Audio description is a term used to describe the descriptive narration of key visual elements in a video or multimedia product. This process allows individuals who are blind to access content that is not otherwise accessible simply by listening to the audio. In audio description, narrators typically describe actions, gestures, scene changes, and other visual information. They also describe titles, speaker names, and other text that may appear on the screen.
No. In a study conducted by Diane Cordry Golden of Missouri Assistive Technology in 2001, twenty-five "award winning" companies who produce instructional software for K-12 students (preschool through high school) were surveyed regarding the accessibility of their software to students with disabilities. Nineteen companies responded. Two reported that they were aware of accessibility issues and specifically Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. One of these two was beginning work on accessibility issues; the other had developed a planning committee.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a web markup language, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). CSS accompanies HTML and gives both developers and users more control over how pages are displayed. CSS allows web developers to separate the appearance of a page (CSS) from its structure and informational content (HTML). This is a good idea since users access content using a wide variety of devices and media. The presentation of a document should therefore not be the same for everyone, but content and structure should be.
An often-cited rule in web design is "Test your website." Typically this involves reviewing your site in multiple web browsers and at multiple screen resolutions, as well as checking spelling and links. An accessibility check should also be included in this process.
Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM), an organization funded by the U.S. Department of Education, recommends the following seven-step process in its document titled The Planning, Evaluation, Repair and Maintenance Process:
Educators utilize a wide variety of authoring tools to create web sites. In virtually every category of computer software, if content can be created, it can be saved or exported as HTML. Many web authors simply export the content of their word processing files or of files they've created using graphics applications. Unfortunately, much of this web content is inaccessible to users with disabilities.
According to the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0:
A user agent is any software that retrieves, renders and facilitates end-user interaction with web content. User agents include web browsers, media players, add-ons (plug-ins & extensions), and web applications that help in retrieving, rendering and interacting with web content.
Information technology accessibility discussions in education tend to focus on the accessibility of content, whether it is delivered on the web or in computer software applications. The accessibility of computer hardware, however, is equally critical, since even if content is accessible, an inaccessible computer can pose a barrier that denies a student or employee access to that content.
Scripting languages are becoming increasingly popular on the web, because they can be used to make web pages more dynamic and interactive. There are two types of scripting languages: server-side and client-side. Server-side scripting performs all of its processing on the web server and delivers a final product (the web page) to the user's browser. Server-side scripting does not, in and of itself, present accessibility problems. Like all web content, however, server-side scripts must produce content that follows principles of accessible design.
At the Pathways to Success for Students with Invisible Disabilities Capacity Building Institute (CBI), held at Landmark College from April 8 – 9, 2013, a panel of Landmark faculty members discussed several different technologies that can be helpful to students with invisible disabilities, including learning disabilities, attention deficits, and autism spectrum disorders. Listed below are some panelist suggestions.
Learning management systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, Canvas, Desire2Learn, and Moodle allow instructors to provide online courses within the context of a consistent standard interface. One accessibility benefit of using an LMS is that many students with disabilities have the greatest success in accessing web content when it is presented using a consistent layout. If an educational institution standardizes on a particular LMS package, students at that institution will likely encounter the same online course interface for many of their classes throughout their academic career.