum.
Online quiz
inLMS
Receipt
of
Introductory
Presentation
Course
orientation
Login to LMS PowerPoint
Direct email
with instructions
Login to LMS
Login
during class
seSSIOn
Student
presence
III
LMS at
expected
time
•
29
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Navigate
LMS
Course
orientation
PowerPoint
LMS Course
Shell
Norton
Anthology
of English
Literature, Vol
2; "Introduction
to the Romantic
Age", pgs 34-42.
Norton
Anthology
of English
Literature, Vol
2; "The Lyrical
Ballads", pgs
129-196.
Locate online
syllabus, course
objectives, weekly
assignments,
discussion forums,
and electronic
resources. Answer
five questions in
discussion forum
about the course
structure in the
LMS.
Post to
discussion
forum about
experience,
and answers
to the five
questions.
Read selection in
text, write an essay
of at least 1000
words explaining the
Romantic Age and
why Wordsworth's
Prelude was
significant. Explain
how "The Prelude"
was received in it's
time and throughout
Wordsworth's life.
Electronic
report,
properly
formatted in
MLAStyle.
Discussion
posted in
Forum.
Answers
to five
questions
posted in
Forum.
•
Grading
rubric
•
Week 1 Digital Medial Inventory:
Syllabus (Word) - Mark Headings and format for structure
Introductory Presentation - Needs captioning
Course orientation PowerPoint -Check slide layout, alt tags. Convert to movie and caption.
LMS Course Shell (Blackboard) - Accessible
Complete: August 1
Week 2: The Lake Poets
Week 2: The Lake Poets
Learning
Objective
30
Content
Assignment Given
Student
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Watch PowerPoint
•
Read selection in text
Knowledge
of William
Wordsworth's
life
Social
attitudes of
Wordsworth's
time
•
Consider the major
PowerPoint of
Wordsworth Bio events and turning
points of Wordsworth's
life and compare/
Norton
Anthology
contrast with his ideas
of English
of how a poets' life
should be. Compose
Literature,
1000 words presenting
Vol 2; "The
Prelude", pgs
your ideas.
205-284.
Post summary of report
to discussion forum,
and respond to three
other posts.
PowerPoint
of Social
Trends
Watch PowerPoint,
respond to online
survey.
Watch PowerPoint
PowerPoint of
Coleridge Bio
Knowledge of
Samuel Taylor
Coleridge's
life.
Understanding of
the impact of Kant
on the Lake Poets
Read selection in text
Consider the major
events and turning
Norton
points
of Coleridge's
Anthology
life and compare/
of English
Literature, Vol 2; contrast with
"Samuel Taylor Wordsworth's ideas of
Coleridge", pgs how a poets' life should
be. Compose 1000
323-377.
words presenting your
ideas.
PowerPoint
of Gennan
Philosophical
Revolution
Watch PowerPoint
Respond to "Kant
Quiz" in LMS
Electronic
report, properly
fonnatted in
MLA Style.
Discussion
forum entry,
summarizing
report. Respond
to the posts of
at least three
other students.
Complete
online
Wordsworth
survey.
Grading
rubric
Respond
to survey
logged
in LMS.
Electronic
report, properly
formatted in
MLAStyle.
Discussion
forum entry,
summarizing
your report.
Respond to
the posts of at
least three other
students.
Responses
to "Kant
Quiz" in
LMS
Grading
rubric
Quiz
module
will tally
and log
final
score.
•
31
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Recognition of
the influence
of the French
Revolution and
the Industrial
Revolution on
the Romantic
Age, and the
Lake Poets
Specifically
Watch PowerPoint
PowerPoint
of
Post summary of report
to discussion forum,
and respond to three
other posts.
Discussion
forum entry,
Grading
Rubric
•
Week 2 Digital Media Inventory:
PowerPoint of Wordsworth Bio -Accessible
PowerPoint of Social Trends - Accessible
PowerPoint of Coleridge Bio - Accessible
PowerPoint of German Philosophical Revolution - -Check layout and alt tags. Convert to movie and
caption
PowerPoint of Revolutionary influences on Romantic Age - Check layout and alt tags. Convert to
movie and caption
Online Wordsworth Survey(CMS) - Accessible
"Kant Quiz" in LMS - Needs headings, check for extended time settings.
Complete: September 1
•
•
32
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Another example of a Course Production Plan
•
Course Title: Introduction to Website Design
Target Delivery Date: Fall semester
Course
Content
Presentation
Syllabus/
Review
course
Grading
objectives Rubric
•
Explore
course
and
module
elements
Video tour
ofLMS
Student
•
Read
Syllabus!
Due
dates for
weekly
Course Shell
(Accessible)
• PDF only
Post
Posts
Read
Post
short
report
on
• .Swf
file
tour
of
Type!
Accessibility
status of media
objects
Set up a
local site
.swffile!
(Accessible)
•
.swf file! (Accessible)
•
YouTube
video
(Add
captions)
• PowerPoint
Create
a
home
page
Home
Page with
specified
elements
(Inaccessible:
needs
transcript for
added audio)
• PowerPoints
•
on Layout
& design
principles:
(Accessible)
33
Creating Accessible Online Courses
<,
'>'.'
,
'<
.: i
'.
': ,.
. >.
'<::;Wd~k2:Jmages
Content
Presentation
Course
~: :
Student
Read
pages
25-28
Video
demo
Type!
Accessibility
status of media
objects
Add
two
images
to your
Images
.swffile!
(Accessible)
Resize
optimized
(use
samples
Images
provided)
Video
demo
•
QuickTime file!
(Accessible, cap
tons added)
AddAlt
tags
Read
pages
29-32
Use
Flash
video
Work on
exercises
on pages
29-32
Work
on
Video
demo
PDFSample
contract
forms
(Create
','~\)'~>".
,\..t','>,'
',~t".~:
:·;i
".'
';.:
'Week'<3;'JAccessible'Jvesign<;ik
f>~/"~
~
'~,;
l'\~,'
,~{>\~.<
"
34
, : ,,"
,
.
. .(
.;.
Develop
a model
contract
form
(Use
sample
provided
as
•
Add
flash
files to
your
•
HandoutsMedia
fonnats
-Inaccessible:
convert to
html
QuickTime file!
(Accessible,
captions added)
PowerPoint on
Copyright Laws(Accessible)
Add
Post
short
report
on
.swffile!
(Accessible)
Post
•
PDF(imageInaccessible:
create accessible
PDF and html
files)
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
,
Add
email
&
Video
demo
Read
and
Links
on
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
Link
Video
demo
Read
and
Link
Images
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
Create
Image
maps
Video
demo
Read
and
Image
maps
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
,
("'I.',
, 'i'
•
.
We~k6:;Styl,~,Sh~~t~?; ",,'
Course
I':
,
Content
Presentation
PowerPoint
onCSS
Student
Read
and
Video demo
Use
Video
demo
Create
Tagbased,
PowerPoint
Read
and
Read
and
Read
and
Short
report
on
Posts
Post
examples
of Tagbased,
compound-
,;.
.,
,":"
'
Type/
Accessibility
status of media
objects
PowerPoint
(Inaccessible.
Caption images)
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
PowerPoint
(Accessible)
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
•
PowerPoint
(Accessible)
'(y.",n\t'
:¥~~!~]:)nteractivity
Course
Add
Add Jump
menu
Create
fonus
36
:':,;
,~'
Content
Presentation
Video
demo
Video
demo
Video
demo
.,. ,.
Student
Read
and
Read
and
Read
and
Update
website
Create
Type/
Accessibility
status of media
objects
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
QuickTime file/
(Accessible)
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Course
Content
Presentation
Student
Create
Video
demo
Read
and
Add
search
terms
Video
demo
Read
and
Set up
Video
demo
Read
and
Video
demo
Read
and
Upload
Peer
Final
Project
Type/Accessibility
status of media
objects
QuickTime file/
(Inaccessible,
needs captions)
QuickTime file/
(Inaccessible,
needs captions)
QuickTime file/
(Inaccessible,
needs captions)
QuickTime file/
(Inaccessible ,
needs captions)
Final Remarks/Comments
•
•
37
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
•
38
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Basic Accessibility Skills & Formatting
Documents
Best Practices for Creating Accessible Documents
Whenever you are creating any document, remember these three tips:
1. Use styles
2. Format with the appropriate tools This includes marking header rows in
tables; using columns, rather than tabs; and building spacing into styles,
rather than using the enter key.
3. Provide text descriptions of graphics (alt text)
Introduction to Formatting Text for Access and Usability
A number of disabilities can make it difficult for students to access standard
hard-copy print documents. Access issues may include the following:
•
•
Physical disability resulting in an inability to hold a book or turn the pages.
•
Visual disability resulting in an inability to see the printed page.
•
Learning disability (dyslexia or visual-processing disability) resulting in
difficulty decoding or understanding the print characters.
When the student has an electronic text (e-text) document, many of these issues
can be remediated using assistive computer teclmology.
•
Pages can be turned using a mouse, head-mouse, or even voice-activated
technology.
•
Text can be enlarged; colors can be changed.
•
Braille can be created.
The key to using all of this technology is e-text that has been designed with
access in mind.
Designing for Access
You can read extensively about graphic design and layout. Our focus is a bit
different. We will consider access and readability. You can notice for yourself the
difference between materials that simply look nice and materials that are easy to use
and understand.
•
A wonderful example of design that is very inaccessible is text placed over a picture
that has darker and lighter areas. The text essentially disappears in the areas that are
too close to the shade of the text.
39
Creating Accessible Online Courses
When you read magazines, newspapers, books, articles, or Web pages, notice
your reading experience. Notice that some materials are easier to read and the
information is easier to assimilate. Notice that some materials feel emotionally
daunting to read. Other materials give a feeling of being pleasant and inviting.
Noticing what works for you is a good start in developing a feel for what it means
to make materials accessible and readable.
•
Page Layout
Text is easier to read and comprehend in smaller blocks. Newspapers and magazines
are printed with narrow columns because it is easier for the human eye to scan a
narrow column.
At the HTCTU, we were privy to undocumented research conducted by a local
computer company. This company found that the amount of information that could
be gleaned from reading something on the computer was far less than could be
understood when reading the exact same information on paper. This research was
never published as it was not exactly what the company was hoping to prove!
There is limited evidence (see the work of Michael Trimmer) that when engaged
in similar tasks on the computer and on paper, there is greater cognitive load
associated
with the computerized tasks.
,
Psychology has known since the' 50s that short-term memory only holds a small
amount of information at a time. It is easiest to process new information in
manageable "chunks."
The necessity of presenting information in a manageable way is amplified
exponentially for students who have visual processing issues---either low vision
conditions or various learning disabilities.
•
What all this means for page layout is that presentation of the material influences
how learners process information. Presenting material in short, logical sections will
allow the student to process the material more easily.
You can use a number of tricks to make your content more easily read and
understood:
•
"White space" (empty areas without text or graphics, wide margins, short
widely spaced paragraphs) makes the content feel "smaller" and more
manageable.
•
Frequent headings break up and organize the text, as well as providing a
sense of accomplishment.
•
Bulleting individual points helps to make content feel organized and easy to
assimilate.
Creating an open, inviting document layout can make a huge difference in the
ability of students who have visual or learning disabilities to access and learn the
40
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
infonnation.
•
Styles
Another aspect of document access is creating one document that can easily be
transformed into other document types. It is possible, for instance, to create a
document in MS Word that can be taken into large print, braille, HTML, or PDF.
The basis for the ~exibility in transformation, i~w\Jsillg s" les cluri!1~ document
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creation,
A style is set of characteristics applied to a paragraph (paragraph level styles) or
character (attribute level styles),
The characteristics built into styles include font style, point size, color, spacing,
etc. All of these attributes have implications for access, and we will consider each
below.
Fonts
We think ofletters on the computer as, well, letters! In reality, the letters that we use
•
41
Creating Accessible Online Courses
on the computer or that are used in printed books are carefully drawn images of letters, called fonts. A font is the typeface (shape and style) of a character.
Designers use different fonts to give different feels to text. Fonts are important in
document access because different fonts have different readability.
•
There are two basic types of fonts: serif fonts and sans serif fonts.
Serif fonts have little "fiddly bits" at the ends of the strokes. Examples of serif fonts
include Times New Roman, Palatino, Garamond, and New Century Schoolbook.
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj
KkLl :rvtm Nn 00 Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt
Un Vv Ww XxYy Z~
Serif Font: Times New Roman
Sans (which means "without") serif fonts do not have these decorative elements.
Sans serif fonts look very smooth. Examples of sans serif fonts include Arial,
Helvetica, Calibri, and Tahoma.
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee FfGg Hh Ii Jj
Kk LI Mm Nn 00 Pp Qq Rr 55 Tt
Uu Vv Ww XxYy Zz
•
Sans Serif Font: Arial
In standard print materials (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.); serif fonts are used
as "body text," the main reading text, because they make reading faster and easier.
Times New Roman, a classic serif font, was originally designed for use in The
Times newspaper.
Sans serif fonts are used in hard-copy materials for headings, large type, and very
small type.
The font style is important in a document because it affects readability. Electronic
documents are displayed on computer screens or small portable devices. Those
same serif fonts that are so readable on paper suddenly become fuzzy blobs
onscreen. For individuals who have vision issues, this "fuzziness" can present an
added challenge. In recognition of this issue, American Printing House for the Blind
42
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
has designed a font (called APHont, pronounced Ay' -font) specifically designed for
individuals who
.si n.
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii ]j
Kk LI Mm Nn 00 Pp Qq Rr 5s Tt
UU. Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Sans Serif J1lQ~~J!ljl9lll-t-----------_..J
(See http://www.aph.org/products/aphont.html for a free download ofAPHont)
APHont has some unique features that increase its readability for individuals with
visual difficulties, including more even spacing, letters that are wider and more
open, and larger punctuation marks.
Choosing Fonts
Typographers and designers spend a great deal of time choosing j list the right
font to give their projects the desired look and feel. In general, designers will
use two or three fonts: one font for the body text and another for the headlines
and small print. Sometimes the headlines and small print use the same font and
sometimes not. Traditionally serif fonts are used for the main body of the work
(the body text), and sans serif fonts are used for headlines and small print.
•
•
When designing for the Web, clarity and readability become paramount
considerations. Whereas on paper, a serif font produces the most easily read and
understood text, those same serifs create fuzzy distortions on the computer screen.
When do you use which font? The table below summarizes when to choose a serif
font or a sans serif font.
Body text
(the main reading
text)
Headlines
(large, bold, used to
organize and format
text)
Small print
(used for captions,
footnotes, endnotes,
etc.)
Print on
paper
(standard
vision)
Print on
paper
(low vision/
LD)
Print on
computer
or projection
screen
Serif
Sans Serif
Sans Serif
Usually Sans
Serif
Sans Serif
Serif or Sans
Serif
Sans Serif
Sans Serif
Sans Serif
Font Size
Another aspect of fonts is the font size, which is measured in points. The point
43
Creating Accessible Online Courses
size of a font is literally the distance between the highest ascender and the lowest
descender in a typeface. Point size measures only height, not width.
Fonts are measured in points, and in order to have a consistent measuring
system, graphic designers work in points and picas, rather than inches, . So what
is a point?
•
There are 72 points in an inch.
•
There are 12 points in a pica.
•
There are 6 picas in an inch.
•
A standard 8.5 inch by 11 inch page is 51 picas by 66 picas.
•
The letter "p" stands for picas and measurements are written as a number
of picas followed by the number of points. Half a pica (which is 6 points)
would be written as Op6.
Large print is generally defined at somewhere around 14-18 point. It is not
uncommon for students to request even larger font. There is a limit, however, to
how large it is reasonable to make text on paper. The HTCTU generally does not
recommend creating hard copy large print any larger than around 32 point. One
advantage of an accessible document is that the student can use the computer to
12 point font
14 point font
•
•
18 point font
24 point font
36 point font
48 point font
make the text as large as she or he might want!
Color
There are a number of very important considerations when it comes to color.
44
•
Contrast
•
Color blindness
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
Color processing issues
When you are creating a document, always be very aware of contrast. It is generally
best for readability not to overlay text on top of a busy graphic. Similarly, it you are
going to use a colored background, make sure that the text contrasts strongly with
the background. Never use light text on a light background (for instance yellow text
on white) or dark text on a dark background (for instance black text on dark blue).
Also remember that a significant portion of the population has some degree of
colorblindness (most often red/green). If you are using green text for correct
answers and red text for incorrect answers, some of your students may be
completely lost. It is fine to use color as a reinforcement, as long as color is not
the only indicator. You could, for instance, have the word "correct" in green and
"incorrect" in red.
It is quite common for students with vision issues, including visual processing
issues, to be affected in some way by color. The nice thing about a fully accessible
document is that the programs that students use to read the documents can alter the
color as necessary.
Implications for Students
•
It is probably fairly clear why using a sans serif font and larger point size will make
text more readable for someone who has low vision. \\That may be less clear is that
similar adjustments can have a profound affect on the readability of text for students
who have learning disabilities.
In our trainings, we teach instructors to encourage their students with learning
disabilities to experiment with the following adjustments:
•
Use a sans serif font;
•
Increase the point size;
•
Increase the spacing between letters (expanding the character spacing);
•
Increase the spacing between lines (called leading); and
•
Play with different font and background colors.
For some students these changes make little difference; however, many students
find that such adjustments can have a huge effect. Providing the student with an
accessible document allows them to have the empowering experience of taking
control of their reading environment.
Using Styles
•
When a style is applied to a paragraph in MS Word, other programs, such as the
Duxbury Braille Translation (DBT) software, HTML, and PDF, will recognize that
style and create the appropriate format. In addition, it is possible to create templates
that use those same style names and apply different font and paragraph attributes
45
Creating Accessible Online Courses
that are exactly what a particular student needs. Styles are a very powerful tool in
your accessibility arsenal.
Certain basic styles work well in Word, DBT, HTML, and PDF. These styles
include the following:
•
Normal, body text
•
Heading 1-3
•
List, list bullet, list number
•
Index 1-9
•
Creating Accessible Electronic Documents
Creating accessible electronic documents is a process - depending on the established
workflow, this process can be simple and part of the design blueprint or necessitate
complex steps towards retrofitting materials for full access.
Electronic documents that are accessible provide the information to the individual
in a manner and method suitable to the needs of the individual and independent
of technological requirements necessary to interact with the page content. For
example, a Web page that requires the use of the mouse to interact with content
would be an example of a specific technological requirement and would pose
limitations to individuals unable to use a mouse on a Web page.
Accessibility Principles for Electronic
Documents
•
Headings
Headings within a document (e.g., Web page, PDF, Word document, etc.) can be
used to separate content into "chunks" by identifying the main ideas or concepts of
(
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•
46
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
the page. Similar to chapters in a book, headings identify a change in the flow of
information on the page and allow individuals to visually scan the document for the
desired information.
From an accessibility perspective, headings are valuable as they provide individuals
using screen-readers with a simple method to navigate within the document. In a
recent study investigating the browsing habits of screen-readers users, over 75% of
individuals claimed to use headings (when available) always or often to navigate
Web pages (http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey/#headings). Rather than
navigating line-by-line through a document or Web page, the use of headings allows
individuals to move through the information based on heading topic.
Newer Web browsers are also incorporating such functionality for all users by
incorporating key strokes that automatically scroll the Web page to the next or
previous heading on the page (as opposed to having to scroll up and down to search
for the next heading level). Headings also provide a different method for individuals
to "skip" navigational menus and move the focus directly to the desired content.
Web designers can also use cascading style sheets (eSS) to differentiate the
presentational aspect of each heading on a Web page without removing the meaning
of the heading element to assistive computer technology. The application of CSS to
headings should not affect the ability of most assistive computer technologies from
interacting with the Web content.
•
More information about headings and semantic structure is available at:
•
Semantic Structure and Headings (WebAIM - http://webaim.org/techniques/
semanticstructure/)
•
Screen-Reader Survey (WebAIM - http://webaim.org/projects/
screenreadersurvey/#headings)
Images and Descriptions
An important component of developing accessible electronic documents is to add
a text description to images. This allows individuals who are visually-impaired
or blind using screen-reader software to "hear" the description of the image.
Additionally, for individuals who are using a text-only Web browser or other mobile
device, the text description still provides access to the information when the images
are not displayed.
Adding the alt-attribute is required under the WCAG 2.0, Level A and the Section
508 Standards.
•
Assistive computer technology relies on the "alternate text" attribute of an image to
communicate the meaning/purpose of the image. This alternative text in provided
by the author. Depending on the type of image you insert into your document, you
will need to specify the type of alternate text appropriate for the image.
When providing alternative text for images try the following:
47
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Keep the alternative text brief, but be descriptive
•
If there is text content in the image, include that information in the alternate
text box
•
Do not use the word "image" to begin your description - instead identify
the type of image being used if it is relevant to the image content (e.g.,
photograph, painting, screenshot, etc.)
•
If the image is very detailed and cannot be summarized in a few sentences,
consider placing additional information about the image into the page text
preceding or following the image
•
More information about alternative text is available at:
•
Writing Alternate Text (http://jimthatcher.com!webcourse2.htm)
•
Creating Accessible Images (http://www.webaim.org/techniques/imagesD
Naming Hyperlinks
The ability to create and present "links" to other documents and information is
a major component of Web pages. While this is one of the simplest methods to
direct individuals to other Web pages, documents, or to perform specific functions,
hyperlinks can also have potential accessibility challenges. The issue is not how
hyperlinks function, but rather the "name" that is used to identify the specific
hyperlink itself.
•
send them to HTCTU staff
View the Memorial Service tor Carl Brown (Quicktime MOV)
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•
48
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
One feature of assistive technology is the ability to collect all the hyperlinks on a
Web page and present this information to the individual. This allows the user to
listen as to what hyperlinks are available on the page and navigate directly to the
desired hyperlink in question (as opposed to searching line-by-line).
When hyperlinks have a descriptive name that identifies the purpose of the link, it
is fairly easy for an individual to navigate the Web page and choose the appropriate
hyperlink. However, hyperlinks may be named in such a manner that either the
purpose or destination of the link is unclear. For example, often times a news
headline or teaser to a full news article will have the hyperlink text "Read More" for
the rest of the Web page. An individual using assistive technology will be informed
that there is a hyperlink called "Read More". On the Web page, we can visually
infer that the "Read More" hyperlink will provide more information about the news
headline, but for someone who is unable to see the page itself, the text "Read More"
does not provided context as to the name of the news headline. The problem is
magnified when there are multiple "Read More" hyperlinks on a page that takes the
person to different Web pages.
Best Practices for Hyperlinks
•
•
Generally speaking, it is beneficial to identify the purpose or function of the
hyperlink as part of the hyperlink name. This often raises questions as to "how
much is enough" and "how long is too long" regarding the name of the link itself.
While there are no established answers, the name should be descriptive enough
such that the user can understand (or infer) what information will be obtained by
choosing that specific link.
For hyperlinks that take a user to different file types (e.g., QuickTime movie, PDF,
Word document, etc.), it can be helpful to include the file type in the name of the
hyperlink itself. This can be as simple as appending the file type to the end of the
hyperlink name. For non-HTML based documents, you could also include the
approximate file size. This is not specifically an accessibility issue, but allows the
user to determine how large the file will be and whether or not the connection speed
will support such a file size. Here are some examples of including the name and file
information in a hyperlink:
•
Adobe Acrobat Datasheet [PDF. SOaK]
•
Course Syllabus [PDF]
•
Letter of Introduction [MS Word]
•
My Summer Vacation [QT Movie]
Additional Readings for Hyperlinks
•
Links and HyperText (http://webaim.org/techniques/hypertext!)
•
Hyperlink Titles (http://www.arizona.edu/uaweb/accessible/accessible-titles.
lllilU
49
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
HTML Best Practices: Links (http://html.cita.illinois.edulnav/link/)
Creating an Accessible Document in MS Word
The HTCTU offers a free day-long course in creating accessible Word documents
(Formatting with Microsoft Word). We present a brief synopsis here, and for more
detailed information, please sign up for the full course.
•
Documents created in MS Word are inherently quite accessible, and there are some
tricks that you can use to ensure that the documents you create will not only be
accessible in Word but also be accessible when transformed into other formats (Web
pages, PDF documents, braille documents).
The basic tips to keep in mind include the following:
•
Use styles
•
Use tabs, not spaces to move words
•
Use the column format, not tabs to create a columnar effect
•
Do not add additional spaces around punctuation
Selecting Text
Text can be selected in quite a few ways other than swiping with the mouse.
•
Double click on individual words to select them.
•
Triple click on a paragraph to select it.
•
Use the right- or left-arrow keys while holding the shift key to select
individual characters.
•
Use the up- or down-arrow keys while holding the shift key to select lines.
•
Hold the shift key and tap horne or end to select a line from the cursor point
to the beginning (horne) or to the end (end).
•
Use shift page up or page down to select from the cursor point up or down a
page.
•
Use the "shift-click" technique to select text between two points.
•
To select all the text in the document, use Ctrl + A.
•
Applying Styles in Word
To apply a paragraph style, you simply need to have the flashing cursor (the I-beam)
in the paragraph that you want to format and choose the appropriate style. You do
not need to select the entire paragraph, and in fact, it is better not to do so. Simply
click the mouse once in the paragraph you want to format.
50
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Word 2007: Pick from the styles list on the Home tab of the Ribbon. Use the Styles
dialogue box on the Quick Access Toolbar. Open the Styles and Formatting Pane:
Alt + 0 + S; or open the Apply Styles task pane: Ctrl + Shift + S.
Word 2003: Pick from the formatting list----either from the Style menu on the
Formatting toolbar or from the list on the Styles and Formatting pane.
Keyboard Shortcuts
If you are creating a lot of documents in Word, you can save a great deal of time
and energy by learning to use keyboard shortcuts. The following styles have built-in
keyboard shortcuts:
•
•
Heading One = Ctrl + Alt + 1
•
Heading Two = Ctrl + Alt + 2
•
Heading Three
•
Remove manual formatting
•
Normal style = Ctrl + Shift + N
•
Change case = Shift + F3
= Ctrl + Alt + 3
= Ctrl + Spacebar
Headings
Headings are probably the most important style to use in MS Word, as it provides
the essential descriptive element for organizing and processing the information.
Using MS Word, it is possible to impose some structure to the document in order to
separate the heading information from the various paragraphs. These headings can
be retained if later converting to a Web page or a PDF document.
1. Move the cursor to the text information you wish to identify as a heading.
2. Under the Home menu, choose the appropriate heading style from the Style
menu.
Geology 2.3 - Volcanoes
•
Types of La:va
Pillow Lava
51
Creating Accessible Online Courses
3. If the heading level you need does not appear, click on the small arrow in
the lower right comer of the Style ribbon.
The text formatting may change from the normal or default style. The presentation
ofthe text size, color, and font style can be manipulated by opening the Styles
•
'tl~ar Fotmattingof I Instance(s)
,Qelete Heading 2,,,
Removet'ro.m QUickSti/h!,Galiery
palette (click on the small arrow in the lower right comer of the Style ribbon). Click
on the heading you wish to change and select "Modify". This will allow you to
modify the presentation of that heading.
•
Columns
•
52
Creating Accessible Online Courses
column setting. Do not, under any circumstances, use tabs or spaces to get columns.
•
Word 2007: Go under Page Layout and look on the Page Setup group.
Word 2003: Go under the menu to Format> Columns and choose the number of
columns you wish.
Columns look better if the text is justified, a setting that you can select for the
alignment of the paragraph.
Adding AU Tags
Microsoft Word 2007 (Windows platform) allows document authors to include text
descriptions for images. For questions about how to properly describe an image or
how much information to include, please remember to keep your descriptions brief
and relevant to the central point. This method should be used for image content
that is relatively simple and does not require extensive description of the image. If
a longer description of the image is necessary to fully explain its content, consider
inserting a more detailed description of the image within the document text that
precedes and follows the image.
1. Open the document in Microsoft Word 2007.
•
~ternative
text:
._---
diSPla~
'web browhers
alternative telttwhile pictur·es are loading
or if they are !TIissing ..Web seaf'ch engines use "alternidive textto
help find Webpages. Alternati\ie Text is also used toaSsistJ.I$ers
with disabilities",'
2. Select the image and perform a right-mouse button click. Choose the "Size"
option.
3. Under the "Alt Text" tab, enter a short text description of the image. Include
information about the content and/or function of the image.
•
Word 2007: The location of the alt text varies depending on how the picture was put
into the document.
53
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Pictures that were inserted into the document
•
Right click on the picture to open its context menu.
•
Click "Size."
•
You'll see an option for alternate text that you can fill in.
•
Pictures that were pasted into the document
•
Right click on the picture to open it's context menu.
•
You'll see a tab for alternate text.
Word 2003
•
Right click on the picture to open it's context menu.
•
Click "format picture."
•
Click the Web Tab.
•
Fill in the box for alternate text.
Instant Large Print
Now that you have an accessible Word document, there is one more trick to learn.
It is very easy to change the font size in Word:
1. Select all the text in the document (Ctrl + A)
•
2. Then use Ctrl + Shift + > to enlarge the text
3. Continue holding down the control and shift keys as you tap the right angle
bracket (» and the text in your document will enlarge proportionally.
4. To make the text smaller, use the left angle bracket: Ctrl + Shift + <.
Students can make the text any size they wish to on demand!
Accessible PDF
Accessible PDF documents can be created using the Adobe Acrobat software
application in conjunction with Microsoft Office 2000IXP/2003/2007 applications.
Adobe has also provided support for the creation of accessible PDF documents
using other software applications (e.g., Adobe InDesign, Open Office, Adobe
LiveCycle Designer, etc.). Using the appropriate Adobe tools, PDF documents can
be created that support the interaction of assistive computer technologies used by
students with disabilities.
Note - the PDF documents that will be created are often called "tagged-PDFs".
Tagged PDFs provide the most flexibility and usability for assistive computer
54
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
technology. PDF documents created using third-party tools (e.g., CutePDF,
PrimoPDF, etc.) are not tagged-PDFs and would need to be evaluated using the
methods described in the Fixing PDF Documents section.
Note - while it is possible to create PDF documents that are accessible, primary
consideration should be given to HTML-based versions when creating accessible
electronic documents. If HTML-based documents are not appropriate, then an
accessible version of the PDF document type may be considered. For more
information about the use (and abuse!) of PDF documents, please read http://www.
alistapart.com/articles/pdf accessibility (page will open in a new browser window).
Creating accessible versions of PDF documents begins with integrating accessibility
into the document authoring workflow. Most of the steps necessary to creating
accessible PDF versions are identified in the Microsoft Word 2007 section. The
steps in this section identify methods for adding accessibility information into the
PDF document after it has already been produced. It is highly recommended to add
the appropriate accessibility information into the document during the authoring
phase (e.g., when in Microsoft Word, etc.) instead of retrofitting the PDF version.
Creating PDF documents from Microsoft Word 2007
•
Before creating PDF documents from Microsoft Word, it is highly recommended to
review the section on Microsoft Word 2007 and follow those accessibility authoring
guidelines.
To create a PDF from Microsoft Word 2007, it is necessary to have either Adobe
Acrobat 9 installed OR to have downloaded the free Save As PDF or XPS plug-in
Word Document
Save-the document in the defaLJ.tt me
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•
55
Creating Accessible Online Courses
(link opens in a new window) from Microsoft. This will allow you to create PDF
documents that support accessibility. After including the appropriate accessibility
information, choose Save As and then either "Adobe PDF" or "PDF or XPS" to
save the document as a PDF. The Adobe PDF option will only be displayed if you
have installed Adobe Acrobat.
•
If creating PDF documents from Microsoft PowerPoint 2007
Before creating PDF documents from Microsoft PowerPoint, it is highly
recommended to review the section on Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 and follow those
accessibility authoring guidelines.
'PowerPoint PresentatIon
Save the Jlresentation in the defautt file
format.
Powe~Point~bow
'Save as a, presenbtionthatalwaYS'opensilr1:
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PowerPGint~1-2003
Presentation
Save a copy of the presentation thatls
compatible with PowerPa,inl97 -2003.
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•
Operlthe Save A'5.di1alog boxtos,erect from
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•
56
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
To create a PDF from Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, it is necessary to have either
Adobe Acrobat 9 installed OR to have downloaded the free Save As PDF or XPS
plug-in from Microsoft. This will allow you to create PDF documents that support
accessibility. After including the appropriate accessibility information, choose Save
As and then either "Adobe PDF" or "PDF or XPS" to save the document as a PDF.
The Adobe PDF option will only be displayed if you have installed Adobe Acrobat.
Adding Tags to PDFs
Note - it is highly recommended that the first step in creating an accessible
PDF is to use the original word-processing version of the electronic document
(e.g., the Microsoft Word version). Manually repairing PDF documents can be
time consuming when compared to using the original version of the file. If you
are creating a PDF document using the steps specified in the section "Creating
Accessible PDF Documents", then you do not need to perfonn the following
procedures. The following is applicable only if you are starting with an
untagged PDF document.
•
Adding tags manually to a PDF document using Adobe Acrobat does have some
limitations. While Acrobat can automatically add tags to a PDF document, there
is no guarantee that the document content will be tagged in the correct reading
order. Documents that contain regions of high complexity, such as visually-rich
layouts, may not result in a tagged structure that follows the logical reading order
of the original document. Any graphics or charts in the PDF document may not
be processed correctly and may be rendered as "Figures" or "Inline Shapes".
It is necessary to identify these items and add the appropriate alternative text
descriptions.
One suggested workflow may be as follows:
1. Add tags to the PDF, if they do not already exist
2. Evaluate the reading order of the PDF document
3. Use the TouchUp Reading Order tool to reclassify content, add headings,
and manipulate the overall reading order of the document.
The above workflow is just one suggestion. As you become more familiar with the
PDF documents you interact with on a regular basis, you may need to alter this
general workflow to better suit your production environment.
Adobe Acrobat 8.x and 9.x allows users to create a tagged PDF document from
untagged PDF files. Adding tags to a PDF will allow you to add the appropriate
accessibility information to the document (i.e., headings, image descriptions, etc.).
After you have added tags to a PDF document, it may be necessary to that the
document reading is correct.
•
1. Open the PDF document that does not contain the tagged structure.
2. Select Advanced from the menu bar.
57
Creating Accessible Online Courses
3. Select Accessibility.
4. Choose "Add Tags to Document".
5. After the program finishes processing the document, use Save As and save
the file with a new name.
•
6. Open the new PDF document to check the logical order of the tagged file.
For very large PDF documents, it may be better to separate the file into several
smaller PDF files before running the "Add Tags to Document" function.
Checking Reading Order
It is important to assess the reading order of a tagged PDF document if you are
unsure if the "Add Tags to Document" function performed correctly (generally,
this is not an issue with single column documents, but should be checked for multi·
column layouts). An effective method to assessing the logical reading order of the
tagged PDF is to save the PDF as a text file. This will present to you a file similar
to how assistive computer technologies will read the document. Check the logical
reading order of the text file as to where there may bc errors in order of the tags in
the PDF document.
1. Open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat, and select File from the menu bar.
2. Choose "Save As..." and you will receive the Save As window.
3. In the drop-down box "Save as type:" choose the option Text (Accessible).
This will create a text file that can be opened in any text editor or word
processing application.
•
4. Review the text file for errors in the logical reading order of the text.
If you are using Adobe Acrobat 8, then this same functionality is also available by
choosing File> Export> Text> Text (Accessible) from the button toolbar.
PDF Headings
For PDF documents, it is possible to add heading information when using
Adobe Acrobat after the PDF has been produced. However, when possible, it is
recommended to add headings while authoring the content - that is, while using
Microsoft Word, Open Office, or another word processing application. If it is not
possible to use the original word-processing application to add the headings, then
heading structure may be added using Adobe Acrobat.
1. Open the TouchUp Reading Order tool (Advanced> Accessibility >
TouchUp Reading Order).
2. Identify the region of text content that is to be a heading.
3. Using the cross-hair pointer, draw a box around the text information. Make
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•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Types of Lava
Pillow Lava
sure that all the text information you wish to include is encompassed by the
blue highlight. In the example below, the text "Geology 2.3 - Volcanoes" has
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~
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been outlined in blue.
•
Specify the heading level (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) using the TouchUp
Reading Order panel. Repeat the steps as necessary to identify the headings
throughout the rest of the PDP document. In the example provided, the text
"Geology 2.3 - Volcanoes" is the main topic of the document and would be assigned
as Heading 1. If there are more than three headings in the document, then use the
Heading 3 option in the Touch Up Reading Order panel for the remaining headings.
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
AU Text for Images in PDF
After adding tags to a PDF document, it may be necessary to add text descriptions
for relevant images. The "Add Tags to Document" function will process the PDF
and mark content as text, table, or a figure. Once an image has been identified
and properly tagged, it is possible to add the text description. If a figure does not
warrant a text description, then you can mark the element as "Background".
•
1. Make sure the document you are working with is a tagged-PDF. Tum on
the TouchUp Reading Order tool (Advanced> Accessibility> TouchUp
Reading Order)
2. Identify the image/figure in question and perform a right-mouse button
click.
3. Choose "Edit Alternative Text. ..". Enter the appropriate text description for
the image/figure you selected.
4. Choose OK to return to the main document.
Summing up Accessible PDFs
If you have used styles and included text descriptions in your Word document, those
features will transfer into your PDF document with the proper workflow.
For Word 2003, you need to have Adobe Acrobat installed. On the menu bar, choose
Adobe> Convert to PDF.
•
For Word 2007, you have two options. The first is using Adobe Acrobat: go to
Adobe> Convert to PDF. You can also now download a free add-in from Microsoft.
com called Microsoft Save as PDF.
Adobe Reader, which is a free tool, has some wonderful accessibility tools,
including enlarging print and changing the font/background color of the document.
For more information on creating accessible PDF documents and using PDF
documents for alternate media, see the HTCTU training manuals and tutorials at the
HTCTU website: www.htctu.net.
Accessible PowerPoint
As long as you use the preloaded templates and styles in PowerPoint, you will be
creating accessible documents. It is quite easy to modify the templates if you want
different colors or fonts. You can add alt text in the same way that you did in MS
Word by simply right-clicking on the picture.
If the PowerPoint document has been built on styles, it is even possible to go very
easily from PowerPoint to braille. From the PowerPoint document, choose File and
Save as Outline/RTF.
It is a simple matter to open the RTF document in MS Word and change the
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•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
PowerPoint styles from headings to index (i.e., change Heading 1 to Index 1,
Heading 2 to Index 2, etc.). The reformatted document can be saved as a Word doc
and transferred into Duxbury to create a braille document.
PowerPoint also works well for large print. Each slide can be printed to a separate
page, and the font size is usually very good for students with low vision.
The larger issue with PowerPoint is making sure that the design principles of layout
and color are followed.
Not all the PowerPoint templates have good contrast. Choosing a template with a
dark even background color and a sans serif font in white or light yellow will ensure
readability. It is also wise to follow the "six pack" rule. Include no more than six
lines on one PowerPoint slide.
Using Slide Templates for Layout
The simplest way to ensure accessibility of the information you put into Power
Point is to utilize the standard templates included with Power Point. While
you can drop content any place on the slide in a variety of ways, only when
you use the "Title" and "Content" areas can you ensure the information will be
presented to assistive technology.
•
CI ick to add title
., CHck to add text
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0
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•
61
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Power Point provides templates with many different configurations, allowing for
many different types of content to be placed in your presentation. To the left is
an example of a standard empty template.
With this template, you could type in content, or click on the media objects in
the center of the main content area to import that type of media. By using this
template, you can ensure that your accessible information can be presented to
students using assistive technology.
•
Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Alt Text for Images
Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 (Windows platform) allows document authors to
include text descriptions for images. This method should be used for image content
that is relatively simple and does not require extensive description of the image. If
a longer description of the image is necessary to fully explain its content, consider
inserting a more detailed description of the image within the document text that
precedes and follows the image.
~Iternative
•
text:
webbrowsers display alternative text whire picbJres are loadIng
or ifthey are missing. WEiib,s'earch'ehgihes use ar~rnative text tri'
" help fitjd Webpag~s. Alternative Text is also used to assist users ",
<;With disabilities:: , '
", "
•
62
Creating Accessible Online Courses
1. Open the document in Microsoft PowerPoint 2007.
•
2. Select the image and perform a right-mouse button click. Choose the "Size"
option.
3. Under the "Alt Text" tab, enter a short text description of the image. Include
information about the content and/or function of the image.
4. Select "OK" and continue with the document creation.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Dreamweaver is a powerful program used not only to create HTML pages, but
also entire websites. Dreamweaver provides the tools needed to layout pages with
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), rather than tables which is recommended for better
accessibility. It also includes advanced scripting for JavaSript, AJAX, and others.
Headings
Using Dreamweaver, it is possible to impose some structure to the document in
order to separate the heading information from the various paragraphs.
•
NOTE - it is highly recommended to keep the same formatting for the same
structure elements (i.e., all the Heading l's look the same, etc.) throughout your
Web pages. This can be controlled using the Fonnat menu or by using Cascading
Style Sheets if creating Web pages.
1. Move the cursor to the text information you wish to identify as a heading.
2. Select Text from the menu bar and select Paragraph Format.
comriiana~ ';, Site :Wi~dow
>"~_ ............... ,;~~,~-,~~~._<~",,
Ctrl+Alt+]
Ctrl+Alt+[
Align
~I
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CSS Styles
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Color...
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•
None
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Heading 2
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ctrl+Shift+P
Ctrl+1
Ctrl+2
Ctrl+3
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Ctrl+6
Ii it
' " '" ,
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accessibility, resulting in bottom line pluralisms, benefit-wise. Incidental re-sizing staff re,
attrition can.be accelerated by paradigm shifts and focusing on core suitability and cross
63
Creating Accessible Online Courses
3. Choose the appropriate heading option (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) or
select Paragraph to identify the text passage as a paragraph.
4. The text formatting may change. The presentation of the text size, color,
and font style can be manipulated by selecting Text on the menu bar and
choosing the Color option. Alternatively, if you are using cascading style
sheets (CSS), then you can modify your CSS values to alter the visual
presentation of the headings.
•
AU Text for Images in Dreamweaver
1. Place your cursor at the appropriate location to insert an image and choose
Insert from the menu bar. Select the "Image" option.
OK·::t~:
'. /d
'.....~:..
C;:'!lncel,:, ;1;1:
HeJp,L:
2. If the accessibility preferences have been enabled, a prompt will appear to
enter the appropriate text description for the image. Enter the description
and select the "OK" button. This will provide the necessary accessibility
information for assistive technology.
•
3. If the image is of no consequence (aka. eye candy) and does not contain
information pertinent to the information, then you can use the drop-down
list to select the <empty> option.
Data Tables
Tables used for presentation purposes are generally referred to a "layout tables"
while tables used to organize information are referred to as "data tables". In the past
(and to a certain extent today), layout tables were used to control the layout ofthe
page to insure a similar site presentation across different Web browsers. Assistive
computer technologies initially had difficulty with the use of layout tables for the
Web, however, this is not as much an issue in recent practice. Today, most assistive
computer technologies can interact with Web pages that have been created using
layout tables without additional work on behalf of the Web page developer. For
word processing or PDF documents, using layout tables for presentational purposes
is not recommended and should be avoided. Layout tables for word processing and
PDF documents can cause a number of accessibility challenges and limit the ability
of assistive computer technology to interact with the document content.
Data tables are exactly what the name implies - a table that contains data about
some information sequenced in a specific format. For example, if you have a list of
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
days, a list of appointments on specific days, and a list of specific times for those
appointments on specific days, it would make sense to develop a table to display
that information. For the Web, data tables require additional code and information
in order to effectively communicate the information to the Web page visitor using
assistive computer technology. By choosing the appropriate options in the Table
window, Adobe Dreamweaver can automatically include the appropriate code and
simplify the process of creating accessible data tables.
1. Select Insert from the menu bar and choose Table.
2. Enter the number of rows and columns for your table. You can also
determine the Width of your table (it is recommended to use percentages
•
instead of pixels for specifying table width).
3. Select the box with the type of heading information that is appropriate for
your data. You should choose a header type for either the row, column, or
both.
•
4. Enter a brief description in the Summary field. You do not have to enter
information in the Caption field, however, it is important to enter a
65
Creating Accessible Online Courses
summary of the information contained within the data table.
By choosing the appropriate "Header" option, Adobe Dreamweaver will
automatically code the table with the necessary accessibility information. All
that is left is for the document author to add the actual data to the table in Adobe
Drearnweaver. If you need additional rows or columns, simply add the rows or
columns as necessary and the accessibility information will be included.
•
WYSIWYG HTML Editors
What You See Is What You Get HTML editors are very commonly used to enter
content into CMS (Course Management Systems). Although the examples that
follow are from MoodIe and Blackboard, many of the same functions can be found
in other WYSIWYG Editors.
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arketing
•
In troduct;on
III • • • • • •
III •• Ill. ~." III. III • • • • oil.
jj., III" • • • • III.
,~.nt.~rPrLs..~, .~.o.g~.tJ.g.~rm~.tJt accelerates initiative platforms, reducing staffi
technical accessibility, resulting in bottom line P!.I,lI9.U.s.rm., benefit-wise.
requirements through attrition can be accelerated by paradigm shifts anc
cross-trai ni ng.
Headings in HTML
Using a WYSIWYG editor, it is possible to impose some structure to the document
in order to separate the heading information from the various paragraphs.
1. Move the cursor to the text information you wish to identify as a heading.
2. Choose the appropriate heading option (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) or
select Paragraph to identify the text passage as a paragraph.
3. The text formatting may change. The presentation of the text size, color, and
66
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
font style can be manipulated independently from the heading information.
•
AU Text for Images in WYSIWYG
fD
Insert Image
8,S.e.ie.'.e.·.'.'.•,t.
f
'.:.',I.,m.:
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or Specify Source URl
•
:"~ '1m~~!,gp.~ie~~' ,
Set Width
Set Height
Image TargetURl
launch in new window
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No
Click Submit to finish. Click Cancel to quit.
•
67
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Most WYSIWYG editors for learning management systems provide the option to
include a text description for images during the upload process. The screenshots
below are of the MoodIe and Blackboard image upload interfaces. The "Alternate
Text" entry is where you would include your text description for the image.
When adding content-based images to your instructional materials, include a text
description that specifies the content and/or function of the image.
•
MoodIe Image Interface
Blackboard Image Interface
Checklist of General Tips
Change the AutoCorrect settings, and work with Show/Hide turned on
(Ctrl + SHIFT + 8 to show invisibles).
Do not use spaces to move words, use tabs.
Do not use tabs to create columns, use the "column" feature under
formats or create a table.
Use one tab only for spacing. Adjust tabs with the ruler.
Do not use hard returns to add space, adjust the spacing of the
paragraph.
Do not make adjustments to the appearance of a paragraph by hand,
instead use styles.
Do not use underlining.
Use the Strong (bold) and Emphasis (italics) attribute styles for
individual words/phrases.
•
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
To take the document into braille, use only the following styles:
Normal/default paragraph/body text
Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
List! List Bullet! List Number
Index (levels 1-9)
For braille, remember, do not space around dashes/hyphens or other
punctuation; use four hyphens for a blank line
Know when to choose a serif font or a sans serif font.
Captioning & Multimedia Accessibility
Captioning Basics
•
Captions have been around since the earliest days of film, and throughout this
time they have been largely taken for granted by the public at large. Many people
are surprised to learn of the complexity and variety of captioning concerns and
techniques, especially with the recent proliferation of digital media formats on the
World Wide Web. However, there is some reason and purpose behind the scenes
that makes it all easy to deal with, once you understand the basics.
For an exhaustive overview of how to format your captions, please refer to the
Described and Captioned Media Program's "Captioning Key" at http://www.dcmp.
org/captioningkey/.
Captions vs Subtitles
They both look similar to the casual observer, but there are some important
differences between captions and subtitles.
Traditionally there were established rules regarding the use and formatting of
captioning and subtitles, but with the advent of digital media much control was
lost over the use and techniques of the two technologies. Originally, subtitles
were intended to simply provide a translation for speakers of other languages, and
captions were intended to provide all of the relevant audio information in textual
form for native speakers who couldn't hear.
Visually, captions are different from subtitles because captions always have a dark
background, while subtitles are just white text with no background.
•
There is a more important difference between captions and subtitles than the way
they appear onscreen: subtitles are usually a translation of the spoken dialogue,
while captions are always in the native dialogue being spoken onscreen, and
captions also include other sound events besides dialogue.
Today you can find examples of captions being used as subtitles and vice versa,
69
Creating Accessible Online Courses
but whether they be subtitles or captions is ultimately moot, as long as they are
providing an equivalent experience for those individuals who are unable to hear the
content.
Basic Formatting Concerns
•
In general, it is advised that you format captions according to the following
principles:
•
Use two lines
•
Left-align the two lines
•
Try to keep less than 32 characters per line
•
Use a sans serif font such as Helvetica, Arial, etc.
•
Use both upper- and lower-case letters
•
Transcribe dialogue word for word, but avoid nonsense syllables such as
"00" and "err."
Line Division
It is also important to pay attention to how your lines break. You should always try
to stick to the following principles:
•
Keep modifiers with the word they modify
• Keep prepositional phrases together
•
• Keep a person's name and title together
•
Break lines before a conjunction
•
Keep auxiliary verbs with the word it modifies
•
Break captions at the end of a sentence
When a sentence is broken into two or more lines of captions, it should be
broken at a logical point where speech normally pauses unless it would exceed
the 32-characters.per-line requirement.
1. Do not break a modifier from the word it modifies. Example
INAPPROPRIATE
Mark pushed his black
truck.
APPROPRIATE
Mark pushed
his black truck.
2. Do not break a prepositional phrase. Example:
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•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
INAPPROPRIATE
Mary scampered under
the table.
APPROPRIATE
Mary scampered
under the table.
3. Do not break a person's name nor a title from the name with which it is
associated. Examples:
INAPPROPRIATE
Bob and Susan
Smythe are at the
movies.
Suzy and Professor
Barker are here.
APPROPRIATE
Bob and Susan Smythe
are at the movies.
Suzy and Professor
Barker
are here.
4. Do not break a line after a conjunction. Example:
INAPPROPRIATE
In seconds she arrived,
and
he ordered a drink.
APPROPRIATE
In seconds she arrived,
and he ordered a drink.
5. Do not break an auxiliary verb from the word it modifies. Example:
•
INAPPROPRIATE
Mom said I could
have gone to the
movies.
APPROPRIATE
Mom said I could have
gone
to the movies.
6. Never end a sentence and begin a new sentence on the same line unless they are
short, related sentences containing one or two words. Example:
INAPPROPRIATE
APPROPRIATE
He suspected that his
He suspected that his
face
face
turned pale. He knew he turned pale.
wouldn't be able to
speak
if spoken to. Running
toward
the void, he halted...
He knew he wouldn't
be able
to speak if spoken to.
Running toward the
void,
he halted...
Thanks to Described and Captioned Media Program's Captioning Key for
Educational Media for these examples.
•
Presentation Rate
The timing of captions will depend somewhat on the speaker who is onscreen, but
in general, the following principles should be observed:
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Allow for a minimum of 1.5 seconds duration for each 32 characters of text.
•
Allow a minimum of two seconds duration to display the last 32 characters
of text before blanking or moving captions.
•
Do not display anyone caption for less than one full second.
•
The maximum presentation rate should be three seconds duration for each
32 characters of text.
•
Italics
Italics are used in captions to indicate off-screen dialogue, such as from the
following sources:
•
Voice-over reading by a narrator
•
Off-screen dialogue
•
Dreaming, thinking, etc.
•
Background audio: PA system, stereo, television, etc.
•
Foreign words
•
Emphasis
Sound Effects
Sound effects should be captioned as well when they add meaning to the content or
are important for any reason. When including sounds in your captions, follow these
principles:
•
Include all important sounds
•
Use description (in brackets) and onomatopoeia (the sounds an animal
makes, like "Meow" or "Moo")
•
Italicize if off-screen
•
Lowercase
•
Sustained sounds use present participle (-ing)
•
Be as precise as possible
•
Music
It is important to include music infonnation in your captions, especially when
it directly supports the visual content, or adds important information that the
characters will respond to. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when
dealing with music in your captions:
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•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
Use descriptions that indicate mood.
•
Caption lyrics verbatim, including the name of vocalist or group and song
title in brackets.
•
Place musical notes around lyrics, and separate with a space.
•
When no lyrics are available, or you can't use them, provide a description.
Laws on Video and Captioning
Section 508 on Videos
(c) All training and informational video and multimedia productions which support
the agency's mission, regardless of format, that contain speech or other audio
information necessary for the comprehension of the content, shall be open or closed
captioned.
Interpretation: Videos must be captioned before they are shown in the classroom
for the first time. It is possible to purchase videos that do not have captions, but
uncaptioned videos are to be captioned before they are shown in the classroom for
the first time, i.e., before they become required course materials.
•
Who pays to have these uncaptioned videos captioned? Remember that Section 508
is a campus responsibility, so it becomes a campus expense. Many campuses are
requiring that the department ordering the video also pay for the captioning.
Be aware that under Section 508, captioning is required whether or not deaf
students will be in the class. Captions are required so that access is already in place
when a disabled student expresses a need.
Captioning and Distance Ed
Do you have to caption everything?!? There are a few exceptions.
"Raw footage" is exempt.
Raw footage is defined as materials that are for a single, restricted use and are not
archived. An example might be student videos. The students would not need to
caption their work. Another example might be a longer video from which only clips
will be taken. If the compendium of clips is archived and reused, then that would
need to be captioned; however, the original from which the clips were taken would
not need to be.
Restricted-access materials may be exempt.
•
When a video will be shown only to a restricted set of users and none of those users
require captions, you do not need to caption. An example might be a password
protected class in which a video specifically for that class is shown. Please note that
if the video is meant to be a permanent part of the class term after term, then this
73
Creating Accessible Online Courses
exemption no longer applies as you do not know who might be taking the class in
the future.
Transcripts
Transcripts alone are not sufficient for video. Whenever you have pictures and
sound, then the captioned text and video must be synchronized. Imagine if the
speaker says, "Never mix these two ingredients," and you do not know what is
being shown on the screen! Transcripts are fine for audio-only podcasts, however,
as there is no picture with which to synchronize the text.
•
A Word about Captions and Foreign Languages
Subtitles on foreign films are not the same as captions, but for classroom purposes,
they are usually sufficient.
Captions are always done in the language spoken in the video. As an example,
Spanish language videos would be captioned in Spanish, not English. You are
not required to provide translations. Unless the hearing students in the class are
expected to be able to understand the Spanish language with no additional support,
there is no reason to have this foreign language video captioned.
Captions do differ from subtitles in that captions include all auditory content, not
just speech. Subtitles are designed for a hearing audience, so they do not include
any information about sound other than speech. Slamming doors, barking dogs,
laughter, etc. are all included in the text descriptions in captions.
Decoders
•
Closed captions are turned on and off with a "decoder." Televisions (since the '80s)
have decoders built in; however, not all overhead projectors have decoders and
not all computer software plays captions. Windows Media Player, Real Player, and
QuickTime all have the capability to play captions. Just like with your television
set, however, the captions must be turned on to be viewed.
To Caption or Not to Caption?
What multimedia material do you need to caption for your online course? Do you
always have to caption? What if it's raw footage? What ifit's from You Tube? What
if it's a sample of student work? What if the instructor owns it?
Here is a simple summary of when to caption and when not.
74
•
Caption: If the material has video and audio and will be archived for a
course or used repeatedly in other courses, then you need to have the
material captioned. Please note: If the material has audio and video, you
need to caption. A transcript is not sufficient.
•
Caption: If the video will also be shown in the classroom, regardless of
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
whether it is instructor-owned or campus-owned, caption it.
•
•
•
Caption: If you take clips from longer works and string them together and
archive the finished video, then it needs to be captioned.
•
Caption: Any video created by the campus and placed on a public Web site.
•
Transcript: If the material is audio only, no video, and is archived, then a
transcript is all you need.
•
Do not caption: If the material is only for this term and the class has
restricted access (i.e., it's password protected and only students who are
enrolled in the class have access), then you only need to caption (or provide
a transcript) if a student requests captioning as an accommodation.
•
Do not caption: If the material is on YouTube and you are just providing a
link, then you only need to caption if a student requests an accommodation.
(Please note: YouTube videos are not public domain. Permission may be
required to caption.)
•
Do not caption: If the material is student work or other raw footage that will
not be archived.
•
Do not caption: There is no need to caption longer works if you are just
pulling clips from it. Wait and caption the montage that you create.
•
Do not caption: If the video already has foreign language subtitles, do not
caption unless requested to do so as an accommodation.
As a simple rule of thumb: If you're keeping it and more than a limited audience
might access it, then caption or transcribe it.
Getting Funding for your Captioning Projects
Fortunately for everyone working in distance ed in the California community
colleges, the Chancellor's Office has recognized the expense of captioning and
created a grant to help.
The Distance Education Captioning and Transcription
(DECT) Grant
The Distance Education Captioning and Transcription (DEeT) grant is being
administered by College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California. The
director is James Glapa-Grossklag.
http://www.canyons.eduiOffices/Distance Learning/Captioning/default.html
To find out more about how this grant works, see James' seminar
"Fund your Captioning Projects" (link opens in new window).
•
The grant supports captioning and transcription for multimedia materials used in
the following activities:
•
Distance education classes at CCCs
75
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
Live (aka synchronous) distance education
•
Delayed (aka asynchronous) distance education
Classes may be for-credit or non-credit courses; however, conununity education
and community extension courses are not supported.
•
Funding can be paid either as reimbursements to the colleges or as direct
payments to vendors when approved vendors are utilized.
The application process is as follows:
1. Identify classes that need captioning or transcription
2. Choose vendor selection process
3. Estimate number of minutes, get quote
4. Submit application
5. Notification of award
6. Submit end-of-term report on retention and success rates
The first step is to arrange for an agreement between your college and College
of the Canyons.
Make sure to contact the grant before contracting with the pre-approved vendors
in order to ensure that funds are available.
•
See the FAQs on the DECT Web site for more information:
http://www.canyons.edu/Offices/DistanceLearning/Captioning/faq/faq.htm
To find out more about how this grant works, see James' seminar
"Fund your Captioning Projects" (link opens in new window).
Where are My Captions?
VHS Tapes
VHS tapes may have open captions (captions that are always visible) or closed
captions.
Subtitles are an example of a type of open captions. They do not have to be turned
on. They also cannot be turned off. They are part of the video picture itself.
Closed captions, on the other hand, can be turned on and off. They live between the
lines of the picture itself on something referred to as Line 21. In order to take the
captions from where they are hiding on Line 21 and project them onto the video, a
piece of equipment called a "decoder" must be present. The decoder "decodes" the
hidden captioning information and puts it together into visible captions.
76
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
If the VHS tape has closed captions, then they just need to be turned on. Typically,
this is a fairly simple matter when you are showing the tape on a television set. It is
often easiest to access the captions with the TV remote, but most TVs have buttons
on the front that can also be used to turn on the captions.
Be aware, however, that if the tape is being shown through an overhead projector,
there may not be a decoder in the circuit. If there is no decoder, you will not be able
to show your closed captions. Very few overhead projectors have decoders built in.
When no decoder is in the projection unit, an external decoder will be required to
turn on the captions.
DVD
DVDs may have true closed captions, coded on Line 21, and in that case, you will
need a decoder to see the captions. DVDs may also have something called Subtitles
for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
These captions are called "subtitles" for two reasons:
1. They do not live on Line 21 as true closed captions do.
2. They are formatted like subtitles are on VHS tape (no dark background behind
the words).
•
Even though these captions are called subtitles, they can be turned on and off.
These subtitles are created with individuals who are deaflHoH in mind, so they are
word-for-word transcriptions and do contain all the sound-related information that
standard closed captions would.
Web Media
Unlike DVDs and VHS tapes, captions on the Web exist in a separate file from
the video and audio files. Multimedia on the Web is comprised of a number of
separate files held together by something called a SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia
Integration Language) file. The SMIL file is like a master controller that links all the
pieces together.
The first issue with Web media is to ensure that all the pieces are together in one
folder. If the files become separated, the SMIL file will not know where to look for
all the pieces.
Displaying captions for Web media will depend on what program you use to view
the media.
Tapes Recorded from TV
•
If you have recorded a VHS tape of a television program, the odds are very good
that it is already captioned. As long as the original program was captioned, the tape
will be captioned, as well. You do not have to have the captions turned on during
the recording. Television captions live on Line 21, so when you capture the video
77
Creating Accessible Online Courses
stream, you also capture the captions. All you have to do is turn the captions on.
Captioning Essentials (transcript, timing, and a wrapper with
a handle)
•
Addmittedly, there is a lot involved in the realm of captioning- however, if you
consider the bigger picture it can all be reduced to a few simple concepts:
•
You will need a text transcript of all significant audio (dialogue, sound
effects, music, etc.).
•
The text transcript will have to be formatted to fit on the screen in readable
chunks.
•
The chunks of text will have to be given a time to show up in the screen.
•
The final pieces (video, text chunks, and timing) must be combined in an
accessible package (file).
•
The complete production must be presented through an accessible video
player.
Tools for Captioning
There are many captioning tools available, some free and some very expensive.
Regardless of the tools at your disposal, the essential task is to create a series of
lines of text, each associated with a time value for when it shall be presented on the
screen. Industrious and clever individuals can spend a lot of time using basic tools
and cobbling the pieces together, but it is commonly agreed that the most efficient
and effective way to deal with captioning issues is to pay an expert to do it for you.
Captioning can be incredibly tedious and time-consuming, especially for those who
are new to it. The cost vs benefits for captioning inhouse are continuosly in skew of
greater cost than benefit, with a few remarkable exceptions.
•
However, if you wish to pursue captioning on your own, here are some tools to
assist you:
Getting a Transcript and Converting Videos
One of the most time consuming parts of captioning video is getting a transcript.
The goal is to guarantee the transcript is as accurate to the original audio as possible
(though you should leave out verbal "garbage"--the typical "urn's" and "uh's"
that creep into conversation). As you format your transcript, use the conventions
from the previous section to format the transcript for inclusion in your final video,
including adding speaker changes and sound effects. Time spent making such these
minor formatting additions will inevitably save you time in the long run.
Speech Recognition
While using speech recognition solely to create transcripts would be a very bad
78
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
idea, it should be noted that using speech recognition software may serve as
another tool in your captioning arsenal to ease the transcription process. Windows
computers have had speech recognition software built in to the operating system
for a while. With Windows 7, the built-in speech recognition approaches the
quality of third-party products, such as Nuance's Dragon. The best way to use
speech recognition for transcription is to "echo" the audio; that is, use a headset
microphone to play the video/audio and "echo" what you hear, allowing the
speech recognition to assist the transcription. Starting with the MediaAny Video
ConverterAny Video Converter (http://www.any-video-converter.comlproducts/
for video_free/) is a free Windows program that provides a simple interface for
importing video and converting it to a range of formats. It can also download and
convert videos from YouTube.
Using Any Video Converter:
After starting Any Video Converter, click the Add Video button and browse to
your video.
File
Edit
Convert
. . f').
i
.
•
.
;
Select MP3 Audio from the Output Profile menu. The default settings should be
OK.
Click the Convert button.
•
79
Creating Accessible Online Courses
When the conversion completes, Windows Explorer will open with the folder
containing the converted file displaying. Copy the MP3 file to a convenient location.
Express Scribe
Express Scribe (http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/) is a free Windows and Mac
program that allows the user a high degree of control over the playback of audio
files. With Express Scribe, a user can start, pause, and rewind short segments of an
audio file by using simple, universally available keyboard shortcuts--the keyboard
shortcuts work regardless of what application currently is being focused. It is also
possible to play back audio at a slower speed than the original recording, without
overly distorting the spoken text and maintaining comprehensibility.
•
Using Express Scribe to Facilitate Transcription
If you are lucky enough to have a video in MP4, FLV, or MOV format, Express
Scribe will import it and play it back. Otherwise you will need audio in MP3 or
WAV format.
To load a video or audio file for playback, click the Load button and browse for the
audio/video. You can press the Play button to get a sense of the quality of the audio.
If playback is too fast, adjust the Playback Speed, in the lower right corner of the
interface. You may also want Express Scribe to stay on top of other windows. To do
this, choose Float Above Other Windows from the View menu.
80
•
•
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Finally, use the Mini Scribe interface to minimize screen real estate.
•
Express Scribe has very extensive shortcut keys, but the most important for simple
playback for purposes of transcription are:
•
•
F9 starts playback
•
F4 pauses playback
•
F7 progressively rewinds audio/video from the current point
For more information on digital captioning and other tools, please visit the High
Tech Center Training Unit Website: www.htctu.net.
YouTube: Easy Do-it-Yourself Captioning
YouTube has added a service to their website that allows you to easily create
captions for your youtube videos, as well as create the beginnings of a transcript
(using YouTube Speech recognition), and assigning timecode to your transcript. You
can download the various assets (text transcript & subtitle file with timecodes) and
use them in other programs as well.
From the YouTube website:
Adding and Editing captions / subtitles
•
A caption file contains both the text and information about when each line of text
should be displayed.
A transcript file, on the other hand, just contains the text of what was said in the
video. If the video's in English, YouTube can use speech processing algorithms to
81
Creating Accessible Online Courses
determine when the words in a transcript should be displayed.
To add captions or subtitles to one of your videos, you'll need to have transcript or
caption files with the captions/subtitles in them.
•
Once you have the files, log into your YouTube account to upload them and:
Mouse over your usemame located in the upper right comer of every page.
Click Video Manager. You will then be directed to a page showing your uploaded
videos.
Find the video to which you'd like to add captions/subtitles and click the down
arrow located to the right of the Edit and Insight buttons. Select the Captions
and Subtitles button from the drop down menu.
Click the Add New Captions or Transcript button on the right hand side of the
page. You will be prompted to Browse for a file to upload.
Select a caption/subtitle or transcript file to upload. If you are uploading a transcript (no timecodes), select Transcript file, otherwise, select Caption file.
Select the appropriate language. If you wish, you can also enter a track name.
Click the Upload File button.
Auto Captions on YouTube:
In order to request auto-captions on a video, you must be the video owner. Ifthis is
true:
•
Sign into your account
On the Captions and Subtitles pane, click the Request Processing button (you will
only see this button if the video hasn't been processed yet).
You'll see Machine Transcription (processing) in the list of available caption
tracks. That means it's working!
It can take a few days for the speech recognition track to become available for
viewing and download.
When you Don't own the Copyright: Dotsub.com
Dotsub.com is a website featuring free and for-pay captioning and translating
services for YouTube videos. With Dotsub.com you can create captions for other
people's videos, and then have the video appear on a new page, with your captions
seamlessly integrated into the production. Best yet, it is completely legal!
Visit www.dotsub.com for more information.
•
82
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Optimizing Content for Online Delivery
•
Content vs Container
When dealing with accessibility of digital information, it is important to recognize
the limitations of each component in the delivery of this information.
Sometimes this is not as clear as you might first expect. While an electronic file
might contain text, audio, or video, it is both a container and a "piece" of content.
This content can also be placed inside another document, such as a webpage or
a PDP, or as content in your LMS. When discussing accessibility capabilities of
digital media, you must be aware of the context your media exists in. Different
potentials for access are available depending on the aspects of the media and
whether it is a base container, or content inside a bigger container.
It is also important to recognize that accessibility does not automatically move
from one type of content to another. An accessible PDP document can not be
placed in a web page and result in the web page suddenly being accessible. Nor
can an inaccessible PDF be placed in an accessible web page and suddenly become
accessible. The best practices for web design must be used for the web page as well
as the PDP document as discreet objects (content) and as a related unit (container).
•
Content
Each digital document can be seen as a container for content, for example, a web
page can contain a wide variety of content, such as text, images, video, or audio
files. Each of these pieces of content has specific attributes that must be addressed
to ensure accessibility. Likewise, web pages must be designed accessibly in order
to allow access to the individual pieces of content contained within. Web pages
become content when they arc placed in a larger container, such as a Moodle or
Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS).
Container
In addition to the content contained in the web page being accessible, the container
(web page or LMS) needs to be designed accessibly as well. It is not enough
to make the content accessible, it needs to be placed in a container that allows
individuals to navigate and interact with the different types of content contained
therein.
eMS and LMS Access Issues
•
Container vs Content
A container is an environment into which existing digital media can be imported.
LMS systems can hold a variety of digital media, from PDP and MS Word
documents to MP3 's and Quicktime movies. These files must be created according
83
Creating Accessible Online Courses
to the best practices for accessibility, according to each media type. Whatever the
accessibility capabilities your LMS may have, the accessibility of digital media files
(content) you import into the LMS is based on how the files were created.
Most LMS systems provide an editing environment for creating content within the
LMS. These editing tools vary in the options they provide, but most of them include
a way to employ the best practices for creating accessible content, such as headings,
bulleted lists, alternate text for images, etc.
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A Question of Capability
Recognizing that an LMS serves as a container for content as well as featuring
an editor for creating content raises the question of which environment is best
for creating accessible content? In order to best answer this question, you must
first understand the capability for the LMS to support or provide accessibility as
compared to the capability of your imported digital content to support or provide
accessibility.
Hopefully the capability of the LMS will allow sufficient options to ensure
accessibility, but if not, using an HTML editor to create accessible HTML
documents that you can then import into the LMS is always an acceptable strategy.
Regardless of the accessibility concerns of the LMS, accessible HTML documents
created outside the LMS and then imported into the LMS will retain their
accessibility. Content must always be designed in an accessible manner, it is not
enough to put a document inside an LMS that is accessible.
84
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
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Container capabilities for access are different from content capabilities for access.
As a container for content, you have no control over the accessibility of the LMS
in tenns of a delivery tool. As a creator of content, you have ultimate control over
the accessibility of what you make and then put into the LMS. However, both the
container and content capabilities for accessibility are based on the same principles
of navigation and interaction.
Navigation
The capability to navigate throughout an LMS is based on the same concepts of
navigation within electronic documents. Through the use of headings, assistive
technology can navigate within the modules of an LMS just as it can navigate
through an electronic document that is marked up with headers. When you create
activities and resources within MoodIe, make sure to use the formatting options to
include appropriate heading markup of your content.
•
85
Creating Accessible Online Courses
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Another issue related to navigation is the capability for assistive technology to
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Links", these navigation aids are detectable by assistive technology while being
difficult if not impossible to detect with the naked eye.
•
In the pictures on this page, major level headings are outlined in red. The green
outlines signify a smaller-level heading. The text that is highlighted in yellow
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Images
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When you embed an image in an electronic document, always take advantage of
any capability to also insert an alternate text description for the image. Commonly
referred to as an alt image tag, the name originates from an HTML markup tag
created to allow for the text description to be embedded in the document for use by
assistive technology and other uses. The concept being that assistive technologies
used by individuals who can not see the image will be able to read the alternate text
description instead.
It is important to provide an accurate and concise description of the image, but
remember to consider whether or not more explanation would be beneficial in the
main text of the document.
When you import images into MoodIe, you are able to associate alternate text with
the image.
•
Another aspect of assessing the accessibility of an LMS is to determine if the
LMS interface images have appropriate alternate text descriptions. This is
especially important if the LMS utilizes graphic buttons as controls for moving
between modules and interacting with the content, as in MoodIe. You can see in
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Above: MoodIe interface with alternate text revealed and highlighted in yellow.
In the above image, you might wonder what kind of alt text would suffice for
such a complex-looking image. Notice the caption used for the image, "MoodIe
interface with alternate text revealed and highlighted in yellow." This accurately
represents the intended message being conveyed by the image, and is adequate alt
text. Sufficient details have already been provided in the main text as to the more
complex pieces of the picture, and there is no need to go further in the alt text tag.
•
Blackboard
And yes, just in case you were wondering, Blackboard supports the association of
alt text with images as well.
_Insert Image
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or Specify Source URL
For exampfe, hftp:l.l wwwJltyschaol..edu/
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For exa-mple. htip;~tl'wIN"I.fITyscha"l. edlll
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Discussion Boards and Forums
•
Discussion boards and forums have traditionally been some ofthe more
problematic aspects of LMS in terms of accessibility for users of assistive
technology, especially screen readers. In general, the addition of extra
communications features also adds to the overall complexity of the interface. In
addition, deeply threaded discussions can present challenges for users of assistive
technology to interact and respond with.
MoodIe provides a simple interface for the discussion boards and news forums
that makes it easier to respond and interact with individual messages in a
discussion thread. Students have the option to configure how the messages will be
displayed and organized, allowing for optimal compatibility with their assistive
technology,
Creating Accessible Online Courses
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MoodIe news forum with message display options displayed.
Blackboard allows for powerful discussions and forums as well, but some of the
tools might be difficult for users of assistive technologies to conveniently locate.
You can help increase accessibility of forums by making sure the discussions stick
to a consistent theme, and starting new thread topics to alleviate excessive long
subject threads.
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Summary Checklist for Course Accessibility
Remember that the course will only be as accessible as the material you upload!
To have a fully accessible course, accessible materials must be loaded into an
accessible shell.
•
Create accessible documents by using styles, and using proper formatting
•
Use textual equivalents for nontext content
•
•
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
o
Use alt tags for graphics
o
Use captions for videos
o
Create transcripts for audio
Understand and utilize the accessibility features of your course-delivery
system.
Live Delivery of web-based learning
(CCCConfer)
Visual Access
There are several ways to enhance the visual presentation of information within
Elluminate, both on the transmitting and on the receiving side of the experience.
For students with visual impairments who are using CCC Confer's version of
Elluminate, it is important to recognize the availability of the built-in assistive
technology of their operating system. Windows and Mac OS X both provide
basic tools that can be used to make the computer environment more accessible.
Elluminate takes advantage of these capabilities and allows for the operating system
to determine what the visual scheme will be.
•
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When students with visual impairment utilize screen magnifiers to enlarge or
change the color scheme of the computer display, Elluminate will continue to
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
provide interactive text chat, video, whiteboard, and desktop sharing. Changing
the system's visual settings or starting assistive technology applications while
Elluminate is in mid session can produce undesirable results. It is advised
(and expected) that students will have their assistive technologies and system
configuration settings in place before launching Elluminate. When students are
using assistive technology or custom display configurations, they can safely launch
and use Elluminate.
•
AMX Database Training:
Session 1
$elan KMQPn
High T~ Ceftll\lr framIng Unll for the
Cllitortlla Communirj CoIIeoN
•
Example of Elluminate running under a High-Contrast system setting.
The Elluminate interface itself is configurable to several pre-defined settings, or the
end-user can customize which components to view and what size they want them
to be. When a user creates a custom interface layout, Elluminate will remember this
layout the next time they logon to the system. This allows each user to specify the
type of interface they will have, according to their needs and desires. To access the
pre-defined layout options within Elluminate, start with the "View" menu, and then
select "Layouts", and choose from the following options: Default Layout, Wide
Layout, Tall Layout, Narrow Minimal Layout, Flat Minimal Layout, Left Docked
Minimal Layout, Right Docked Minimal Layout, and Whiteboard Only.
It is important to note that in order to be able to resize the individual component
windows for a custom layout in Elluminate, one must first ensure that the Layouts
are not locked. From within the "View" menu of the Elluminate interface, check to
see that the "Layouts Locked" option is not checked to ensure the layouts are not
locked.
Finally, it is important to note that for students who are blind and using a screen
reader to access Elluminate, they will have to first install the Java Accessibility
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
•
Bridge (http://www.elluminate.com/support/javaaccessibility.jsp).This link will
open in a new window. Once this has been installed Elluminate can be used with
modem screen reading applications.
On the other end of things is the ability and need to provide the largest and easiest
to see presentations possible, so as to give everyone a decent chance at seeing what
is going on. Elluminate allows you to specify a custom presentation size, called
"Screen Size" for your presentations. You can select from a variety of pre-defined
resolutions, or you can choose your own custom settings. In addition to specifying
screen sizes for your presentations, Elluminate allows you to enlarge images placed
on the whiteboard by selecting them and using the resizing tools to enlarge the
Image.
Elluminate Specify Import Screen Size Dialog
Audio Access
CCC Confer's Elluminate System provides a Closed Captioning icon in the top
menu bar that allows for deaf and hearing impaired users to receive captions when
they are available.
It is important to remember that captions must be specifically requested when you
request your Elluminate session. A captioner will be provided for your session and
all participants in the session will have the option to display the captions or not.
Closed Captioning will be retained in archived sessions so that students can always
have access to the information. Additionally, the captions can be saved as text files
for later use and review outside the Elluminate session. The Closed Captions in
Elluinate can be enlarged as well, up to 32 points.
In addition to the Closed Caption capability, students who are deaf or hard of
hearing can utilize the text chat area to participate in conversations and ask the
instructor questions.
•
The "Participants" dialog provides an overview of the Elluminate session
participants, and will provide a visual indication when someone is using audio, and
can be used to communicate other standard crowd responses.
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
•
~~I.lIt~
Elluminate Participants Window
Keyboard Access
As a modem electronic information and communications system, Elluminate
meets the 508 criteria for accessibility including keyboard operability. Keyboard
operability allows for students who can't use a mouse to operate and interact
with the Elluminate system. These keyboard commands arc useful for everyone,
regardless of disability.
Application Sharing
When using application sharing, take snapshots of the application and send it to the
whiteboard pressing Ctrl + Print Screen from time to time.
•
If you are sharing moderator privileges, you can take back control of the
presentation by pressing Ctrl + Space Bar.
To terminate application control, press Ctrl + Pause.
Audio and Video Communication
Press & Release the Talk button = Ctrl + F2
Start & Stop video transmission = Ctrl + F3
Chat Commands
Chat = Ctrl
+m
Laughter emoticon = Ctrl + Alt + 1
Applause emoticon = Ctrl + Alt + 2
Confusion emoticon = Ctrl + Alt + 3
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Disapproval emoticon = Ctrl + Alt + 4
•
Hand Raise
= Ctrl + R
Poll Response Yes
= Ctrl + 1
Poll Response No = Ctrl + 2
(Note: These key commands will lend themselves nicely to a table layout once
inside MoodIe)
•
•
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Creating Accessible Online Courses
Notes
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•
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96