Activity 24.3

Preliminary Review


Step 1 (Selecting a representative page sample)

• Should include the first page users will visit.
• Pages with tables.
• Pages with diagrams etc.
• Pages that perform functional scripts.

Step 2 (Examine pages using graphical browsers)

• Turn off images and observe if ALT text is present.
• Turn off sound and see if audio content is available through text equivalents.
• Use browser controls to see if text responds to changes, is it still usable at large size?
• Change the display to grey scale and check the colour contrast is adequate.
• Navigate around the content without using a mouse.

Step 3 (Examine pages using a specialized browser)

• Use Home Page Reader (voice browser) or a text browser (Lynx) and answer the following
• Is the site at an equivalent level to the GUI version?
• Is it in a meaningful order?

Step 4 (Use automated Web accessibility evaluation tools)

• Use at least 2 tools to analyse a selection f pages.
• Be cautious with the results, they should also be checked manually.

Step 5 (Summarise obtained results)

• Problems and positive aspects of the site.
• Indicate how you went about testing.
• Recommend follow-up steps, ie full conformance evaluation.

Activity 24.2

Which approach could you take in your role?


Firstly I would make sure all elements are in line with the relevant guidelines. Once I though I had go the package as good as I could I would ask someone with Dyslexia to test it for me. In an ideal world it would be nice to have a number of users, but sadly they are quite hard to find (or encourage to help). In reality I would ask my wife to take a look as she has similar technical knowledge to me but also has severe dyslexia. Best of both worlds. Lectora has an inbuilt checker so I think I would rely on this. I might even give screen readers a go, although we don't have any visually impaired users.

Are there any other approaches that you are familiar with?


No

Which approaches could you ask someone else in your organisation to do?


Follow guidelines

Which approaches would be appropriate for a large virtual learning environment (VLE) such as the one used for this module?


Set up a group of disabled users lead by an "expert"

Activity 19.1

Read the guidance resources in the next sections and make notes on:

• the level of detail – is the technical level suitable for you in your role?
• is the guidance complete – does it provide links to further information?
• would you recommend this guidance to anyone else in your organisation who needs this information?

Accessible Digital Media Guidelines

Very detailed resource covering many aspect of e-learning. This includes images, forms, tables, Interactivity, Graphs, Math, Multimedia. Seems very detailed, maybe a bit too much. I think I will use this but probably not recommend to anyone in my organisation.

WCAG 2.0 at a Glance

This looks like a very usable list of guidelines, not over technical so I would definitely recommend colleagues to take a look. From this page you can also go very deep into each area that needs to be made accessible.

Screen Readers and the Web


Dyslexia Style Guide

Very useful resource, as our main disability is dyslexia this will be useful. Although most of the guidelines are already in place.

Creating Accessible Presentations

Seems very similar to the site above.

Accessible PowerPoint – Guidelines

Very simple but good advice

Writing accessible electronic documents with Microsoft® Word

Same as above ppt ones

Preparing accessible documents

Can't access

Making the most of PDFs[Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] 





Seems like a good resource, lots of detail on how to make a pdf accessible.

Using Adobe tools to make accessible content

Bit boring

Creating Accessible PDF from MS Word 2003

Lot's of detail, would I use it? Probably not.

Creating Accessible Flash content

Nice site, I use flash so know most of what is stated.

Flash

Same as above.

Audio description

Guidance on standards for audio description

Too much info

Subtitling

The Future Will Be Captioned: Improving Accessibility on YouTube

Very interesting, youtube are giving the ability to auto caption content. Lets hope it works well.

Accessibility – Web Video Captioning Technologies

Gives a useful list of software for captioning of videos.

Creating Video and Multimedia Products That Are Accessible to People with Sensory Impairments

Signing of video

eSign project summary

Using avatars to sign on websites, good idea.

Activity 18.1

List of elements that need to be made accessible.

• Video Conferencing
• Text
• Photographs
• Diagrams
• Graphs (Use of .svg)
• Data tables
• Charts
• Documents
• Navigation
• Help
• Frames
• Forms
• Animations
• Background Colour
• Font Colour
• Audio
• Video
• Narration
• Flash
• Java Applets
• Buttons

Activity 17.1

List of Alternative Formats (Positive Features, Negative Features, Tech Resources and Human Resources.

• Closed Captioning
• Helps deaf users understand video.
• You could say it can be distracting although it can be turned off.
• Software like premier pro or equivalent.
• Someone who can use premier pro.

• Audio Narration
• Helps visual impaired/dyslexic users to understand text elements.
• Once again it could be distracting, but can be turned off.
• Audio software.
• Someone who can use such software.

• Word documents
• Providing inaccessible .pdf in this format can allow user to alter to their need.
• Loss of security features of .pdf
• Acrobat pro.
• Someone who can convert it.

• Transcripts
• Provides an alternative format to audio, beneficial to deaf users.
• Can't show the same feeling and emotion of spoken words.
• Computer.
• Someone who can transcribe the audio.

• Large Print
• Helps visually impaired user read text
• None
• Computer
• Someone to press print

Activity 15.1

For each of slides 7 to 14, choose the one technology that you are least familiar with and do an internet search to find out more.

• What are its main features?
• How expensive is it?
• Do suppliers also supply training?

OCR

• Ability to scan pages of text directly to a computer. This can then be read by the computer.
• £70
• Online support

Coloured Overlays

• Ability to change the colour of a printed document. Can choose best colour for yourself.
• £3 each
• No training

Foot Control

• Can be used as a mouse or keyboard emulator
• $139
• User guide

Switch Input

• Can be used as a mouse or keyboard emulator
• £270
• Home Demo

One-Handed Keyboard

• Can use one hand
• $199
• User guide

Enlarged Keyboard Labels

• Large font with high contrast colour scheme
• $3.89
• No

Braille Embosser

• Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into printed Braille output.
• £2000
• Yes

Loop Systems

• Allows hearing impaired students to listen to lectures etc
• £167
• Yes

Activity 14.1

Activity 1 - Accessibility Features of Windows

Task 1:

Open a new Word document and type a short postcard style message using the onscreen keyboard.

This is good fun, just like on a phone. Seems easy to use, just slower  that a keyboard. I think my finger has had enough now!

Task 2:

Switch on Windows Magnifier and read the article on the Island of Tuvalu using the magnifier pane.

Seems a little disorientating at first, after a few minutes I got into it and now seems quite good. Wouldn't use it though

Task 3:

Using the Windows Magnifier have a go at completing the interactive drag and drop exercise on Cheese Types.

Once again rather disorientating, hard to keep track on where you are on the screen.

Task 4:

Attempt to complete the interactive Word document on Rivers using ONLY shortcut keystrokes. 

Very difficult as I have never used such shortcuts, needed to use the help section to work out how to do it. I don't think it would take too long to master though.