On Thursday, August 21, EASI will be providing a real-time, synchronous Web
conference on courseware which will focus on the twin issues of
accessibility and usability for users with disabilities.  What is true for
this population is also relevant for many other users.

EASI is the premiere provider of online learning about accessible
information technology having reached more than 4,000 participants in more
than 3 dozen countries since 1993.  EASI continues to deliver month-long
courses, but we are now adding interact, voice chat presentations lasting
60-90 minutes.  The web conference room has a limited number of seats, and
you should register early to reserve a place for this event.

To learn more, go to http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

EASI's August online courses (sstarting August 4) are:
Barrier-free E-learning http://easi.cc/workshops/bfel.htm
Beginner Barrier-free Web Design http://easi.cc/workshops/easiweb.htm

While the web conference will focus on this one issue, the month-long
courses provide a good background for faculty, administrators, web
designers, ADA compliance officers, DSS staff, student support staff, and
staff from distance learning departments.

The online courses use e-mail and the web, and you can work at any time and
from anywhere.

The web conference is at a specific time.  Its requirements are below:

EASI's web conferences use the Ivocalize Web conference system which
requires that participants run Windows and use a recent version of Internet
Explorer. They also need a sound card,
speakers and a mic.

Thursday, August 21 starting at:
3 pm Eastern
2 pm Central
1 pm Mountain
and noon Pacific.  Those who register will be sent further information on
how to access the web conference before the event.

All the major courseware and presentation systems, in recent years, have
made giant strides forward to meet most or all of the Web Accessibility
Initiative's
guidelines and/or the Federal Access Board's Section 508 standards. While
they were slow to become conscious of accessibility for students and faculty
with disabilities, once they became truly aware, they have made great
strides forward. Courseware systems as well as many other Web tools
sometimes strove
to achieve so many different goals and provide facilities to meet the
wishes of a variety of users that they frequently became very complex. This
has often
intimidated novice users without disabilities, but it has been a real
difficulty for people with disabilities using special adaptive software.
This presentation
demonstrates the difference between accessibility and usability. It will
also show video clips letting clinic participants watch how complex systems
pose
a problem for users with disabilities. We believe if faculty users of
courseware understand this, they will be patient with the student, will
tailor their
personalization of the courseware to minimize usability issues and will be
sure to post course content that will also minimize the difficulty for
students
with disabilities.

Again, register for the web conference at http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

If you are involved in providing e-learning or content on the web, all
three of these events will prepare you to increase their availability for
students and faculty with disabilities.

------------------------
                EASI August Courses http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Beginner Barrier-free Web Design
Barrier-free E-learnig
Business Benefits of Accessible IT Design...            .

                Norman Coombs
CEO EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
                (949) 922-5992 (cell)


---------------------------
Check the EASI Library Web http://www.rit.edu/~easi/lib.htm
Check out the EASI courses and Clinics at that page!
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