[Athen] Accessibility for Online Course Student Using JAWS

[Jon Gunderson]

I think that if they were an on campus student, there would be some type of assistance provided to help the student "get through" the class.

Jon


---- Original message ----

>Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:42:33 -0500

>From: "Ron Stewart" <ron.stewart at dolphinusa.com>  

>Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessibility for Online Course Student Using JAWS  

>To: "'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'" <athen at athenpro.org>

>

>   I'll bite on this one.  It makes on difference if

>   the student is degree seeking or not they are still

>   a student.

>

>    

>

>   YES there are major issues with working with Visual

>   Studio and Visual C++ with any screen reader.  From

>   my last look there were typically work arounds for

>   the basics but the user needed to be a very

>   competent screen reader user.  There are also a lot

>   of issues with the drag and drop development

>   controls which I believe there are no work arounds

>   for. 

>

>    

>

>   It sounds like it may be necessary to separate the

>   lack of technical proficiency issues from the

>   accessibility issues.  Being unable to install a

>   program does not sound like a access issue.  Is the

>   Textbook CD and accessible piece of content?  If not

>   then that is also an issue but not one I would have

>   agreed to provide a tutor for.

>

>    

>

>   The fast majority of students I have worked with are

>   not, regardless of the flavor of screen reader used,

>   able to be fully proficient with many of these

>   products, especially when they are being exposed to

>   is as student.  As you may have found out VPAT's are

>   pretty much worthless for actually determining

>   usability.

>

>    

>

>   As far as the WebCT interface it has pretty much the

>   same issues as any other CMS but for the most part

>   the portal is fine with the exception of the Chat

>   and the other interactive tools.  I have recommended

>   that a student be allowed to work outside of the

>   WebCT portal since that is just a delivery system

>   not an actual part of the course content. 

>

>    

>

>   Sounds like a lot of specificity on the part of the

>   student is missing, and from this it is hard to

>   determine what are issues of access and which are

>   issues of ignorance.

>

>    

>

>   Ron Stewart

>

>    

>

>   From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org

>   [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] On Behalf Of

>   Larry Kiser

>   Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:00 AM

>   To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

>   Subject: [Athen] Accessibility for Online Course

>   Student Using JAWS

>

>    

>

>   Dear Colleagues:

>

>    

>

>   A non-degree seeking student who is blind and uses

>   JAWS at home elected to register for an online C++

>   course.  As the term began the student waited for

>   the instructor to send a personal email rather than

>   entering the WebCT course site.  After I explained

>   to the student the necessity of doing so I spent

>   considerable time writing up command protocols for

>   the student so the student could navigate the site. 

>   I was surprised that the student was unaware of many

>   available JAWS commands but the student appeared to

>   be able to access the course material with the

>   protocols.  The student then encountered problems

>   downloading and installing Visual Studio and using

>   the CD that came with the textbook.  At the

>   student's insistence the instructor located a tutor,

>   who is paid by the Division of Blind Services to go

>   to the student's home for tutoring sessions.  Last

>   week I got a call from the student who reported that

>   he was unable to access certain windows in Visual

>   Studio with JAWS.  The tutor was supposed to meet

>   with me in order that we could open the applications

>   with JAWS and determine if there was a work around. 

>   That has not yet occurred.  The student also claims

>   some of the course elements in WebCT are graphics

>   and inaccessible. 

>

>    

>

>   I am clear that if inaccessible graphics have been

>   incorporated into the course material I need to

>   collaborate with the instructor to make an

>   accessible alternative.  However, I am not clear

>   what the college's responsibility is regarding

>   problems with JAWS interacting with Microsoft's

>   Visual Studio.  Have any of you encountered similar

>   situations and how did you resolve it?  I did

>   download the VAT for that application from Microsoft

>   and noted that Microsoft claims it is 508 compliant

>   with some exceptions.  At this point I do not know

>   if the exceptions are the problem the student is

>   encountering.  The student has expressed the feeling

>   in an email that an alternative course format should

>   be made available in lieu of WebCT.  Would that be

>   considered a fundamental alteration of the course? 

>      

>

>    

>

>   Larry Kiser,  Counselor

>

>   Disabilities Resource Center

>

>   Santa Fe Community College

>

>   Gainesville, FL

>

>    

>

>    

>________________

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Jon Gunderson, Ph.D.
Coordinator Information Technology Accessibility
Disability Resources and Educational Services

Rehabilitation Education Center
Room 86
1207 S. Oak Street
Champaign, Illinois 61821

Voice: (217) 244-5870

WWW: http://www.cita.uiuc.edu/
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