XplanaZine

E-learners with low vision often find that online programs do not accommodate their needs. Departments often have an incomplete understanding of disability rights legislation. Hardware and software solutions exist, as well as web design that can assure compliance.

Low vision accessibility affects an increasing number of people as the American population ages. What is not often factored in, however, is the surge of individuals with low vision due to chronic disease, such as diabetes, and to war injuries in Afghanistan and Iraq, which some have estimated to be as high as 5,000 people. For disabled veterans, returning to school to pursue an education is a priority, and is often a part of a rehabilitation plan to enter a new career. For aging or chronically ill individuals, obtaining education and training online can also be a part of the pursuit of a second career.

Disability Rights Legislation:

In May 2002, the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division published “A Guide to Disability Rights Laws.” It provides an overview of the key legislation enacted since the pivotal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which took a first step in assuring that individuals with a disability in the United States have access to employment, commerce, and education.

In brief, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 made it illegal for any program or activity receiving Federal funding to fail to provide access to individuals with disabilities. It would be quite difficult to find a program or activity that does not receive federal financial assistance, even if they receive it indirectly.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Section 504
“Section 504 states that “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under” any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United States Postal Service.” http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm#anchor65610

Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Section 508
“Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.”
( http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm#anchor65610 )

§ 794d of Section 508 ( http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/act.htm ) deals specifically with electronic and information technology accessibility standards. This section created a very important provision, the “equivalent alternatives” or the “alternative means efforts,” which became the method by which most agencies and institutions achieved compliance:.

“When development, procurement, maintenance, or use of electronic and information technology that meets the standards published by the Access Board under paragraph (2) would impose an undue burden, the Federal department or agency shall provide individuals with disabilities covered by paragraph (1) with the information and data involved by an alternative means of access that allows the individual to use the information and data.” ( The Rehabilitation Act Amendments ).

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990: Regulations and Technical Assistance http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/publicat.htm
ADA Regulation for Title II , as printed in the Federal Register (7/26/91). The Department of Justice’s regulation implementing title II, subtitle A, of the ADA which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all services, programs, and activities provided to the public by State and local governments, except public transportation services.” (Regulations and Technical Assistance 2001).

Non-compliance can be costly. Not only must the non-compliant party remedy the situation by making the accommodations available, they can also lose government financial aid, and/or be required to stop operations until full compliance is established. ADA Title II complaints ( www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/t2cmpfrm.htm .) are filed by individuals or governmental agencies.

Hardware:

The following websites provide information about hardware that can be used with a personal computer to allow increased functionality and access for individuals with low vision.

IBM Accessibility Center — http://www-306.ibm.com/able/
This is an excellent page which provides links to many commercial products and services, ranging from text readers to guidelines for web developers. There are links to consultancy services which will evaluate client websites and provide customized programming and modification. This could be perfect for an institution needing an effective and timely return to compliance, although it could prove to be costly.

Freedom Scientific — http://www.freedomscientific.com/
JAWS for Windows ® — (screen-reader software)
http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp
JAWS is one of the most popular screen readers for personal computers. It includes software, a speech synthesizer, and a sound card to “read” the text on a screen to the low-vision user.

Adaptive Technology Resource Centre: http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/
Technology Glossary: http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/reference/tech/techgloss.html
The Adaptive Technology Resource Center offers information, workshops, and programs to help individuals with disabilities use technology to gain access, and it helps institutions develop programs that are accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Eyewear — Overview from the Low Vision Centers of Indiana ( http://www.eyeassociates.com/lowsysms.htm ): This website provides a catalogue of low vision solutions, ranging from goggles, to screen readers.

National Center for Accessible Media ( http://ncam.wgbh.org/ )
The National Center for Accessible Media, (NCAM), is a division of WBGH Boston, a 50-year-old institution of public broadcasting. It has been a leader in the development of media accessible technologies, including being a pioneer in captioning. Its radio, television, and webcast programs are enjoyed worldwide.

Software:

The following websites provide information about software that can be used with a personal computer to allow increased functionality and access for the blind or vision-impaired. These include screen readers, “talking books,” and software that scales and/or converts fonts.

Microsoft Accessibility — http://www.microsoft.com/enable/

Resource Guide for Individuals with Vision Difficulties and Impairment — http://www.microsoft.com/enable/guides/vision.aspx

Digital Talking Book — Section 508 standards: http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/talking-book/intro-eng.htm

Download gh PLAYER http://www.ghbraille.com/playerdownload.html

Design Guidelines:

The following websites provide information about how web design can help provide access to individuals with low vision. Guidelines include areas such as the use of color, types and sizes of fonts, use of style sheets, convertability, use of graphics, and more.

World Wide Web Consortion (W3C): Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 : http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/

American Council of the Blind — http://www.acb.org/

Designing Web Usability: http://www.usability.com/