DC: I wonder if this will come standard in the future. Nice feature.#accessibility https://t.co/vC4xoMLQYI
— Daniel Christian (he/him/his) (@dchristian5) April 24, 2023
On 04/26/2023,
in A/V -- audio/visual, accessibility / UDL, Amazon, assistive technologies, digital audio, digital video,
by Daniel Christian
On 03/27/2023,
in 24x7x365 access, accessibility / UDL, active learning, adjunct faculty, colleges, community colleges, education technology, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, faculty/staff, higher education, ideas, innovation, instructional design, law schools, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning theories, pedagogy, productivity / tips and tricks, professional development, teaching & learning, United States, universities,
by Daniel Christian
On 03/18/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), global / globalization, neurodivergent/special needs, society, sociology,
by Daniel Christian
Join us to promote full inclusion on World Down Syndrome Day
21 March is World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) as declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011.
On this day, people with Down syndrome and those who live and work with them throughout the world organise and participate in activities and events to raise public awareness and create a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down syndrome.
WDSD has an official website, created and updated by DSi, where we share global events and activities.
United Nations | March 21 2023 is World Down Syndrome Day — from un.org
Excerpt:
Down syndrome occurs when an individual has an extra partial (or whole) copy of chromosome 21. It is not yet know why this syndrome occurs, but Down syndrome has always been a part of the human condition. It exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics and health.
Adequate access to health care, to early intervention programmes, and to inclusive education, as well as appropriate research, are vital to the growth and development of the individual.
Also relevant/see:
On 03/13/2023,
in accessibility / UDL,
by Daniel Christian
On 02/23/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), Google, neurodivergent/special needs,
by Daniel Christian
Google Enhances Accessibility Information — from disabilityscoop.com by Shaun Heasley
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Google is making it easier to find out if places in the community are accessible to people with disabilities, all with the touch of a button.
The company said recently that it is expanding a feature called “Accessible Places,” which allows Google Maps users to see if businesses are wheelchair accessible and free of stairs.
Google originally rolled out Accessible Places in 2020 in the U.S., Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom, but now says the option is available globally and includes details on more than 40 million locations.
Along the lines of accessibility-related items, see:
Over 11 Million Jobs in the U.S. May Exclude Color-Blind Persons — from billfischer.substack.com by Bill Fischer
Employing design solutions that involve text, pattern, and other types of visual differentiation besides color as well as developing color-identifying smart-glasses technology can start to break down occupational barriers for color-blind persons.
Excerpt:
Below is a list of occupations that require testing for color-blindness, divided into two categories: those in which design choices create challenges and those in which the issues are rooted in the natural environment.
On 02/14/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), web design and production,
by Daniel Christian
“Click Here” Isn’t Enough Context for Hyperlinks — from boia.org
Excerpt:
If a link reads “click here,” “learn more,” or “read more,” you’re not telling users anything about the link’s purpose — you’re simply telling them that they can click on the link (and most users understand that hyperlinks can be activated).
That can be frustrating for many people. Unfortunately, it’s a common user experience (UX) issue, but it’s easy to correct.
4 Things People with Disabilities Look For On Your Website — from boia.org
Excerpts:
To that end, it’s useful to consider what individuals with disabilities experience when visiting a new website — the features that tell them whether or not your website is accessible.
1. An Accessibility Statement
2. Consistent Web Design
…
4 Simple Ways That Content Writers Can Promote Accessibility — from boia.org
Excerpts:
1. Look for inclusive stock photos
2. Avoid making assumptions about your readers
…
On 02/11/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), content development, aggregation, repositories, curriculum, education, neurodivergent/special needs, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Imagine Learning Announces Major New Special Education Initiative — from businesswire.com; via GSV
Excerpt:
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Imagine Learning, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the United States serving 15 million students in more than half the districts nationwide, today announced a major new initiative to address the urgent learning needs of more than seven million students with disabilities across the U.S.
…
Imagine Learning is also launching Imagine AscendTM, a new comprehensive solution for special education students that combines digital courseware with highly qualified virtual instructors. Imagine Ascend provides districts with a sustainable solution for staffing shortages and a scalable approach to increasing graduation rates, both critical needs of special education programs. The Imagine Ascend portfolio of curricula and services will support learners with accommodating instruction and help educators serve students with disabilities.
On 01/25/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, attention, education, Emotion, engagement / engaging students, homeschooling/homeschoolers, instructional design, K-12 related, learning, learning ecosystem, Learning Experience Design, learning preferences, learning theories, memory, neurodivergent/special needs, podcasting, psychology, research, science, youth,
by Daniel Christian
Learn Smarter Podcast — from learnsmarterpodcast.com
Somewhat along these lines…for some other resources related to the science of learning, see cogx.info’s research database:
Scientific Literature Supporting COGx Programs
COGx programs involve translation of research from over 500 scientific sources. The scientific literature below is a subset of the literature we have used and organized by subject area to facilitate access. In addition, we have worked directly with some of the authors of the scientific literature to help us translate and co-create our programs. Many of the scientific papers cited below were written by COGx Academic Partners.
Topics include:
-
- Information Processing
- Executive Function
- Long-Term Memory
- Metacognition
- Emotions & Engagement
- Cognitive Diversity
Also see:
USEFUL LEARNING WITH EFRAT FURST (S3E10) — from edcircuit.com with Efrat Furst, Tom Sherrington, and Emma Turner
On 01/25/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, assistive technologies, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, colleges, community colleges, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, experimentation, higher education, instructional design, internet, IT in HE, law schools, tools, training / L&D, universities, vendors, web design and production,
by Daniel Christian
6 Free Tools for Evaluating Web Accessibility — from boia.org
Excerpt:
Can you evaluate your website’s accessibility on your own?
Not necessarily. To ensure conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), you’ll need to test your content regularly by using both manual and automated tools. Ideally, manual tests should be performed by human testers who have disabilities.
However, as you learn about the concepts of WCAG, you can use free tools to test your website for common barriers. If you’re a web designer or developer, online tools can be a vital resource as you incorporate the best practices of inclusive design.
Below, we’ll discuss six free tools that can help you make better design decisions.
On 01/20/2023,
in accessibility / UDL, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), colleges, community colleges, higher education, IT in HE, law schools, neurodivergent/special needs, UK, United States, universities, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
College Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Parents — from ivypanda.com; with thanks to Yvonne McQuarrie for this resource
Excerpt:
According to recent statistics, 18% of undergraduate and 12% of graduate students have temporary, relapsing, or long-term disabilities. Students might have noticeable disabilities, but many disorders are “hidden.” Luckily, modern colleges have many resources that allow people with disabilities to attend classes and thrive in their academic life. This guide will focus on the advice that can help students with disabilities successfully navigate their higher education.
On 01/07/2023,
in A/V -- audio/visual, accessibility / UDL, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, assistive technologies, business, global / globalization, neurodivergent/special needs, productivity / tips and tricks, society, technologies for your home, technology (general), tools, user experience (UX), vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Digital Trends’ Tech For Change CES 2023 Awards — from digitaltrends.com by Drew Prindle
Excerpt:
CES is more than just a neon-drenched show-and-tell session for the world’s biggest tech manufacturers. More and more, it’s also a place where companies showcase innovations that could truly make the world a better place — and at CES 2023, this type of tech was on full display. We saw everything from accessibility-minded PS5 controllers to pedal-powered smart desks. But of all the amazing innovations on display this year, these three impressed us the most…
Also relevant/see:
- Digital Trends’ Top Tech of CES 2023 Awards — digitaltrends.com by Digital Trends Staff
- From Autocycles to Flying Cars, the Wild Mobility Solutions on Display at CES 2023 — from singularityhub.com by Vanessa Bates Ramirez
- This AI cloned my voice using just three minutes of audio — from digitaltrends.com by Drew Prindle
On 12/24/2022,
in accessibility / UDL, business, colleges, community colleges, corporate / business world, legislatures / government / legal, policy, United States, universities, vendors, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
Five Years of ADA Web and App Lawsuits — Key Observations & Trends — from blog.usablenet.com
Speaking of accessibility, also relevant/see:
- 5 Quick Writing Tips for Creating More Accessible Content — from boia.org
On 11/22/2022,
in accessibility / UDL, Bias | Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I), Daniel S. Christian, education technology, face-to-face, ideas, innovation, machine-to-machine communications, robotics, tools, United States, universities, usability, user experience (UX), vendors,
by Daniel Christian
Your iPhone Has 26 New Accessibility Tools You Shouldn’t Ignore — from ios.gadgethacks.com by Jovana Naumovski
Excerpt (emphasis DSC):
Magnifier has a new Door Detection option on iOS 16, which helps blind and low-vision users locate entryways when they arrive at their destination. The tool can tell you how far away the door is, if the door is open or closed, how to open it (push it, turn the knob, pull the handle, etc.), what any signs say (like room numbers), what any symbols mean (like people icons for restrooms), and more.
From DSC:
By the way, this kind of feature would be great to work in tandem with devices such as the Double Robotics Telepresence Robot — i.e., using Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications to let the robot and automatic doors communicate with each other so that remote students can “get around on campus.”
Along the lines of accessibility-related items, also relevant/see:
Microsoft introduces sign language for Teams — from inavateonthenet.net
Excerpt:
Microsoft has announced a sign language view for Teams to help signers and others who use sign language. The information on screen will be prioritised on centre stage, in a consistent location, throughout every meeting.
When sign language view is enabled, the prioritised video streams automatically appear at the right aspect ratio and at the highest available quality. Like pinning and captioning, sign language view is personal to each user and will not impact what others see in the meeting.