Hi Norm,

I wonder whether you have read my 'paper' on "Bridging the Gap",
which we have on our web site:
        http://www.cloudworld.co.uk

You can go direct to it using the URL:
        http://www.tommy.demon.co.uk/bridgingthegap.htm

In the paper is proposed a generic approach to accessibility,
relevant to your courses.  But it doesn't specifically cover
the course on e-learning.  What we envisage is that the students
of the future will each have a "personal accessor device" or PAD
for short.  There will be a number of different PAD designs
suitable for users with different needs, abilities and
disabilities.  In particular the user interfaces will be tailorable
for different users.  Most PADs will be designed to be worn on
the wrist like a watch, so will have a limited display size.
They will each include a microprocessor such as you would find
in a typical PDA or an advanced mobile phone.

But the PADs will share some common standards.  They will share
a common operating system, probably a Linux subset.  They will have
a wireless communication system allowing them to link into the
phone network and also to control appliances and access utilities
such as ATMs (cash dispensors).  This system will support standard
protocols such as AIAP being developed by the V2 committee.

A student's PAD will be able to link into the phone network and
thence the Internet.  The PADs will have a browser appropriate
for the PAD's user interface, typically with a small display.
This will allow the student to access the web and email for
e-learning purposes.  You can download a free evaluation copy
of a browser we have developed, called WordAloud, on our web site.
This has a word-at-a-time display suitable for the small screen
of a wrist unit.

Through the use of a common operating system, applications can be
written that will run on any PAD.  Such applications can include
e-learning programs.

My company, Cloudworld, is in a consortium developing a wrist unit
suitable for use as a PAD.  We will be demonstrating a prototype at
the British Educational Technology and Training show (BETT)
at Olympia, London, in January.

BTW, if anybody on the list is interested in the wrist-worn Linux
platform we are developing, please email me privately.

Cheers,

John
--
In message <[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask] writes:

>Barrier-free E-learning instructor-led, month-long, begins Nov. 4
>http://easi.cc/workshops/bfel.htm
>
>EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is the premiere source of
>online courses on making information technology accessible to users with
>disabilities for more than a decade.  This course is one of eight courses
>and is part of the EASI Certificate in Accessible Information
>Technology.  Single courses can earn continuing education units.
>
>E-learning is spreading rapidly and only recently have institutions begun
>to consider accessibility for their students and faculty with
>disabilities.  Properly designed modern technology can provide a more level
>learning space than ever existed before.
>
>Accessible Internet Multimedia is the other course beginning Nov. 4.
>http://easi.cc/workshops/mmedia.htm
>
>
>                         Norman Coombs, Ph.D.
>CEO EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
>22196 Caminito Tasquillo
>Laguna Hills CA 92653
>(949) 922-5992
>http://www.rit.edu/~easi
>http://easi-elearn.org

--
Access the word, access the world! -- Try our WordAloud software!!

John Nissen, Cloudworld Ltd., Chiswick, London
Tel:   +44 (0) 845 458 3944 (local rate in the UK)
Fax:   +44 (0) 20 8742 8715
Web:   http://www.cloudworld.co.uk