Opening Doors An introduction to technology accessibility.

ACCESSIBILITY What is it? Why do we need to worry about it?

What does it mean? able to be reached or approached able to be used or obtained easy to appreciate or understand From

Another definition capable of being reached capable of being used, seen, or known : OBTAINABLE From bin/student?book=Student&va=accessiblehttp:// bin/student?book=Student&va=accessible

POUR, as per the W3C Perceivable Users must be able to perceive the information being presented Operable Users must be able to operate the interface Understandable Users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface Robust Users must be able to access the content as technologies advance

In other words… Meet people where they are online. Free digital information to the broadest audience. Intentionally include more people. Take responsibility for our digital material.

Three important pieces Universal access Don’t restrict anyone from getting where they want to go. Fair and equal Make the experience equivalent regardless of factors we cannot control. Technology compatibility Make digital content as understandable to technology as possible.

Universal access Let more people use digital stuff. Don’t discriminate.

Fair and equal availability Make the experience as equivalent as possible regardless of what we cannot control. Computer type Tablet size Phone operating system Disability Visual Hearing Motor Cognitive

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY INTERLUDE Technology That Helps More People Use Technology

Visual disabilities Blindness, low vision, color blindness, etc. Glasses Operating system zoom features Screen reading software Braille readers

Hearing disabilities Full/partial deafness Captioned video Transcribed audio

Technology as AT

Motor disabilities Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, full/partial paralysis, fine motor Keyboards Adaptive switches Breath controls

Wide spectrum of AT

Cognitive disabilities Behavioral, learning, sensory Calendar reminders Simplified content layout

Technology and technology Make content understandable to technology. Searches Assistive technology (AT)

Accessibility is… …not just a technology issue …decentralized …a matter of civil rights …especially critical for state agencies

General notes We already have most of the tools Making accessible content is easier in many authoring tools. Accessible material is easier for everyone to use. Headings Color contrast Video captions for multilingual audience, large presentation space, quiet viewing, multimodal learning.

Statute Federal Rehabilitation Act Section 503 Section 504 Section 508 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) State Oklahoma’s Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility (EITA) Law

Rehabilitation Act Section 503 Employment Section 504 Programmatic Access Section 508 ICT Accessibility in procurement

Americans with Disabilities Act Title I Employment Title II Access to public sector programs

Oklahoma’s EITA Law Echoes Section 508 standards Broadly applicable to state agencies and institutions Created Law Standards EITA Advisory Council Additionally Accessibility Compliance Representatives created 2006

Where Does EITA Apply? State agency Any office, officer, bureau, board, counsel, court, commission, institution, unit, division, body or house of the executive or judicial branches of the state government, whether elected or appointed, excluding political subdivisions of the state. Includes agencies, Regents, higher education institutions, Career Tech Covers technology procured by grantees when program includes technology.

Goals of EITA The law requires state agencies to make information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities and was adopted to: Reduce information technology barriers. Provide new opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Encourage the development of new technologies to adhere to these goals.

What’s in it? Software applications and operating systems Web-based information or applications Telecommunication products Video and multimedia products Desktop and portable computers Information, documentation and support Self contained, closed products

Changing Policies Advanced Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ADA Title II and Title III Will encompass digital environments explicitly Section 508 Will refer to updated international standards

Progress Next steps Title II Still waiting Section 508 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking possible this month More public comment Possible revision before final regulations issued Set time for everyone to implement changes Possibly policy late this year, could be 2015

Who is responsible? Vendors Purchasing agents Content authors/managers Administration and management Developers and designers Project managers Business analysts Policy makers/standard bearers Legislators Lawyers

What to Do? First: We’ll help you Identify technology tools Identify who uses/creates/purchases/owns them Get more detailed with those folks Second: Get more familiar Third: Look for our trainings in the fall!

Contact Us! Brenda Dawes, Program Manager, Oklahoma ABLE on Twitter Rob Carr, Accessibility Coordinator, Oklahoma ABLE on Twitter