[Athen] February EASI Newsletter

[Prof Norm Coombs]

                     EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
February Newsletter

This month, we have a rich array of opportunities to share with you:
Podcasts and Vodcasts
EASI Online Course: Barrier-free Web Design
Webinars: 6 different Webinar experiences with both EASI and guest speakers

February is ALMOST here.  Several of these opportunities start at the 
beginning of the month.  Don't put off checking out these opportunities.
Podcasts and Vodcasts
We now have 4 different Podcast and Vodcasts we deliver every month.  The 
newest one shares videos designed to watch online or, better, on your 
MP4-enabled personal player.  These are all captioned
IT Tips and Tricks shares audio on ideas to make information technology 
more accessible.
It's About People Not Technology contains personal interviews
AT conferences carries recordings from recent conferences.  This month is a 
presentation from the 2007 Higher Ground conference about accessible math
You can find these from the Podcast link on the home page (http://easi.cc)

EASI's online courses can be taken individually or 5 of them will earn the 
Certificate in Accessible Information Technology.  This month, the course 
is Beginner Web Design.  While for many this may be old hat, the Web is 
including more and more interactive elements which cause new accessibility 
problems.  While this is an overview course, it does introduce participants 
to making interactive elements accessible.
The course starts Feb. 4 but registrations will be accepted till Feb. 8.
You can read more and register at (http://easi.cc) and select courses


Six different Webinar experiences (2 are fee-based series and 4 are open to 
the public.

Taming MS Office Programs Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
This series will aim at different audiences.  One focus will be on using 
these applications to create output for delivery in several different modes 
but in formats that will be accessible to users with disabilities.  The 
other focus will be to help users with disabilities and their trainers to 
master these products using their special software.
Accessible Blogs and Wikis Feb. 7, 14, 21 28
Blogs, Wikis and the many different formats of social networking are prime 
examples of how the Web is more than a window through to view 
information.  It is now highly interactive enabling the user both to 
interact with the Web itself and to interact with other people through the 
medium of the Web.

These 2 fee-based Webinar series are free to EASI Webinar annual 
members.  The normal fee is $195 per series.
Read about these and register from the Webinar link on the home page 
(http://easi.cc)
There are 4 open, public Webinars but you need to register online in 
advance to reserve a seat in the Webinar room.  These can be found from the 
Webinar link on the home page (http://easi.cc)

1  AutoHotkeys (Feb. 13 and 20) is software that makes it easier to create 
your own hot keys.  The application is accessible and people with 
disabilities are some of those who benefit from these tools to facilitate 
manipulating a computer.  This is a 2-part public series

2 Bookshare update Feb. 26 AT NOON EASTERN
Jim Fruchterman will provide an update.  With the new grant Bookshare has 
received, it will become more useful and important as a resource for 
electronic texts

3.  Webinar Snapshot, Accessible Cell Phones Feb 6
This will be a short overview of the current state of the accessibility of 
cell phones.  Accessibility of these phones has been slow in coming and is 
still less than perfect.

4 Webinar snapshot Feb. 27 demonstrating editing audio with Audacity open 
source software.  With the popularity of making podcasts, free open source 
editing software is a good place to get started.

Both individuals and institutions can benefit from subscribing to the EASI 
Webinar Annual Membership.  For one fee, you can access all the fee-based 
Webinar series for an entire year and get a discount on all courses.  Read 
more at:
http://easi.cc/sub.htm

or write me:
norm.coombs at gmail.com