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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I’ll bite on this one. It makes on difference if the
student is degree seeking or not they are still a student.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ron Stewart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
athen-bounces@athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces@athenpro.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Larry
Kiser<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:00 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Access Technologists in Higher Education Network<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Athen] Accessibility for Online Course Student Using JAWS<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Dear
Colleagues:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>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? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>Larry
Kiser</span><span style='font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>,</span><span
style='font-family:"Freestyle Script"'> </span><span style='font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>Counselor</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>Disabilities
Resource Center</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>Santa Fe
Community College</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Garamond","serif"'>Gainesville, FL
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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