accessibility

Accessibility-related resources/updates

On 05/31/2011, in accessibility / UDL, emerging technologies, instructional design, by Daniel Christian

New U.S. Dept. of Ed. Guidance on Accessibility and Emerging Technologies — from Educause

Also see (with my thanks to Capella University here):

The Federal Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (June, 2001). Web-based intranet and internet information and applications (1194.22) Retrieved at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm.

The Federal Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (n.d.). Electronic and information technology standards: An overview. Retrieved from http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/summary.htm.

United States Department of Justice (2009). Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm.

United States Government (1998). Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Retrieved from http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=1998Amend.

WebAIM Section 508 Checklist. Retrieved at http://webaim.org/standards/508/checklist.

…and http://www.automaticsync.com/

Tagged with: accessibility • emerging technologies • instructional design

How the iPad can help learning disabled students [Windman]

On 05/13/2011, in accessibility / UDL, education technology, by Daniel Christian

How the iPad can help learning disabled students — from techlearning.com by guest blogger Vicki Windman

Excerpt:

Students with learning disabilities may have problems with reading, math, reasoning and recall. But given the appropriate tools, learning disabled students too can achieve academic success. The iPad has numerous apps to help learning disabled students compensate for their particular disability.

Tagged with: accessibility • educational technology • human-computer interaction (HCI) • iPad

Items from Learning Ally

On 04/18/2011, in accessibility / UDL, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

New Digital Pen & Paper Solution from AssistiveTek, LLC

Tagged with: accessibility

How to create accessible Microsoft Office files

On 04/12/2011, in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, Microsoft, by Daniel Christian

How to create accessible Microsoft Office files — from The Chronicle by Cory Bohon

Whenever you are creating content for mass consumption (be it students, co-workers, or the Web), you should consider the accessibility of what you are creating. For example, if your content has audio, have you created a transcript or captions so that deaf people can access it? If your content has important visual information, have you formatted this information in a way that is compatible with the assistive technology used by people who are blind or have low vision?

Tagged with: accessibility • assistive technologies • Microsoft

iPads, iPod Touches, and iPhones as Assistive Technology in Education

On 04/08/2011, in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, human-computer interaction (HCI), K-12 related, student teaching/teacher education, by Daniel Christian

iPads, iPod Touches, and iPhones as Assistive Technology in Education — from Tech & Learning

Some items re: VoiceThread and accessibility

On 04/06/2011, in accessibility / UDL, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, tools, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Accessibility

At VoiceThread, we believe universal accessibility means more than just saying we meet a few guidelines in Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act. We do want to make our software usable by all people, and Section 508 does a good job of encouraging that, but we want to go one step further and make it straightforward and pleasant for everyone to use, as well. We want to serve the needs of a person with dyslexia or ADHD, an outdoor classroom with mobile devices, a user in the developing world without high-speed internet, a kindergartner, or an elderly lifelong learner. In our experience, the only way to do this is by thoughtful and sensitive design, with lots of input from our differently-abled users, and that’s something that can’t be contained in any number of checkboxes.

Also see:

Tagged with: accessibility • digital audio • digital learning • digital video • tools • web-based collaboration

Also see:

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • accessibility • Apple • convergence • digital audio • digital learning • digital photography • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • disruption • e-books • e-learning • e-readers • educational technology • emerging technologies • engagement • iPad • iTunes U • Mobile learning • mobile technology • online learning • online media • publishing • tablets • transmedia • videoconferencing

Coping with learning disabilities

On 02/25/2011, in accessibility / UDL, learning, by Daniel Christian

Coping with learning disabilities — from education-portal.com by Megan Driscoll
Afraid you or your child might be affected by a learning disability (LD)? Learn how to identify signs of common learning disabilities and access special education opportunities.

Tagged with: accessibility • learning disabilities

Section 508-related resources [esp. as related to IT]

On 02/23/2011, in accessibility / UDL, education technology, IT in HE, by Daniel Christian

-My thanks to Mr. Michael Haan, Calvin College, for this resource

Also see:

Is Ed Tech Accessible Enough? — from CampusTechnology.com by Bridget McCrea
Technology opens doors for college students and teachers, but it’s not always adequate for non-traditional learners, despite meeting existing accessibility standards.
Helen Lee knows what it’s like to get excited about a new piece of classroom technology. But as assistant professor for Western Michigan University’s Department of Blindness & Low Vision Studies in Kalamazoo, Lee also is familiar with the bitter disappointment that comes when her students can’t use some or all of the technology.

Tagged with: accessibility • educational technology • higher education • IT

Trends in Ed: High-Tech Help [from Columbia Univ]

On 01/20/2011, in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, education technology, by Daniel Christian

Trends in Ed: 01.19.2011 – High-Tech Help — from EdLab at Teachers College, Columbia University by Angela Lee

Do you think you can survive completing an email, report, or business letter without the help of spell check?

This New York Times article sums up some of the most popular assistive technologies on the market. These tools are not limited to users with learning disabilities, but also extremely popular among general learners.

However, Michael L. Kamil, a consulting professor at the Stanford University School of Education and an expert on adolescent literacy and technology, warns that not every product is going to be useful, so before you spend $100 for a smart pen or $300 for an electronic learner, you should consult with the professional who has evaluated your learning ability.

Below is some of the most popular assistive technology we use today…

From the NYT article, for more information, see:

“Assistive Technology: A Parent’s Guide,” by Marshall H. Raskind and Kristin Stanberry. A downloadable PDF with worksheet helps parents match technologies.
CALL Scotland, a unit within the University of Edinburgh’s education school. (CALL stands for Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning.) A Web site with studies and books on assistive technologies: callscotland.org.uk/
National Center on Universal Design for Learning. A group advocating for products and services useful to all people, including those with disabilities: udlcenter.org
Digital Text Notes. A blog from Landmark College with regular updates on news about how technology can help people with learning disabilities: digitaltext.wordpress.com /

Tagged with: accessibility • assistive technologies • educational technology

Using Microsoft’s speech recognition: helping my stepfather manage Parkinson’s

On 01/11/2011, in accessibility / UDL, digital audio, Microsoft, productivity / tips and tricks, by Daniel Christian

Using Microsoft’s speech recognition: helping my stepfather manage Parkinson’s — from DavidWees.com

Tagged with: accessibility • digital audio • Microsoft • productivity • tips and tricks

How can words describe this?

On 01/04/2011, in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, psychology, relationships, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
Again, my thanks to Mr. Joseph Byerwalter for this amazing item.

How can words describe this? I’m not sure they can…but the words/feeble attempts that come to my mind are:

Perseverance
Patience
Hope
Love
Success
Pain can reach to the heavy depths of human existence
Joy can rise up to the highest heavens
Look for the invisible, not the visible
The human body and mind is amazingly complex
The love of a father and mother can be enormously strong and powerful
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”

I stand in awe of families and people like this; they humble me, yet again.

The article behind the above video can be found at:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/MindMoodNews/story?id=8258204&page=1

Tagged with: accessibility • assistive technologies • cognitive psychology / computing • psychology • relationships

The iPad—Breaking new ground in Special Education

On 12/01/2010, in accessibility / UDL, Apple, education technology, human-computer interaction (HCI), student-related, teaching & learning, tools, by Daniel Christian

The iPad—Breaking new ground in Special Education — from District Administration.com by Marion Herbert
Apple’s iPad has received an unanticipated reaction from the autistic community.

Tagged with: accessibility • Apple • educational technology • human-computer interaction (HCI) • iPad • student-related • tools

iPad opens world to a disabled boy

On 11/01/2010, in accessibility / UDL, Apple, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: accessibility • Apple • iPad

Special Education area of iTunes Apps Store (from Assistive Technology blog)

On 10/25/2010, in accessibility / UDL, Apple, assistive technologies, by Daniel Christian

Originally saw this at:
Assistive Technology by Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D

Tagged with: accessibility • Apple • assistive technologies

Previous Entries Next Entries

Learning Ecosystems

Accessibility-related resources/updates

How the iPad can help learning disabled students [Windman]

Items from Learning Ally

How to create accessible Microsoft Office files

Some items re: VoiceThread and accessibility

iPad 2 announced

Coping with learning disabilities

Section 508-related resources [esp. as related to IT]

Trends in Ed: High-Tech Help [from Columbia Univ]

Using Microsoft’s speech recognition: helping my stepfather manage Parkinson’s

How can words describe this?

iPad opens world to a disabled boy

Special Education area of iTunes Apps Store (from Assistive Technology blog)

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