SETSIG Resources for ISTE SIGs: Understanding the Importance of Web Accessibility
by The SETSIG Executive Committee
Over a lifetime, each of us will experience situations in which we personally, or someone we know, will encounter a limitation due to aging, disease, accident, or disability that will impact the ability to perform basic life functions such as hearing, seeing, self-care, mobility, working, and learning. Whereas some of us may be born with a disability or disease that will require us to overcome limitations throughout our life, others will need to learn how to respond to challenges that arise from an accident or simply growing older. As a result, understanding how to make the Web accessible has the potential to impact everyone, either directly as a personal user, or as a means of helping someone we know.
Historically, individuals with disabilities have been left behind in most technological advances because their special needs were overlooked in the design and development of new technologies. Fortunately, accessibility advocates were in on the ground floor of the establishment of Web standards, and thus Web accessibility has been a design consideration from the outset (http://www.w3.org/WAI/).
Disability simulations have been developed to help educational leaders experience the effect of a disability and its impact on learning. Visit http://www.webaim.org/simulations/ and select one of four simulations: (1) Screen reader simulation to experience a screen reader and learn how inaccessible content affects screen reader users, (2) Low-vision simulation to view web content as seen by those with several types of vision disabilities, (3) Dyslexia simulation to experience some common symptoms of dyslexia, or (4) distractability simulation to experience the frustrations similar to what someone with certain cognitive disabilities may experience on the Web. These are powerful learning opportunities to sensitize Web developers to the need for accessible Web design.
To learn more about Web accessibility, here is an excellent free short course: http://www.webaim.org/intro/. SIG leaders understand the importance of the Web in schools and society. However, does your SIG actively advocate for the design of accessible Web pages?
For the latest information on web accessibility guidelines, consult these links:
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/?id=3512&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-WCAG20-20081211/
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/Overview.html
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/
http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20
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