[Athen] FW: AT initiative (your attention please)

[Ron Stewart]

Morning,

I think we need to look at compliance, functional accessibility, and
usability as occurring on a continuum.  One of the conversations I often get
into with IT folks is the cost benefit ratios of each level of
accessibility, and providing clear examples of how conformance falls short.
My preference at this point is that it be an ATHEN Taskforce unless we find
we need to bring in outside expertise to do the job right,

Ron

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Pratik Patel
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 4:08 AM
To: ea at emptech.info; 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] FW: AT initiative (your attention please)

Ron, E.A., et al,

Perhaps we can compile a master checklist from the various documents we may
have floating around.  I have one that I tend to use.  Would you all agree
that we are, at this point, seeking functional accessibility rather than
adherence to any particular "standard?" It appears to me that standards, at
least when it comes to accessibility, are just not keeping up to
technological developments. I believe Bob Martinengo is not on this list but
we should invite him to join the list and as a member.

This discussion is very important for the taskforce or any future projects
we take on.  It will give us a baseline document with eval guidelines which
we  might reference.  Whatever we look at will have a higher ed flavor to it
such that it will be a significant step for our Educause discussions as
well.  I like the cross-polination possibilities.

Take care all,

Pratik



-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of E.A. Draffan
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 3:03 PM
To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] FW: AT initiative (your attention please)

Bit late in the day but I have been catching up - Pratik and I were
discussing open source CMS and e-learning or distance learning issues and
the problems of evaluations. I feel it would be wonderful to collaborate on
some of this work to make it easier for us all.  We have PAS 78 in the UK a
"Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites"
http://www.drc-gb.org/library/website_accessibility_guidance/pas_78.aspx
and ISO 9241-171
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_s
acstandards.hcsp

Best Wishes E.A.

Mrs E.A. Draffan
Assistive Technologist
Mobile: 07976 289103 
http://www.emptech.info/

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Ron Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 5:52 PM
To: 'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'
Subject: Re: [Athen] FW: AT initiative (your attention please)

This was one of the topics of discussion at the CSUN meeting and we can move
forward fairly easily.  I have the evaluation checklists that my program
developed at OSU and I am more than willing to share, and I bet several of
you have similar things.

Bob is this something you are willing to take the lead on?  Folks who were
at the CSUN-ATHEN meeting, how do you see this fitting into our taskforce
conversation?

Ron Stewart

-----Original Message-----
From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On
Behalf Of Greg Kraus
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 11:22 AM
To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network
Subject: Re: [Athen] FW: AT initiative (your attention please)

One solution would be to set up a Wiki where ATHEN members, or maybe a
select group of testers from within ATHEN could review products for
accessibility. 
You could come up with a template that rates various areas of software
accessibility (something like a VPAT?).  That way an "accessibility tester"
can add comments to a particular area of the review as opposed to doing a
full-blown test of the software. 
Collectively you could build up quite a resource of unbiased reviews of
software.

Greg Kraus

LecShare, Inc.
www.lecshare.com


--- "Berkowitz, Daniel J" <djbrky at bu.edu> wrote:


> ATTENTION ATHEN MEMBERS: 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Kenneth Sawicki [mailto:ksawicki at avc.edu]

> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 10:45 AM

> To: Alternate Media

> Subject: RE: AT initiative

> 

> I wasn't here yesterday, but what Bob is saying hits the mark... I've 

> been thinking of doing something like that, and perhaps I should quit 

> thinking about doing something, and do it!!! I'm soooo tired of 

> reading, or hearing, "this Assistive Technology is totally accessible, 

> or is Section 508 compliant", and I try to use it, and can't..., And I 

> don't think it's my inability to use Assistive Technology.

> 

> -Ken

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Ron Stewart

> [mailto:ron.stewart at dolphinusa.com]

> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 8:58 AM

> To: Alternate Media

> Subject: RE: AT initiative

> 

> That conversation has come up repeatedly and was part of the 

> discussion when Section 508 was on the horizon many moons ago. NIST 

> refused to step up to the plate or was too expensive.  We really do 

> need a form of UL labs for access.  Let the buyer beware, but I am 

> really tired of back of the bus access!

> 

> One of my common policy recommendation to the collleges and 

> universities that I have worked with in the last decade is that access 

> be part of their own institutional branding of web spaces.

> 

> This needs to be an internal process because in order for it to work 

> there has to be ownership.  I be!ieve AFB has a certification program, 

> but it is VI centric, and does not deal effectively with cognitive 

> precessing related disabiities.

> 

> Ron

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: rmartinengo at gmail.com

> To: "Alternate Media"

> <altmedia at htclistserv.htctu.fhda.edu>

> Sent: 3/27/07 10:30 AM

> Subject: RE: AT initiative

> 

> Ron,

> 

> Sadly, it appears the main selling point for these programs is that 

> they measure legal and technical compliance, rather than what is truly 

> accessible and usable - quantatative versus qualitative analysis.

> 

> Wouldn't it be great if there was a 'good housekeeping' stamp of 

> accessibility that was more than an automated list of check points?

> Perhaps

> a nonprofit group that would combine the benefits of technical 

> compliance with real-world usability analysis. Someone should start 

> this company!

> 

> Bob

> 

> 

> "And this does nothing to insure the accessibility of their sites, 

> someone must be laffing all the way to the bank. We have discussed the 

> use of automated evaluators on every disability list that I am one, 

> and why the do not insure access. You can not just throw money and 

> technology at the problem."

> 

> Ron Stewart

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> 

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