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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Thank you, Teresa and Robert. You both echo what I’ve seen with our students. Fortunately the faculty member presenting the workshop is more pro-AT than not, and “gets” that
SWDs aren’t at an advantage when they have accommodations. I passed your information along to her, and she stopped by the lab to see what we’re talking about. She was “horrified” (her word) to know that both publishers were not doing more to assist in making
their products more accessible. One more faculty member on our side to take the message forward!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">NJ<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","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-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Teresa Haven<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2:50 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Athen] RE: McGraw-Hill's Connect / LearnSmart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I’ve had similar experiences testing MyWhateverLab and Pearson’s LearningStudio as Robert has had with McGraw-Hill’s products – inconsistent or non-existent reading experiences with JAWS, inability to access
edit fields, inability to alter exam timings, requirements of drag and drop or other mouse-only input/manipulation methods. So far the suggestions that “tech support” provides for solution are completely useless (“Use Internet Explorer and everything will
work fine”). Right now my suggestion is, unless you want to be in Penn State’s shoes, don’t adopt products like these and tell the companies why so that they can decide whether they want to comply with accessibility regulations or lose customers. I know
many faculty and administrators don’t want to hear that message, but we can keep trying to push it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Good luck!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Teresa<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Teresa LW Haven, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Supervisor, Alternative Format Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Disability Resource Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Arizona State University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="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-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Robert Beach<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 28, 2012 12:04 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Access Technology Higher Education Network<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Athen] RE: McGraw-Hill's Connect / LearnSmart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I have a student this semester “trying” to use Connect with JAWS and Window-Eyes in an accounting class. The picture is not pretty.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">On the quizzes, it is not possible to adjust the time for one student. Everybody gets the same amount of time. This means it is not possible to allow extra time as an accommodation. I have talked with the
tech support folks at McGraw-Hill on this and that is their final answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">There are many exercises/problems that require using drag and drop manipulation to answer the problems. The student is supposed to click on the correct answer and drag it into the correct box on the form. These
are not accessible for screen readers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Many of the problems require typing answers into edit fields or selecting answers from combo boxes. Some of these read correctly but many do not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">We do seem to have better results with JAWS than Window-Eyes, but even that is poor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Sorry the outlook is not better.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Robert Lee Beach<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Assistive Technology Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Kansas City Kansas Community College<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">7250 State Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Kansas City, KS 66112<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">913-288-7671<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:rbeach@kckcc.edu">rbeach@kckcc.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="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"">
<a href="mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu">athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu</a> [<a href="mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu">mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman1.u.washington.edu</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Normajean.Brand<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 28, 2012 1:23 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> ATHEN<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Athen] McGraw-Hill's Connect / LearnSmart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D">Hello Fellow Athenites!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D">I’ve been searching the archives for information on the accessibility of McGraw-Hill’s Connect and LearnSmart, and the closest message was from Shelly Haven back in January.
Has anyone had the opportunity to test these with JAWS or other AT? Our college is really pushing for more content using Connect, LearnSmart and Pearson’s My_(insert discipline here)_Lab. I do not have enough command of JAWS to really test the accessibility
of these, but I have students who do and I am getting the feedback that neither publisher’s software is accessible to them using JAWS. I’ve watched as these students struggle with trying to make JAWS work in those environments without much or any success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D">Now, I get an email asking me to assess the accessibility and report any findings of Connect and LearnSmart by this afternoon for a major faculty-run workshop (non-faculty not
invited) tomorrow at 9a.m. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D">Do any of you have any suggestions or personal experience findings that I can give them?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#17365D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">NJ Brand,
</span></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">ATAC</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">Houston Community College-Northwest</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">ADA Technician</span></i></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066"><br>
Technology and Instructional Computing<br>
Room RC13</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">1010 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N.</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">Houston TX 77043</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">VM/Office: 713.718.5604
</span></b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066"> </span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">FAX: 713.718.5430
</span></b><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000066">Email:</span></b><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000099">
<a href="mailto:normajean.brand@hccs.edu">normajean.brand@hccs.edu</a></span></b><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#000099"><a href="http://northwest.hccs.edu">http://northwest.hccs.edu</a>
</span><span style="color:#17365D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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