Web Accessibility Information Resources

Abilityhub.com

AbilityHub.com's purpose is to help in finding information on adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers. The site covers many types of disabilities and technologies:

• Augmentative Communication


• Blind & Visually Impaired


• Cognitive Disabilities


• Deaf and Hard of Hearing


• Electronic Aids to Daily Living


• Learning Disabilities


• Mouse Alternatives


• Keyboard Alternatives


• Switch Access


• Text - To - Speech


• Speech Recognition

Accessibility in Distance Education: A Resource for Faculty in Online Teaching

The Accessibility in Distance Education (ADE) Web site focuses on helping faculty develop accessible online learning materials for people with disabilities. The Web site focuses on Web-based education rather than classroom-based instruction. It is divided into five major sections, targeting common accessibility questions:

1. What is Accessibility?


2. Legal Issues


3. Understanding Disabilities


4. What does an accessible Web site look like?


5. Best Practices

AccessibleNet.org: Web Accessibility Links and Resources

AccessibleNet.org is an independent, online directory of links and resources about Web accessibility. Included are some of the most popular, well-researched resources available in this field. New resources are always welcome and those that are accepted will be added to the directory. The database is updated daily with news, resources, reviews or ratings.

CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media

The CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) is a research and development facility dedicated to the issues of media and information technology for people with disabilities in their homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) — Web Design

EASI's mission is to serve as a resource by providing information and guidance in the area of access-to-information technologies by individuals with disabilities. They stay informed about developments and advancements within the adaptive computer technology field and spread that information to colleges, universities, K-12 schools, libraries and into the workplace.

HTML Writers Guild AWARE Center

The HTML Writers Guild AWARE (Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education) Center's mission is to serve as a central resource to web authors for learning about web accessibility.

Inaccessible Website Demonstration

When people consider disability and web use they often think only of blind people, but there are many types of disabilities which need to be considered. This demonstration attempts to give a sense of the kinds of difficulties faced by visitors with a variety of disabilities. The demonstrations make a few suggestions on improving accessibility, though they aren't the last word on the subject.

Macromedia's Accessibility Resource Center

Macromedia wants developers to get educated about accessibility. The Macromedia Accessibility Resource Center offers information on Section 508, how to create an accessible site, and accessibility by product:

• Flash MX 2004 — Build Flash content that meets policy and accessibility requirements.


• Dreamweaver MX 2004 — Learn about improvements for users of assistive technologies and for developers building web applications.


• Flex — Learn how to use the Accessibility Behavior library in Director MX to update existing Director movies for accessibility.

National Center on Accessible Distance Learning (AccessDL)

The National Center on Accessible Distance Learning (AccessDL) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education (grant # OPE P333A020044) to share guidance and resources on making distance learning courses accessible to students and instructors with disabilities. It is directed by DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) at the University of Washington. The site provides directions for joining a discussion list as well as publications, videos, websites, resource centers, promising practices, and research.

University of Toronto Adaptive Technology Resource Centre "Technical Glossary"

The University of Toronto Adaptive Technology Resource Centre Technical Glossary provides descriptions of broad categories of adaptive technologies with links to various products and their vendors. Listings are for reference purposes only and do not reflect endorsement by the Adaptive Technology Resource Centre.

University of Washington DO-IT (Disability, Opportunity, Internetworking, and Technology): Accessible Web Design

Web developers are encouraged to consider the full spectrum of visitors to their sites. This site provides some resources that may be helpful in creating pages that are accessible to everyone, including those who have disabilities.

Publications and Videotape from DO-IT

• World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design — accessible web pages.


• Videotape: World Wide Access.


• Creating Video and Multimedia Products that are Accessible to People with Sensory Impairments.

Information on accessible Web page design

Web Video Captioning

• Creating Video Products that are Accessible to People with Sensory Impairments.


• CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM).


• WGBH Descriptive Video Service.


• Trace Center R&D's Multimedia and Virtual Reality Access.

University of Wisconsin TRACE Research & Development Center — Designing More Usable Web Sites

The Trace Research & Development Center is a part of the College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Founded in 1971, Trace has been a pioneer in the field of technology and disability. The Trace Center is currently working on ways to make standard information technologies and telecommunications systems more accessible and usable by people with disabilities.

WebABLE!

WebABLE's mission is to make the Internet, World Wide Web, and software accessible to people with disabilities. They provide accessibility technology and services to corporate, government, educational, and non-profit clients.

WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)

Web Accessibility In Mind (WebAIM) is administered through a grant provided by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) Learning Anywhere Anytime Partnerships (LAAP). Their goal is to improve accessibility to online learning opportunities for all people; in particular to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities who currently may have a difficult time getting access to postsecondary online learning opportunities.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was created in October 1994 to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. W3C long term goals for the Web include making the Web accessible to all by promoting technologies that take into account the vast differences in culture, education, ability, material resources, and physical limitations of users on all continents; to develop a software environment that permits each user to make the best use of the resources available on the Web; and to guide the Web's development with careful consideration for the novel legal, commercial, and social issues raised by this technology.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) — Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

The World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) commitment to lead the Web to its full potential includes promoting a high degree of usability for people with disabilities. The W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), in coordination with organizations around the world, pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development.