URL: http://www.HTCTU.FHDA.EDU/dlguidelines/final%20dl%20guidelines.htm
Distance Education:
Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities
August 1999
Chancellor's Office logo
Chancellor's Office
California Community Colleges
Developed By:
The High Tech Center Training Unit
In Collaboration with the Distance Education Accessibility Workgroup
Chancellor's Office
California Community Colleges
_________________________________________________________________
Distance Education and Accessibility Guidelines Task Force Members
Name: Ralph Black, Esq.
Title: General Counsel
Affiliation: Chancellor's Office, CCC
Name: Carl Brown
Title: Director, High Tech Center Training Unit
Affiliation: De Anza College
Name: Laurie Vasquez
Title: Assistive Technology Specialist
Affiliation: Santa Barbara City College
Name: Cris Mora Lopez
Title: Distance Education Coordinator
Affiliation: Chancellor's Office, CCC
Instructional Resources and Technology Division, Distance Education
Name: Brain Haley
Title: Dean of Library/Learning Resource Center
Affiliation: Sierra College
Name: Jay Thompson
Title: Executive Director
Affiliation: Consortium for Distance Learning
Name: Nancy Glock-Gruenich
Title: Specialist in System Advancement
Affiliation: California Virtual University/COCCC
Name: Catherine McKenzie
Title: Telecommunications Mgr. - Specialist
Affiliation: Chancellor's Office, CCC
Instructional Resources and Technology Unit, Office of
Telecommunications and Technology
Name: Cheryl Chapman
Title: Instructor, Faculty Trainer, Academic Senate
Affiliation: Coastline College
Name: Catherine Campisi
Title: Dean, Student Support Programs
Affiliation: Chancellor's Office, CCC
Name: Jose Michel
Title: Senior Coordinator Distance Education
Affiliation: Chancellor's Office, CCC
_________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
Preface
Legal Requirements
Basic Requirements For Providing Access
Access Guidelines for Specific Modes of Distance Education
Instructional Delivery
Print Media
Audio Conferencing
Video Conferencing/Video Transmission (Live)
Video Transmission (Pre Recorded)
World Wide Web
Instructional Software, Laser Video Disc, CD ROM, DVD
Trace Research & Development Center Accessibility Guidelines
Appendix I
Copyright Issues
Braille
Braille Production Facilities
A Guide To Large Print For People With Low Vision
Appendix II
Telephone Relay Services
Real-Time Transcription
Interpreter Services
Appendix III
Captioning
Basic Captioning Terms
Captioning Service Providers
Appendix IV
WAI Guidelines for Accessible Web Site Design
Appendix V
Microsoft's Checklist of Accessibility Design Guidelines
Software Design Guidelines (TRACE Research Center)
_________________________________________________________________
Preface
In March 1996, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil
Rights notified Chancellor Thomas J. Nussbaum that it was about to
begin a statewide compliance review under Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990. The compliance review would focus on
the status of community colleges in meeting their obligation under
Title II and Section 504 to provide students with visual impairments
access to print and computer-based information. The review was to
examine whether students with visual impairments, particularly blind
students, were accorded an equal educational opportunity by California
Community Colleges or whether they were being discriminated against on
the basis of their disability. Specifically, OCR wished to consider
whether the Chancellor's Office employed "methods of administration"
which substantially impaired accomplishment of the objectives of the
California Community College educational programs with respect to
students with visual impairments.
As an outcome of this review, OCR offered nine suggestions for
addressing areas of concern identified by the review. Among the
suggestions/concerned voiced by OCR was the need for development of
system-wide access guidelines for distance learning and campus Web
pages. In a January 22, 1998 letter to Chancellor Nussbaum, Stefan
Rosenzweig, Regional Director of OCR stated:
"California Community Colleges, individually and collectively as part
of the California Virtual University, are rapidly developing their
capacity to deliver educational programs to offsite students
through technology. Little attention is being given to ensure that
these distance learning programs are accessible to students with
disabilities, especially students with visual impairments."
He further added:
"The need for guidelines regarding distance learning has been
recognized by several different entities in the California
Community College system, including the Academic Senate which in
Fall 1997, adopted "Guidelines for Good Practice: Technology
Mediated Instruction." It is OCRs understanding that four regional
distance learning centers to assist in development of program and
course materials will be set-up in 1998-99. The concept of
accessibility should be firmly integrated into such development."
In responding to the Regional Director's suggestions regarding
development of system-wide access guidelines for distance learning and
campus Web pages, in a letter dated March 13, 1998, Chancellor
Nussbaum replied:
"We concur with the strategies related to this issue. I will
immediately direct that the Chancellor's Office Task Forces
related to distance learning as well as California Virtual
University have persons on them to specifically address access
issues for persons with disabilities...To assure that the
necessary guidance to colleges is available, I will specifically
ask Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Economic
Development, Rita Cepeda, whose staff oversees the distance
learning issues, to develop in cooperation with the DSP&S Unit and
the High Tech Center Training Unit (HTCTU), guidelines for
distance learning to assure it is accessible to and usable by
persons with disabilities."
The guidelines which follow are the result of Chancellor Nussbaum's
directive.
_________________________________________________________________
Legal Requirements
Both state and federal law require community colleges to operate all
programs and activities in a manner which is accessible to students
with disabilities. Accordingly, as the system develops its capacity
for creation of technology based instructional resources and the
delivery of distance learning; it must proceed with the needs of all
students in mind, including the unique needs of students with
disabilities.
At the federal level, requirements for access for persons with
disabilities were first imposed on recipients of federal funding by
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C.
794) and its accompanying regulations set forth at 34 C.F.R. 104.
Similar requirements were later imposed on all public entities,
regardless of whether or not they receive federal funding, by the
Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12100 et seq) and the
regulations implementing Title II of the ADA which appear at 28 C.F.R.
35.
In particular, the Section 504 regulations and the regulations
implementing Title II of the ADA contain nearly identical provisions
stating that recipients of federal funds and public entities in
providing any aid, benefit or service, may not afford a qualified
individual with a disability an opportunity to participate that is not
as effective as that provided to others. (See 34 C.F.R. 104.4 (b)(1)
(iii) and 28 C.F.R. 35.130(b) (1) (iii)). Title II recognizes the
special importance of communication, which includes access to
information, in its implementing regulation at 28 C.F.R. 35.160 (a).
The regulation requires that a public entity, such as a community
college, take appropriate steps to ensure that communications with
persons with disabilities are as effective as communications with
others.
The United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) is responsible for ensuring that all educational institutions
comply with the requirements of all federal civil rights laws,
including Section 504 and Title II of the ADA. As a result, the
opinions of OCR are generally accorded considerable weight by the
courts in interpreting the requirements of these laws. OCR has had
occasion to issue several opinions applying the requirements of the
Section 504 and ADA regulations to situations involving access to
distance education and/or computer-based instruction.
In responding to a complaint by a student with a disability alleging
that a university had not provided access to the Internet, OCR noted
that:
[T]he issue is not whether the student with the disability is merely
provided access, but the issue is rather the extent to which the
communication is actually as effective as that provided to others.
Title II [of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990] also
strongly affirms the important role that computer technology is
expected to play as an auxiliary aid by which communication is made
effective for persons with disabilities.
(OCR Docket No. 09-95-2206, January 25, 1996)
Adding additional clarity to the meaning of "effective communication,"
OCR has held that the three basic components of effective
communication are: "timeliness of delivery, accuracy of the
translation, and provision in a manner and medium appropriate to the
significance of the message and the abilities of the individual with
the disability."
(OCR Docket No. 09-97-2145, January 9, 1998)
OCR also points out that the courts have held that a public entity
violates its obligations under the ADA when it only responds on an
ad-hoc basis to individual requests for accommodation. There is an
affirmative duty to develop a comprehensive policy in advance of any
request for auxiliary aids or services.
Finally, in considering the magnitude and responsibility of this task,
OCR states:
[T]he magnitude of the task public entities now face in developing
systems for becoming accessible to individuals with disabilities,
especially with respect to making printed materials accessible to
persons with visual impairments, is comparable to the task previously
undertaken in developing a process by which buildings were to be
brought up to specific architectural standards for access. Buildings
in existence at the time the new architectural standards were
promulgated are governed by "program access" standards. However,
buildings erected after the enactment of the new architectural
standards are strictly held to the new standards on the premise that
the builder is on-notice that such standards apply. One who builds in
disregard of those standards is ordinarily liable for the subsequent
high cost of retrofitting.
Similarly, from the date of the enactment of Title II onwards, when
making purchases and when designing its resources, a public entity is
expected to take into account its legal obligation to provide
communication to persons with disabilities that is "as effective as"
communication provided to non-disabled persons. At a minimum, a public
entity has a duty to solve barriers to information access that the
public entity's purchasing choices create, particularly with regard to
materials that with minimal thought and cost may be acquired in a
manner facilitating provision in alternative formats. When a public
institution selects software programs and/or hardware equipment that
are not adaptable for access by persons with disabilities, the
subsequent substantial expense of providing access is not generally
regarded as an undue burden when such cost could have been
significantly reduced by considering the issue of accessibility at the
time of the initial selection.
(OCR Docket No. 09-97-2002, April 7, 1997)
There are also state laws and regulations which require community
colleges to make their distance education offerings accessible to
students with disabilities.
Government Code Section 11135 et seq. prohibits discrimination on
various grounds, including mental or physical disability, by entities
receiving funding from the State of California. The Board of Governors
has adopted regulations at Title 5, California Code of Regulations,
Section 59300 et seq. to implement these requirements with respect to
funds received by community college districts from the Board of
Governors or Chancellor's Office. These regulations require community
college districts and the Chancellor's Office to investigate and
attempt to resolve discrimination complaints filed by students or
employees.
In addition, the Board of Governors has adopted Title 5 regulations
setting forth the general requirements applicable to all independent
study (Sections 55300 et seq.) and those requirements specific to
distance education courses (Sections 55370 et seq.). Section 55370
expressly states that the requirements of the Americans with
Disabilities Act are applicable to distance education courses.
The remainder of this document sets forth guidelines developed by the
Chancellor's Office to address specific issues community college
districts will face in meeting their legal obligation to make distance
education courses accessible to students with disabilities. These
guidelines are not legally binding on districts, but the Chancellor's
Office will apply these guidelines in determining whether a district
has met its obligations under Title 5, Section 55370 and 59300 et seq.
Districts which follow these guidelines will generally be regarded as
having met those obligations. Districts which do not follow these
guidelines will bear the burden of demonstrating that they have
achieved compliance with their legal obligation to provide access to
distance education for students with disabilities by other means.
_________________________________________________________________
Basic Requirements for Providing Access
The following are general principles that should be followed in
ensuring that distance education courses are accessible to students
with disabilities. They represent the general concepts of the ADA and
its regulations but do not provide a detailed legal analysis of the
ADA requirements. Persons utilizing this document who are unfamiliar
with the ADA may wish to consult the campus ADA Coordinator or DSP&S
Coordinator for further interpretation. In the remainder of this
document, specific guidelines will be provided for resolving access
issues with respect to particular delivery modes commonly used in
distance education.
1. One of the primary concepts of distance education is to offer
students "Learning anytime, anywhere." Therefore, all distance
education resources must be designed to afford students with
disabilities maximum opportunity to access distance education
resources "anytime, anywhere" without the need for outside
assistance (i.e. sign language interpreters, aides, etc.).
2. Distance education resources must be designed to provide
"built-in" accommodation where possible (i.e. closed captioning,
descriptive narration) and/or interface design/content layout
which is accessible to "industry standard" assistive computer
technology in common use by persons with disabilities.
3. Whenever possible, information should be provided in the
alternative format preferred by the student (i.e. sign language
interpreter, closed captioning, descriptive narration, Braille,
audio tape, large print, electronic text). When choosing between
possible alternative formats or methods of delivery, consideration
should be given to the fact that methods which are adequate for
short, simple or less important communications may not be equally
effective or appropriate for longer, more complex, or more
critical material (Example: Use of a telephone relay service may
be an acceptable method for a faculty member to respond to a brief
question from a deaf student during his/her office hours, but
probably would not be appropriate as a means of permitting that
same student to participate in a class discussions in a course
conducted by teleconference.) Issues concerning accommodation
should be resolved through appropriate campus procedures as
defined under Title 5, Section 56027.
4. Adoption of access solutions which include assigning assistants
(i.e. sign language interpreters, readers) to work with an
individual student to provide access to distance education
resources should only be considered as a last resort when all
efforts to enhance the native accessibility of the course material
have failed.
5. Access to distance education courses, resources and materials
include the audio, video and text components of courses or
communication delivered via satellite, Instructional Television
Fixed Services (ITFS), cable, compressed video, Local Area
Network/Wide Area Network (LAN/WAN networks), Internet, telephone
or any other form of electronic transmission. Access to resources
and materials include the audio, video, multimedia and text
components of Web sites, electronic chat rooms, e-mail,
instructional software, CD-ROM, DVD, laser disc, video tape, audio
tape, electronic text and print materials. Where access to Web
sites not controlled by the college is required or realistically
necessary to completion of a course, the college must take steps
to ensure that such sites are accessible or provide the same
material by another means that is accessible.
6. Distance education courses, resources and materials must be
designed and delivered in such a way that the level of
communication and course taking experience is the same for
students with or without disabilities.
7. After the adoption date of these guidelines, any distance
education courses, resources or materials purchased or leased from
a third-party provider or created or substantially modified
"in-house" must be accessible to students with disabilities unless
doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the instructional
activity or result in undue financial and administrative burdens
on the district.
8. Colleges are encouraged to review all existing distance
education curriculum, materials and resources as quickly as
possible and make necessary modifications to ensure access for
students with disabilities. At a minimum, the Chancellor's Office
will expect that the curriculum for each distance education course
and its associated materials and resources will be reviewed and
revised as necessary when the course undergoes curriculum review
pursuant to Title 5, Sections 55002 and 55378, every six years as
part of the accreditation process. In the event that a student
with a disability enrolls in an existing distance education course
before this review is completed, the college will be responsible
for acting in a timely manner to making any requested
modifications to the curriculum, materials or resources used in
the course, unless doing so would fundamentally alter the nature
of the instructional activity or result in undue financial and
administrative burdens on the district.
9. In the event that a discrimination complaint is filed alleging
that a college has selected software and/or hardware that is not
accessible for persons with disabilities, the Chancellor's Office
and the U.S. Department of Education , Office for Civil Rights
will not generally accept a claim of undue burden based on the
subsequent substantial expense of providing access, when such
costs could have been significantly reduced by considering the
issue of accessibility at the time of initial selection.
10. In all cases, even where the college can demonstrate that a
requested accommodation would involve a fundamental alteration in
the nature of the instructional activity or would impose an undue
financial and administrative burden, it must nevertheless provide
an alternative accommodation which is equally effective for the
student if such an accommodation is available.
11. Ensuring that distance education courses, materials and
resources are accessible to students with disabilities is a shared
college responsibility. All college administrators, faculty and
staff who are involved in the use of this instructional mode share
this obligation. The Chancellor's Office will make every effort to
provide technical support and training for faculty and staff
involved in the creation of accessible distance education courses,
resources and materials through: campus representative(s) to the
California Virtual University (CVU) Regional Distance Education
Center, staff from the local Regional Distance Education
Center(s), campus High Tech Center staff and High Tech Center
Training Unit staff.
_________________________________________________________________
Access Guidelines for Specific Modes of
Distance Education Instructional Delivery
1. Print Media
The use of "correspondence" has a long history in distance education
and will likely continue as an element of some courses.
Print-based materials are easy to handle, modify, distribute and
store. Print materials allow students to work at their own pace.
Delivery Medium - Print Medium
Access Issue
Students who are blind or have low vision will be unable to read
print material. Some students with severe learning disabilities
may also be unable to effectively read print materials.
Remedies
Provide print material in alternate formats including: Braille,
large print, audiotape, digital sound files and e-text. Whenever
possible, information should be provided in the alternative format
preferred by the student.
Analysis:
Braille
Braille can be produced in a variety of formats designed to
accommodate specialized needs such as scientific notation and
music scores. For general text production, materials should be
provided in Grade 2 Braille. Grade 2 Braille is the format most
commonly used by persons who are blind.
Braille can be produced "in-house" using readily available Braille
translation software and specialized Braille printers or
out-sourced to agencies and organizations which produce Braille
documents commercially. As of 1999, colleges wishing to produce
Braille documents in-house should expect to pay around $5000 for
the necessary printer hardware and software. Commercial production
costs average about one dollar per Braille page with one single
spaced print page equaling approximately two print Braille pages.
Production time through commercial providers can vary from days to
weeks.
In either case, Braille documents should be formatted to preserve
critical page layout elements (i.e. columns, tabular data, etc.)
and proofed for accuracy.
Large Print
Large print documents printed from electronic files should be
produced using a font size of 14 point (or larger) and sans serif
type faces such as Helvetica for visual clarity. Documents should
be reformatted as necessary to preserve critical page layout
elements. All colors should be set for maximum print contrast.
Audio Tape
Audio taped materials can be produced in-house if recording studio
resources are available or outsourced to commercial providers such
as Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. For in-house recording,
readers should be familiar with the vocabulary of the source
material and the taped material proofed for accuracy. These media
are typically used by both visually impaired and learning disabled
students.
Electronic Text
Electronic text should be available in multiple operating system
formats (i.e. Windows, Macintosh), plain text, and industry
standard word processing formats (i.e. Word, WordPerfect, etc.).
These media are typically used by both visually impaired and
learning disabled students.
Resource Material
Please see Appendix I for supplemental information about copyright
issues, Braille and large print.
2. Audio Conferencing
Telephones remain the technology of choice for simple phone calls
between a teacher and a student as well as for scheduled,
multi-point sessions between a teacher and students at many
locations. Telephones are also used in "one-way video, two-way
audio" teleconferencing/instructional delivery systems often used
by community colleges for microwave delivery of courses to
surrounding community sites. The telephone system is ubiquitous,
reliable, easy to use and of sufficient quality for delivery of
voice content.
Delivery Medium - Audio Conferencing
Access Issue
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing will not be able to hear
conversations. Students with speech impediments will not be able
to respond to conversations.
Remedies
Provide a text telephones (TTY) link in the studio or classroom,
provide TRS service, provide a dedicated, electronic chat room and
real-time transcription of conversations, provide on-site
interpreter at the student's location.
Analysis:
Text Telephones (TTY), sometimes called a TDD or Telecommunication
Devices for the Deaf, are widely used by people who are deaf or
have speech impediments. A TTY is a combination telephone,
keyboard and display which allows for direct, point-to-point text
based communication between two people. Communication rates are
only constrained by typing speed of the two users. TTYs work over
ordinary phone lines and require no set-up or configuration. TTYs
may be used for one-on-one telephone conversations between faculty
and student.
Faculty can communicate with students who are deaf, hard of
hearing, or speech-impaired using the Telecommunications Relay
Service (TRS). A TRS special operator types whatever the
instructor says and the words appear on the students TTY display.
Student responses are typed back to the TRS operator who reads
them aloud to the instructor. Toll free TRS services are available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Use of a TRS may be an acceptable
method for a faculty member to respond to a brief question from a
deaf student during his/her office hours, but probably would not
be appropriate as a means of permitting that same student to
participate in a class discussions in a course conducted by
teleconference.
A variety of commercial and public domain Web-based "chat"
software is presently available. Using these tools, the college
may create a private chat room where deaf, hard-of-hearing or
speech impaired students can read, and type responses to, the
content of the conversation as it is input by a "real-time"
transcriptionist. The instructor also views the transcribed text
and shares with the telephone audience any comments typed by
students using the chat room. Chat rooms may be used for
one-on-one conversations between faculty and student as well as
for multi-point group conversations.
In keeping with the basic requirements defined earlier, in the
event that all other efforts to make the distance education
resource accessible as delivered have failed, as a last resort,
colleges may provide an on-site interpreter(s) at the student's
location.
Please see Appendix II for supplemental information about TRS,
TTY, chat, real-time transcription and interpreter services.
3. Video Conferencing/Video Transmission (Live)
Video conferencing can include satellite broadcast, TV cable,
Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) or compressed video
(ISDN). It may include real-time, two-way video and audio or
one-way video/two-way audio. Pre recorded video transmission,
described in Item 4, generally involves the rebroadcast of a
course segment which has been videotaped and includes no real-time
interaction between student and instructor.
Delivery Medium - Video Conferencing/Video Transmission (Live)
Access Issue
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing will not be able to hear
conversations. Students who are blind or have low vision will not
be able to see instructional materials.
Remedies
Provide real-time closed or open captioning, an on-screen
interpreter or (as a last resort) an interpreter at the student's
location. To facilitate communication from the student, provide a
TTY link in the studio or classroom, provide TRS service or
provide a dedicated, electronic chat room for real-time
conversation exchange.
For blind and low vision, provide all print materials in
alternative formats and include descriptive video narration as
needed.
Analysis:
On August 7th, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
unanimously approved a new law which mandates captioning on
virtually all television programming in the United States. Section
305 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is being implemented as
a new section (Section 713) of the existing Communications Act.
There are a variety of existing technologies which will allow
colleges transmitting via satellite Ku or C band, microwave (ITFS)
or cable and with moderately sophisticated video editing and
broadcast capabilities to add captioning to live broadcasts in
real-time in closed or open format. Average cost for these systems
is about $10,000. Hourly rates for real-time transcriptionists
average $75 to $100/hour. Real-time captioning can also be
provided through outsourcing to commercial services.
Colleges may also provide access to the audio component of live
broadcasts for deaf or hard-of-hearing students by including a
sign language interpreter in a small video window superimposed
over the main video.
To facilitate communication from the student, the college may
employ:
Text Telephones (TTY), a combination telephone, keyboard and
display which allows for direct, point-to-point text based
communication between two people. TTYs work over ordinary phone
lines and require no set-up or configuration and may be used for
one-on-one telephone conversations between faculty and student.
The faculty would read the student's response from the TTY to the
listening audience.
Deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired students can also
communicate with the faculty member using the Telecommunications
Relay Service (TRS). Student responses are typed back to the TRS
operator who reads them aloud to the instructor. The faculty would
share the student's response with the listening audience. Toll
free TRS services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Use of a TRS may be an acceptable method for a faculty member to
respond to a brief question from a deaf student during his/her
office hours, but probably would not be appropriate as a means of
permitting that same student to participate in a class discussions
in a course conducted by teleconference.
A variety of commercial available and public domain Web-based
"chat" software is presently available. Using these tools, the
college may create a private chat room where deaf, hard-of-hearing
or speech impaired students can type responses to the content of
the video as presented via captioning or on-screen interpreter.
The instructor monitors the chat room and shares with the audience
any comments typed by students using the chat room. Chat rooms may
be used by one or more students simultaneously. Colleges may also
provide an on-site interpreter(s) at the student's location as an
alternative to captioning, TTY, TRS or chat rooms.
Supplemental course material in print media must also be provided
in alternative formats (Braille, large print, audio tape and/or
electronic text) to provide access for students who are blind or
have low vision. Please see the discussion of Print Media for
details.
Descriptive narration on the Second Audio Programming (SAP)
channel provides a mechanism through which students who are blind
or have low vision can receive auditory descriptions of important
visual elements of the video presentation. Real time descriptive
narration requires the services of a trained narrator and the
ability of the college to transmit a SAP channel. As an
alternative, colleges should train faculty who teach via real-time
broadcast to include descriptions of visual objects which have
significant instructional content in their course dialogue.
Please see Appendix III for supplemental information about
real-time captioning.
4. Video Transmission (Pre Recorded)
Passive video transmission generally involves the rebroadcast of a
course segment which has been videotaped and includes no real-time
interaction between student and instructor.
Delivery Medium - Video Transmission (Pre Recorded)
Access Issue
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing will not be able to hear
conversations. Students who are blind or have low vision will not
be able to see instructional materials.
Remedies
Provide closed or open captioning, an on-screen interpreter or (as
a last resort) an interpreter at the student's location. For blind
and low vision, provide all print materials in alternative
formats. Provide real-time descriptive narration of significant
visual elements
Analysis:
As mentioned in Item 3, on August 7th, 1997, the FCC unanimously
approved a new law which mandates captioning on virtually all
television programming in the United States. Section 305 of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 is being implemented as a new
section (Section 713) of the existing Communications Act. There
are a variety of existing technologies which will allow colleges
to provide "off-line" captioning to existing libraries of
instructional video and course materials. There are a variety of
technologies available for off-line addition of captioning in
closed or open format. Average cost for these systems is about
$10,000. Costs for keying in of captioning are comparable to
clerical word-processing rates. Off-line captioning can also be
provided through outsourcing to commercial services for reasonable
rates.
Colleges may also provide access to the audio component of a video
for deaf or hard-of-hearing students by adding a sign language
interpreter in a small video window superimposed over the main
video as a post-production activity.
Supplemental course material in print media must also be provided
in alternative formats (Braille, large print, audio tape and/or
electronic text) to provide access for students who are blind or
have low vision. Please see the discussion of Print Media for
details.
Descriptive narration on the Second Audio Programming (SAP)
channel provides a mechanism through which students who are blind
or have low vision can receive auditory descriptions of important
visual elements of the video presentation. Post-production
descriptive narration requires the services of a trained narrator
and the ability of the college to encode a SAP channel on the
videotape. Colleges should train faculty who teach via videotaped
courses to include descriptions of visual objects which have
significant instructional content in their course dialogue.
Please see Appendices I for supplemental information about
copyright issues, Braille, large print, audiotape and electronic
text and III for supplemental information about real-time
captioning.
5. World Wide Web
The Web is rapidly becoming one of the most widely used media for
delivery of distance education. The relatively low cost of delivery,
ease of resource development and wide availability of student access
make it an ideal instructional delivery resource. Although presently
constrained by bandwidth considerations, the Web is fully capable of
delivering a variety of multimedia and interactive instructional
resources including audio, video and real-time chat services.
Delivery Medium - World Wide Web
Access Issue
Students who are blind will be unable to access graphic images, text
formatted in complex ways, Java applets and video clips. Students who
are deaf or hard-of-hearing will not be able to hear the auditory
content of the Web site. Some students with severe learning
disabilities may be unable to process large amounts of text
information without the use of assistive technologies.
In addition, documents created using Adobe Portable Document Format
(PDF) are difficult, if not impossible, to read using screen readers
and/or refreshable braille displays. Thus, if materials are provided
on a website in PDF format, an alternative version should also be
available in plain text or HTML format. Of course, this is only
feasible for textual information and would not apply to materials, or
portions of materials, that are inherently graphic in nature such as
pictures, graphs and maps.
Remedies
A comprehensive set of guidelines for meeting the Web access needs of
persons with disabilities have been developed by the Web Accessibility
Initiative (WAI) (http://www.w3.org/WAI/) as a working group of the
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Analysis:
The intent of these guidelines is to foster the creation of Web
sites which provide equal access to information when viewed using
typical, industry standard assistive computer technologies in wide
use today by students with disabilities. Over the past two years,
the international body of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has
sponsored the work of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) in
developing a set of international access guidelines for the Web.
Although the WAI guidelines remain in draft format, they satisfy
the access requirements identified under Title II of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). In order to resolve compliance issues
raised by OCR and to comply with Title II of the ADA, these
guidelines have been adopted by the California Community Colleges
Chancellor's Office. They apply to use of Web based instructional
resources created by the college or other Web-based resources
students are required to use for course completion. They will be
reviewed/modified as necessitated by future revisions of the WAI
guidelines by W3C.
The WAI guidelines excerpted below fall into three priority
levels:
Priority 1
This guideline must be followed by an author, or one or more
groups of users will find it impossible to access information in
the document. Implementing this guideline is a basic requirement
for some groups to be able to use Web documents.
Provide alternative text for images, applets, and image maps.
Provide descriptions for important graphics, scripts, or applets if
they are not fully described through alternative text or in the
document's content.
Provide textual equivalents for audio information (captioning).
Provide verbal descriptions of moving visual information in both
auditory and text form.
Ensure that text and graphics are perceivable and understandable
when viewed without color.
Ensure that moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating objects or
pages may be paused or frozen.
Ensure that pages using newer HTML features (i.e. style sheets,
forms, tables) will transform gracefully into an accessible form.
Use features that enable activation of page elements via input
devices other than a pointing device (e.g., via keyboard, voice,
etc.).
For frames, provide sufficient information to determine the purpose
of the frames and how they relate to each other.
Ensure that tables (not used for layout) have necessary markup to be
properly restructured or presented by accessible browsers and other
user agents.
Only use technologies defined in a W3C specification and use them in
an accessible manner. Where not possible, provide an accessible
alternative page that does.
Priority 2
This guideline should be followed by an author, or one or more
groups of users will find it difficult to access information in
the document. Implementing this guideline will significantly
improve access to Web documents.
Indicate structure with structural elements, and control
presentation with presentation elements and style sheets.
Provide supplemental information needed to pronounce or interpret
abbreviated or foreign text.
Elements that contain their own user interface should have
accessibility built in.
Use interim accessibility solutions so that assistive technologies
and older browsers will operate correctly.
Group controls, selections, and labels into semantic units.
Wherever possible, create good link phrases.
Priority 3
This guideline may be followed by an author to make it easier for
one or more groups of users to access information in the document.
Implementing this guideline will improve access to Web documents.
Provide mechanisms that facilitate navigation within your site.
Create a single downloadable file for documents that exist as a
series of separate pages.
Complete text of the WAI accessibility guidelines as well as
useful tutorials and extensive technical support can be found at:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
Additionally, a fully automated Web accessibility evaluation tool
called BOBBY is available for use by California community
colleges. BOBBY will evaluate a local Website incorporating the
current WAI guidelines in its Website accessibility analysis and
provide a detailed report of accessibility problems and
recommended changes arranged by priority of importance.
It is required that all California community college instructional
Web sites created or substantially modified after adoption of
these guidelines be Priority 1 compliant. It is strongly
recommended that all California community college instructional
Web sites created or substantially modified after adoption of
these guidelines be Priority 2 compliant.
BOBBY can be found at: http://www.cast.org/bobby/
Please see Appendix IV for supplemental information about
development of accessible Web pages.
6. Instructional Software, Laser Video Disc, CD ROM, DVD
Courses presented through distance education may also include
supplemental materials offered in a variety of electronic formats
including computer assisted instruction (CAI) software, materials
on video disc, CD ROM or DVD.
Delivery Medium - CAI software, video disc, CD ROM, DVD
Access Issue
Students who are blind will be unable to access graphic images,
text formatted in complex ways, Java applets and video clips.
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing will not be able to hear
the auditory content of these resources. Students with physical
disabilities may have difficulty using a touch screen video disc
interface. Some students with severe learning disabilities may be
unable to process large amounts of text information without the
use of assistive technologies.
Remedies
The Trace Research & Development Center at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison has designed a comprehensive set of software
development guidelines which address these issues. These
guidelines should be used in combination with the guidelines for
multimedia access developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative.
Analysis:
The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office gratefully
acknowledges the work of Dr. Gregg C. Vanderheiden, Ph.D. and the
Trace Research & Development Center at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison for the development of the following software
accessibility development guidelines which have been excerpted for
inclusion.
In order to comply with Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), the Chancellor's Office strongly
recommends that California community colleges abide by the
guidelines excerpted below when purchasing existing software,
contracting for the development of software or developing software
in-house.
Excerpted from the Trace Research & Development Center Accessibility
Guidelines
There are many people who need to be able to use standard software
programs in their jobs, schools or homes but are unable to because of
the design of the programs or their interfaces. These people, because
of accident, illness, congenital condition or aging have reduced
visual, hearing, physical or cognitive/language abilities. The current
estimate of people with disabilities is over 40 million people - a
sizable portion of our population.
Purpose of the guidelines
The purpose of these guidelines is to document what application
developers can do (or need to do) in order to make their software
accessible and usable by people who have disabilities or reduced
abilities due to aging.
The guidelines document does this by providing information on the
problems faced by people with disabilities in using current software
and documenting ways in which application software can be made more
accessible and usable by them.
Basic Component
Basically, making application software more accessible consists of
three complementary components
1. Designing your software so that it is as usable as possible to the
greatest number of people - without requiring them to use special
adaptive software or hardware. (This is referred to as Direct
Accessibility).
2. Designing your software in such a way that it will work with
special access features built into the operating system or attached to
it by users who require them. (i.e., Compatibility with operating
system or third-party access features / software / devices for those
people who will not be able to use your software directly.)
3. Making sure that your documentation, training, and customer support
systems are accessible.
A brief summary of the guidelines by disability area follows.
For people with physical disabilities
People with physical disabilities can have a wide range of abilities
and limitations. Some people may have complete paralysis below the
waist but may have no disability at all with their upper body. Others
may have weakness overall. Some may have very limited range of motion,
but may have very fine movement control within that range. Others may
have little control of any of their limbs, or may have uncontrolled,
sporadic movements which accompany their purposeful movements. Some
with arthritis may find that hand and other joint movement is both
physically limited and limited by pain.
A physical disability, by itself, does not usually affect a person's
ability to perceive information displayed on the computer screen.
Access is generally dependent on being able to manipulate the
interface.
Therefore, you can increase the accessibility of your software (both
direct and via access features/software and hardware):
* by avoiding timed responses (less than 5-8 sec.) or allowing the
response time to be changed;
* by providing keyboard access to all toolbars, menus, and dialog
boxes (whose functions are not also in the menu);
* by not interfering with access features built into the operating
system (e.g. StickyKeys, SlowKeys, Key Repeating etc.).
For people who are hard of hearing or deaf
Many users with hearing impairments need to have some method for
adjusting the volume or for linking sounds more directly to their
hearing aids. Both of these are hardware considerations and can be met
with systems having volume controls and headphone or audio jacks.
Users who have more severe hearing impairments may also use a
combination of these techniques, as well as techniques for people who
are deaf. Such techniques generally involve the visual display of
auditory information.
Therefore, you can increase the accessibility of your software to
users with hearing impairments:
* by providing all auditory information in a visual form as well;
* by ensuring that all visual cues are noticeable if one is not
looking at the screen;
* by having a mode of operation that will work in noisy environments
or if sound is turned off;
* by using the ShowSounds feature of the operating system of your
computer, the user can specify that all sound should be
accompanied by a visual event including a caption for any spoken
text which is not already presented on screen.
In addition, you should make sure that product support people are
reachable via Text Telephones (also called TDD's or Telecommunications
Devices for the Deaf).
For people with color blindness
You can increase the compatibility of your software with access
features/software:
* by making color coding redundant with other means of conveying
information;
* by making sure that your program can operate in monochrome mode;
* by using colors which differ in darkness so that they can be
distinguished by this as well as color.
For people with low vision
People with low vision may have any one of a number of problems with
their vision ranging from poor acuity (blurred or fogged vision) to
loss of all central vision (only see with edges of their eyes) to
tunnel vision (like looking through a tube or soda straw) to loss of
vision in different parts of their visual field, as well as other
problems (glare, night blindness, etc.).
For people with low vision, a common way to access the information on
the screen is to enlarge or otherwise enhance the current area of
focus. Given this, you can increase the direct accessibility of your
software:
* by allowing the user to adjust the fonts, colors and cursors used
in your program to make them more visible;
* by using a high contrast between text and background;
* by not placing text over a patterned background where the two
might interfere with each other;
* by using a consistent or predictable layout for screens and
dialogs within the program;
* by providing access to tools, etc., via menu bar;
* by using recommended line width information when drawing lines (if
such information is provided by the system).
In addition, you can increase the compatibility of your software with
low vision access features/software by using the system pointers
wherever possible, as well as the system caret or insertion bar if one
is available.
If you use your own highlight/focus indicator, drag the system cursor
with you even if it is invisible. This makes tracking the focus much
easier for screen enlargement or "pan and zoom" features. If the
operating system has a High Contrast setting, support it.
For people who are blind
Many people who are legally blind have some residual vision. This may
vary from just an ability to perceive light to an ability to view
things that are magnified. The best design is for this group is
therefore one that doesn't assume any vision but allows a person to
make use of whatever residual vision they may have.
Access by people who are blind is usually accomplished using special
screen reading software to access and read the contents of the screen,
which is then sent to a voice synthesizer or dynamic Braille display.
On computers which use a graphic user interface this is a bit tricky,
but there are a number of things that application software developers
can do to make it possible for people using screen readers to detect
and figure out what is on the screen. These include:
* using the system tools wherever you can to; 1) draw and erase all
text on the screen; 2) display all cursors and pointers;
* using the system standard controls whenever possible;
* drawing tools in tool bars, palettes and menus that are separate
items (rather than one big graphic of toolbar) as this makes it
possible for screen readers to identify the number, location and
shape of the individual tools so that they can be identified and
named.
You can also increase the compatibility of your software with screen
readers using the following considerations:
* if text is embedded in a graphic image, using a special technique
to make the text known to screen reading software (see detailed
notes);
* if you use your own highlight or focus techniques, dragging system
cursors with you (even if invisible);
* using consistent or predictable screen and dialog layouts;
* not using popup help balloons that disappear if the focus changes
unless there is a way to lock them in place so that the focus
(e.g., cursor) can be moved there to read them;
* using single column text whenever possible;
* giving controls logical names, even if the name is not visible on
screen (screen readers can access this information and use it to
describe the type and function of the control on the screen);
* providing keyboard access to all tools, menus, and dialog boxes.
Since screen readers can only read text (or give names to separately
identifiable icons or tools) it is a good idea to:
* avoid unlabeled "hot spots" on pictures as a control scheme
(unless redundant with menu selection);
* avoid non-text menu items when possible or incorporate cues
(visible or invisible) (screen readers can `see' text that is
written to screen in an invisible color);
* avoid non-redundant graphic tool bars if possible.
Finally, you can make your documentation and training materials more
accessible:
* by designing all documentation and on line help so that it can be
understood by reading the text only (e.g. information presented in
pictures and graphics is also presented with a description in
text);
* by providing synchronized running audio descriptions for all
information presented as an animated graphic or movie (descriptive
narration).
For people with language or cognitive disabilities
This is perhaps one of the most difficult areas to address. Part of
the difficulty lies in the tremendous diversity that this category of
persons with disabilities represents. It includes individuals with
general processing difficulties (developmental disabilities, brain
injury, etc.), people with very specific types of deficits (short term
memory, inability to remember proper names, etc.), learning
disabilities, language delays, and more. In addition, the range of
impairment within each of the categories can (like all disabilities)
vary from minimal to severe, with all points in between. In general,
software that is designed to be very user friendly can facilitate
access to people with language or cognitive impairments.
Somewhat more specifically, you can increase the accessibility of your
software without reducing academic rigor:
* by making sure that all messages and alerts stay on screen until
they are dismissed;
* by making language as straightforward as possible, both on screen
and in the documentation;
* by using simple and consistent screen layouts.
In addition, because print disabilities are more common among people
with language and cognitive impairments, you can increase the
accessibility of your software by ensuring that it is compatible with
screen reading software.
For people with disabilities in general
Finally, you can increase the overall accessibility of your software
without reducing academic rigor:
* by making sure that your documentation is available in electronic
form (that can be accessed by screen reading software) so that it
is available to people who cannot handle or read your printed
manuals;
* by making sure that your product support people are aware of
disability access issues and are aware that people with
disabilities routinely use your products;
* by having particular product support people identified who
specialize in handling any incompatibility associated with the use
of your product with disability access products (all support
people should be able to handle regular product use questions of
people who have disabilities, but it is usually helpful to focus
incompatibility problems to a few people who can become more
familiar with the issues and work arounds);
* by forwarding any access or compatibility problems identified by
product support people to product designers (and setting lower
trigger levels for incidence vs. priority for fixing).
The complete text of these guidelines can be found at:
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/docs/software_guidelines/toc.htm
Please see Appendix V for supplemental information about development
of accessible software.
_________________________________________________________________
Appendix I
Copyright Issues
Copyright Law Amendment, 1996
PL 104-197
December 1996
Background
The free national library program of reading materials for visually
handicapped adults administered by the National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, was
established by an act of Congress in 1931. The program was expanded in
1952 to include blind children, in 1962 to include music materials,
and in 1966 to include individuals with physical impairments that
prevent the reading of standard print.
From the beginning, this program was dependent upon the cooperation of
authors and publishers who granted NLS permission to select and
reproduce in special formats copyrighted works without royalty.
Although many factors influence the length of time it takes to make a
print book accessible in a specialized format, the period required to
obtain permission from the copyright holder has sometimes been
significant.
Public Law 104-197
Under the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3754, Congress
approved a measure, introduced by Senator John H. Chafee (R-R.I.) on
July 29, 1996, that provides for an exemption affecting the NLS
program. On September 16, 1996, the bill was signed into law by
President Clinton.
The Chafee amendment to chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code,
adds section 121, establishing a limitation on the exclusive rights in
copyrighted works. The amendment allows authorized entities to
reproduce or distribute copies or phonorecords of previously published
nondramatic literary works in specialized formats exclusively for use
by blind or other persons with disabilities.
The act making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 1997, sets forth the Chafee amendment
as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, that .
. . and for other purposes, namely:
(a) IN GENERAL-Chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is amended
by adding after section 120 the following new section:
"SEC.121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or
other people with disabilities
"(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 710, it is not
an infringement of copyright for an authorized entity to reproduce or
to distribute copies or phonorecords of a previously published,
nondramatic literary work if such copies or phonorecords are
reproduced or distributed in specialized formats exclusively for use
by blind or other persons with disabilities.
"(b)
(1) Copies or phonorecords to which this section applies shall-
"(A) not be reproduced or distributed in a format other than a
specialized format exclusively for use by blind or other persons with
disabilities;
"(B) bear a notice that any further reproduction or distribution in a
format other than a specialized format is an infringement; and
"(C) include a copyright notice identifying the copyright owner and
the date of the original publication.
"(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to
standardized, secure, or norm-referenced tests and related testing
material, or to computer programs, except the portions thereof that
are in conventional human language (including descriptions of
pictorial works) and displayed to users in the ordinary course of
using the computer programs.
"(c) For purposes of this section, the term-
"(1) `authorized entity' means a nonprofit organization or a
governmental agency that has a primary mission to provide specialized
services relating to training, education, or adaptive reading or
information access needs of blind or other persons with disabilities;
"(2) `blind or other persons with disabilities' means individuals who
are eligible or who may qualify in accordance with the Act entitled
`An Act to provide books for the adult blind,' approved March 3, 1931
(2 U.S.C. 35a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive books and other publications
produced in specialized formats; and
"(3) `specialized formats' means Braille, audio, or digital text which
is exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities."
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT-The table of sections for
chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding after
the item relating to section 120 the following:
"121. Limitations on exclusive rights: reproduction for blind or other
people with disabilities."
_________________________________________________________________
Braille
Braille is a system of reading and writing for blind individuals. The
basic unit of Braille is the Braille cell. It is composed of six dots:
the upper left dot is dot 1, the middle left dot is dot 2, the lower
left dot is dot 3, the upper right dot is dot 4, the middle right dot
is dot 5, and the lower right dot is dot 6. From these six dots you
can get 64 possible combinations.
dot 1 ** dot 4
dot 2 ** dot 5
dot 3 ** dot 6
There are many more inkprint symbols than the 64 Braille symbols. For
example, most computer systems handle about 96 different inkprint
symbols. Braille can show a wide number of different inkprint symbols
by using one or more Braille cells for each inkprint symbol.
Braille only has one set of letters. By itself, a Braille letter is
assumed to be in lower case. To show an uppercase letter, put the
capitalization indicator (dot 6) in front of a Braille letter. To show
an uppercase word, you put two capitalization indicators in front of
the word. The number sign (used to indicate a number) is dots 3-4-5-6.
This symbol comes just before the number.
An important thing to realize about Braille is that you cannot write
the dot patterns smaller or larger. An 11-1/2 by 11 inch piece of
Braille paper contains about 900 Braille cells. The Braille Planets
cause Braille volumes to be much bulkier than inkprint.
To reduce the bulkiness of Braille there is a system of Braille
contractions, or abbreviations. A Braille contraction is a combination
of one or more cells used to shorten the length of a word. For
example, to write the word "mother", you would use a two-cell
contraction rather than spelling out the word "mother". Just because a
contraction can be used does not mean it should be used. The word
"chemotherapy" contains the sequence "mother". Some Braille
translation programs are smart enough to know not to use the
contraction for "mother" in "chemotherapy" (most of the Braille rules
are based on pronunciation; you do use the "mother" contraction in
"smother", since this is pronounced like "mother").
In Braille, if you have the letter "d" with a space or punctuation on
either side, the "d" stands for the word "do". To show you really mean
the isolated letter "d", precede it with a Braille cell called the
letter sign, dots 5-6. This alerts the Braille reader to the fact that
the next letter is to be read as a letter of the alphabet rather than
an abbreviation.
Decoding Braille by comparing inkprint and Braille sequences can be
tricky. The words "to", "into", and "by" are jammed up against the
next word in Braille. The words "a", "the", "for", "of", and, "and"
within Braille are single cells which can be jammed up against each
other. For example, "with" is a single cell with spaces on either
side, but "withthe" comes out as two cells jammed together. Numbers
use the number sign followed by the letters a-j (312 comes out as
#cab). One Braille cell means "dis" if it shows up in the beginning of
a word, means "dd" if it shows up in the middle of a word, and is used
for the period punctuation symbol if it shows up at the end of a word.
There are several grades of Braille. Grade I Braille does not contain
any contractions (abbreviations), but it does represent
capitalization, numbers, and punctuation with the correct Braille
symbols. Grade I Braille is used only for specialized applications
where the Braille contractions might be confusing, such as in spelling
lists. Grade II Braille is the most commonly used in North America. It
not only represents capitalization, numbers, and punctuation marks
with the proper symbols, but it uses the various contractions.
Braille Format
Another component of Braille is format. When material is laid out on
paper for the sighted reader, it is done so for visual effect. The
reader is attracted to what is pleasing to the eye. However, in
Braille the object is maximization of space. Due to the bulkiness of
Braille volumes, you want to put as much material as possible on the
page, while at the same time maintaining readability.
According to the Library of Congress, which oversees standards and
trains Braille transcribers for Braille production, there are certain
criteria for the output page. A page of Braille contains a maximum of
about 40 characters per line and 25 lines per page. For normal
literary format (style sheet LITERARY) the Braille page number appears
at the upper right-hand corner of each page. However, you may need to
change these values according to the specifications of your Brailler.
Because of the physical (rather than visual) nature of Braille, format
standards are especially important. Small differences in where text is
placed on the page can tell the Braille reader a lot about what they
are reading. In any Braille format, with or without a Braille
translation program, certain elements are especially crucial
components of page layout. These include treatment of indent and
runover, Braille page numbers, inkprint page indicators, and running
heads.
One of the major differences between Braille and print format pertains
to paragraphs. Rather than having an indent of five spaces, Braille
paragraphs have a two cell indent. The first character of the
paragraph begins in cell three. There are no blank lines between
paragraphs. Except in special circumstances, you do not put two or
more spaces in a row in Braille. Thus only one space is used between
sentences.
When material is underlined or emphasized in print, there are
different ways of indicating it. In Braille there are italics marks
which indicate something is being emphasized. A special symbol of dots
4-6 is placed before each word to be emphasized if there are three or
fewer words in a row. If four or more words are emphasized, a double
italics sign (dots 4-6, dots 4-6) is placed before the first word. A
single italics sign (dots 4-6) is placed in front of the last
emphasized word. Please note that you do not show all uses of inkprint
emphasis in Braille. Emphasis is only used in headings when it is
necessary to preserve the distinctions shown in inkprint.
Indent and Runover
Instructions for Braille transcribing often say indent to cell #. The
farthest left position in which a cell may appear is cell 1. The
farthest right position ranges from cell 30 to cell 40, depending on
the carriage width of your Brailler.
The placement of the first cell in a paragraph is called the indent.
When transcribing instructions say, Indent to cell 3, put the first
cell of that segment in cell 3, regardless of where the preceding line
began. The position at which all subsequent lines of the same segment
begin is the runover. When instructions say, Runover to cell 1, begin
all subsequent lines of that segment in cell 1. If instructions say,
Indent to cell 7, runover to cell 5, begin the first line of that
segment of text in cell 7, and all subsequent lines in cell 5.
Sometimes, the indent is a smaller number than the runover, as in,
Indent to cell 1, runover to cell 5. In print, this is called
outdenting, or a hanging indent. In Braille, the position of the first
cell of a segment of text is always called the indent, regardless of
whether it is to the left or the right of the remaining text.
Another common Braille instruction is block, as in, Block to cell 5.
This simply means that the indent and the runover are equal to each
other. It is the same as saying, Indent to cell 5, runover to cell 5.
Headings
There are three kinds of headings in Braille: major headings, minor
headings, and paragraph headings
A major heading is centered, with a blank line before the heading, and
a blank line after it. Some Braille groups do not put a blank line
after a major heading. Technically, this is a violation of the rules
for Braille.
A minor heading is blocked to cell five. This means that the heading
starts on the fifth cell of the line. Any runover also starts on the
fifth cell of the line. Usually, there is a skipped line before a
minor heading, but not after a minor heading.
A paragraph heading is a line or phrase in italics (or some other
emphasis) that labels a paragraph and is immediately followed by text
on the same line. If this is done in inkprint, do the same in Braille,
using italics.
Braille rules require that there be at least one line of body text
after a heading or headings on the same page. If there is not enough
room on the page for the heading(s) and a line of body text, then the
heading(s) need to be postponed to the top of the next Braille page.
Before you start a Braille project, you need to structure the
document. You need to analyze how many levels of headings there are.
You need to decide which of these should be done as a major heading,
and which should be done as a minor heading.
Braille Page Numbers
As in print, each physical page in a Braille volume is given a
sequential page number. This Braille page number merely orders the
pages in the book. It does not provide the reader with any information
about the pagination of the inkprint original. The Braille page
numbers appear in different spots in different formats.
Print Page Indicators
Many Braille formats consider the Braille reader's need to know where
each inkprint page begins. When required, inkprint page indicators
appear in addition to the sequential Braille page numbers. Textbooks
are one instance where this information is essential. With it, the
Braille reader can follow class discussion, locate homework
assignments, and generally keep up with the users of the inkprint
original.
A single print page usually occupies several Braille pages. For
example, if inkprint page 87 is found on three Braille pages, then
these are marked with inkprint page indicators 87, a87, and b87.
Inkprint page indicators are also extremely useful when transcribing
anything that has a table of contents or an index. When inkprint page
indicators are not included on the Braille page, indexes and such must
be completely rewritten to refer to the Braille page numbers. When
inkprint page indicators are included, then page numbers may be
transcribed exactly as they appear in print.
Running Heads
Many Braille formats require that the title of the work being
transcribed appear on the first line of every page, with an
appropriate page number. When the title is too long to fit on one
line, it is abbreviated. The running head never uses more than one
line.
Literary vs. Textbook Format
Whenever you begin a new transcribing project, with or without a
Braille translation program, there is some planning to do before you
start data entry. There are a number of things to look for in the
first scan through the book: Check to see if there are a large number
of foreign words, a table of contents or index, and graphs or pictures
in the book.
One of the first things you must decide is whether to use textbook or
literary format. Sometimes, the agency that assigns the transcribing
job makes this decision for you. Here are some guidelines for when you
have to decide yourself. Textbook format uses inkprint page
indicators; literary format does not. When there is any possibility
that the Braille reader needs inkprint page indicators, use textbook
format. Both formats may be used with or without running heads.
Textbook and literary formats are also different from each other in
the way they handle preliminary pages, indexes, and certain special
cases such as tables and graphs.
In general, literary format allows the transcriber a certain amount of
latitude. The overriding concern of textbook format is to represent
things in Braille EXACTLY as they appear in print. Anything added or
omitted in the transcribing process must be explained in a
transcriber's note.
Literary Format
In literary format without a running head, text appears on every line
of the Braille page. The Braille page number appears in the rightmost
cells of the first line, with at least three blank cells before the
number. Text on the first line must break to allow room for this.
Literary format with a running head has text on lines 2 through 25.
Line 1 begins with at least three blank cells, followed by the running
head, at least three more blank cells, and the Braille page number.
Textbook Format
The major difference between textbook and literary formats in the main
body of text is inkprint page indicators. Textbook format has them;
literary format doesn't. For textbook format with no running head,
text appears on every line. On line 1, the inkprint page indicator
appears in the rightmost cells with at least three blank cells before
it. The Braille page number appears in the rightmost cells of the last
line on the page. Again, at least three blank cells are placed before
the Braille page number.
Textbook format with a running head has text on lines 2 through 25.
Line 1 begins with at least three blank cells, followed by the running
head, at least three more blank cells, and the inkprint page
indicator. Line 25 breaks the text to allow room for three blank cells
and the Braille page number at the end of the line.
The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office gratefully
acknowledges the work of Braille Planet in creating this excellent
overview of Braille.
Braille Production Facilities
Dozens of commercial Braille production companies are available to
colleges wishing to outsource. The majority of these resources have
Web addresses and accept electronic submission of materials to be
Brailled. Prices, production times and quality vary. Three of the
largest are:
National Braille Press
88 St. Stephen Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (617) 266-6160
Toll-free: (800) 548-7323
Fax: (617) 437-0456
http://www.nbp.org/
The American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
U.S.A.
Phone: 502-895-2405
Toll Free Customer Service: 800-223-1839 (U.S. and Canada)
Fax: 502-899-2274
http://www.aph.org/contact.htm
Braille Institute
741 N. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-1111
FAX: (323) 663-0867
http://www.brailleinstitute.org/Press.html
Other Braille Transcriber Services
Braille Transcribers
http://www.spedex.com/directories/braille.htm
Braille Jymico Inc.
http://www.braillejymico.qc.ca/products.htm
NMSU List of Braille Transcription Resources
http://www.nmsu.edu/Resources_References/access/public_html/trans.html
Quik-Scrybe
http://www.quikscrybe.com/
_________________________________________________________________
BRAILLE INSTITUTE
EDUCATION AND AWARENES
A Guide To Large Print For People With Low Vision
Many people with visual impairments beyond those correctable by
prescription lenses still read, often with the assistance of special
aids such as lighting or magnification devices. People with reduced
sight often find that conventional print appears blurred, dim and very
difficult, if not impossible, to read. Central damage to the retina,
for example, prevents some people from seeing small print clearly and
reduces their ability to move their eyes in the ways needed for
reading. Text can be made more legible for some of these readers
through the use of large print. There are many factors to consider
when producing large-print material, and it is important to note that
the variety of visual impairment and subsequent impact on the ability
to read is extensive.
CONTRAST: Text should be printed with the highest possible contrast.
Use of boldface type generally provides greater legibility, as the
letters are darker and thicker. Black or dark blue inks are preferable
to lighter colors. Color backgrounds generally should be avoided,
although some studies suggest that black ink on a bright yellow
background is easy to read. Buff, cream or light yellow backgrounds
usually are acceptable, but not dark or bright color backgrounds. Some
visually impaired people are unable to distinguish type at all with
black ink on a dark red background.
REVERSE type-"white" type on a dark background-improves readability
for some. Reverse type often is an available option with some
computers and special closed-circuit cameras used for reading, and
might be good for some signs or other items with limited text.
Backgrounds should be solid.
SIZE: Type often is measured in points and should be as large as
practical. Text should be 14 points or larger, preferably 18 points.
Headlines should be at least 24 points, larger if possible.
LEADING: The spacing between lines of text, called leading, should be
greater than that traditionally used in regular text. Many people with
Iow vision have difficulty finding the beginning of the next line when
reading if the lines of type are too close together. A ratio of 150
percent (12-point type receives 18-point leading) is a good guideline
for text.
STYLE: An ordinary typeface, such as this one (Helvetica), a
sans-serif font (one without the fine lines projecting from the main
strokes of letters found on some fonts, such as Palatino or Times,
usually is the best choice for large print. Other styles of type
frequently used in regular print are not easily read by people with
Iow vision. These include ALL CAPS, SMALL CAPS, italics and ornate,
decorative fonts like this. Text should be in Upper and Lower Case,
with wider spacing between lines, for maximum readability.
LETTER SPACING: The spacing (track) between individual letters on each
line should be wider than usual whenever possible. Text with close
letter spacing is particularly difficult for partially sighted readers
who have central visual field defects.
MARGINS: Extra-wide binding margins are very helpful in large-print
books and other bound material because they make the volumes easier to
hold flat. Many visual aids, such as stand and video magnifiers, are
easier to use on a flat surface.
PAPER: Paper with a glossy finish can interfere with legibility
because it tends to catch and reflect the glare of lights in a room.
Glare is a common problem for many readers who are partially sighted.
Print on paper with a matte (dull) finish whenever possible. Those
wishing to use recycled paper will find a good selection of paper
stock. Ink type-petroleum-based versus soy-based-is not a factor.
ALIGNMENT of text, hyphenation of words and other factors can slow a
reader who is visually impaired and are worth considering when
producing materials for this audience. Text created "flush left" is
easiest to read. Paragraphs indented too far (.125 inches is a
suggested maximum) might be replaced by paragraphs with extra space
between them.
Text that is centered is harder to follow because the reader must
search for the start of each line.
Text created "flush right" also is a potential problem.
Text that is "justified" appears to create no special problems,
although many computer programs typically compact some type when this
alignment is used, which can reduce the readability. Justified type
also uses a lot of hyphenation, which can slow the reading process for
someone who is visually impaired to a greater degree than it does for
sighted readers.
When producing large-print materials for people with reduced sight,
keep the above principles in mind and your readers will be able to
make full use of their remaining vision.
Los Angeles Sight Center (213) 663-1111
Desert Center (760) 321-1111
San Diego Center (619) 452-1111
Santa Barbara Center (805) 682-6222
Orange County Center (714) 821-5000
Youth Center (213) 851-5695
www. brailleinstitute.org
_________________________________________________________________
Appendix II
Telephone Relay Services
Telephone Relay Services (TRS) link people using a standard (voice)
telephone with people using a device called either a Text Telephone
(TTY) or Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD). This device
generally consists of a keyboard and display screen. Calls are routed
through a communications operator who has both sets of equipment and
who acts as the intermediary between callers. Such services eliminate
communications barriers between people with and without hearing/speech
impairments, and between the different telephone equipment they
typically use. Tip: Relay service calls take longer due to the
communications operator's "translation" to/from voice and text. It
helps to organize your thoughts and any material you will need,
beforehand.
Dialing Instructions:
TTY/TDD Origin
* Dial the TTY/TDD number of the relay services.
* The communications operator will answer by typing his/her personal
ID number. (relay call conventions will be explained if you have
not used them before).
* Type the voice number you wish to call. The operator will connect
you.
Voice Origin
* Dial the voice number of the relay service.
* The communications operator will answer by speaking his/her
personal ID number. (relay call conventions will be explained if
you have not used them before).
* Speak the TTY/TDD number you wish to call. The operator will
connect you.
Nationwide Long Distance Relay Services
AT&T
800-855-2880 (TTY/TDD)
800-855-2881 (Voice)
800-855-2882 (Computer)
800-855-2883 (Telebraille)
800-855-2884 (Spanish-TTY/TDD)
800-855-2885 (Spanish-Voice)
800-855-855-2886 (Spanish-Computer)
MCI
800-688-4889 (TTY/TDD)
800-947-8642 (Voice)
Sprint
800-877-8973 (Voice & TTY/TDD)
Real-Time Transcription
On-Site Classroom Captioning
Rapidtext is a leading provider of qualified classroom captioning or
interpreting. Transcribers attend class and write the spoken word on a
steno machine. This process instantly creates English text so that one
or more hearing impaired students may not only see what is being said,
but non-oral students can utilize the keyboard to ask questions. These
questions are usually read aloud by the Rapidtext captionist. At the
end of the class session, the hearing impaired students can have a
diskette or hard copy of the class notes. This solution is
unparalleled for even the most technical classes and graduate studies.
This meets ADA requirements for the hearing impaired and is extremely
effective for learning disabled and English as a Second Language (ESL)
students.
Remote Captioning
The benefits are identical to the Classroom Captioning description
except that the captionist/steno interpreter is located remote to the
class setting. The captionist can be located in another building,
another city, or in our office. The captionist hears what is being
said via a telephone line, and sends back the captions to a computer
in the classroom or to the Rapidtext Infosign for the instant display
of the spoken work. This can work very simply by using a speakerphone
in the classroom or a lapel microphone on the teacher. Also, the class
notes are available at the end of the class session. This solution
meets ADA requirements for the hearing impaired and can be very easy
to staff for the erratic class schedule by dealing only with
Rapidtext.
Captioning for Public Events, Seminars, Meetings
Rapidtext can provide either on-site or remote captioning/interpreting
for any event. Captions can be displayed on one or more computer
monitors, video monitors, projection televisions, or Rapidtext
Infosigns. Even special interfaces can be developed for sports arena
scoreboards or special display devices. Rapidtext has captioned events
of all sizes, including our president's speech, and that was outdoors.
Transcripts can be provided of the events or seminars. Ensure that you
meet ADA requirements for your next event.
RapidText
http://www.rapidtext.com/
Interpreter Services
What is Interpreting?
Interpreting, simply stated, is receiving a message in one language
and delivering it in another. Not as simple as it sounds, interpreting
is a complex process that requires a high degree of linguistic,
cognitive and technical skills.
Professional sign language interpreters develop interpreting skills
through extensive training and practice over a long period of time.
Interpreters continue to actively improve their skills, knowledge, and
professionalism through membership in RID. An increasing number of
interpreters have completed college or university interpreter
education programs, earning associates, bachelors, and/or masters
degrees in interpreting. Some interpreters have also obtained advanced
degrees in related fields such as linguistics or cultural studies.
Sign language interpreting is a highly specialized field; simply
knowing both sign language and English does not qualify a person as an
interpreter. The professional sign language interpreter is able to
adjust to a broad range of deaf consumer preferences and/or needs for
interpretation. Some deaf individuals use American Sign Language, a
natural language with its own grammar and structure that is distinct
from English. Others prefer a form of signing that more closely
follows the grammar and structure of spoken English. The professional
interpreter is expected to work comfortably along this wide spectrum.
Sometimes it is necessary to have two or more interpreters working
simultaneously in order to satisfy the preferences and needs of a
varied audience. On occasion, one of the interpreters may be a deaf
individual or a person fluent in a language other than English or
American Sign Language. Interpreters should be aware of and sensitive
to ethnic/cultural and linguistic concerns.
Where professional interpreters work
Interpreters work in a variety of settings and situations. Many
interpreters work in private practice; they are self-employed. From
scheduling assignments to handling billing, the interpreter is
responsible for all business aspects. The private practice interpreter
may also receive assignments through interpreter service agencies.
Other interpreters are salaried staff of an agency, institution, or
corporation. Still others interpret in educational settings from
pre-school to graduate school and any level in between. Interpreters
work in settings as intimate as a private therapy session or as public
as a televised address at a national political convention. The
interpreter must be a versatile, flexible, skilled professional.
Interpreter Ethics
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. has set forth the
following principles of ethical behavior to protect and guide
interpreters and transliterators and hearing and deaf consumers.
Underlying these principles is the desire to insure for all the right
to communicate.
This Code of Ethics applies to all members of the Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. and to all certified non-members.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall keep all assignment-related
information strictly confidential.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall render the message faithfully,
always conveying the content and spirit of the speaker using
language most readily understood by the person(s) whom they serve.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall not counsel, advise or
interject personal opinions.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall accept assignments using
discretion with regard to skill, setting, and the consumers
involved.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall request compensation for
services in a professional and judicious manner.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall function in a manner
appropriate to the situation.
* Interpreters/transliterators shall strive to further knowledge and
skills through participation in workshops, professional meetings,
interaction with professional colleagues, and reading of current
literature in the field.
* Interpreters/transliterators, by virtue of membership or
certification by the RID, Inc., shall strive to maintain high
professional standards in compliance with the Code of Ethics.
Interpreting Credentials
In the field of interpreting, as in other professions, appropriate
credentials are an important indicator of an interpreter's
qualifications. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) awards
certification to interpreters who successfully pass national tests.
The tests assess not only language knowledge and communication skills,
but also knowledge and judgment on issues of ethics, culture and
professionalism. An interpreter may hold one or more certifications.
Information on certifications is available from RID.
Some common sign language interpreting certifications are:
CI-Certificate of Interpretation
CT-Certificate of Transliteration
CSC-Comprehensive Skills Certificate
SC:L-Specialist Certificate: Legal
IC-Interpretation Certificate
TC-Transliteration Certificate
CDI-Certified Deaf Interpreter
_________________________________________________________________
Appendix III
Captioning
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ADOPTS RULES FOR VIDEO CLOSED
CAPTIONING
(MM DOCKET 95-176)
The Commission has adopted an order (FCC 97-279) establishing rules to
implement the closed captioning requirements of the Telecommunications
Act of 1996. The 1996 Act required the Commission to adopt, by August
8, 1997, rules and implementation schedules for captioning of video
programming ensuring access to video programming by persons with
hearing disabilities. This order implements Section 305 of the 1996
Act which added a new Section 713, Video Programming Accessibility, to
the Communications Act. These rules will increase the amount of closed
captioned video programming available to the more than 22 million
Americans with hearing disabilities.
Congress generally required that video programming be closed
captioned, regardless of distribution technology, to ensure access to
persons with hearing disabilities. Congress also recognized that in
some situations requiring that programming be closed captioned might
prove to be an undue burden on video programming providers or owners
and authorized the Commission to exempt classes of programs or
services for which provision of video programming would be
economically burdensome.
Some of the key elements in the order adopted today include:
Video programming distributors will be responsible for compliance with
captioning requirements. This is the most efficient and focused way to
ensure compliance.
Video programming distributors include all entities who provide video
programming directly to customers' homes, regardless of distribution
technology used (i.e., broadcasters, cable operators, MVPDs and
other).
That new programming (video programming first published or exhibited
on or after January 1, 1998) is made "fully accessible," as required
by Section 713. The rules establish an 8 year transition period and
define full accessibility as the closed captioning of 95% of nonexempt
new programming. Compliance will be measured on a channel-by-channel
basis for MVPDs and will be measured over each calendar quarter. Three
benchmarks are established during the transition period. These
benchmarks are based on average amounts of required captioning of
approximately 5 hours per day after 2 years, 10 hours per day after 4
years and 15 hours per day after 6 years. During this transition
period if these closed captioning requirements exceed the number of
hours of nonexempt new programming on a channel during the calendar
quarter, 95% of the nonexempt new programming on a channel must
contain captions. The Commission will also require video programming
providers to continue to provide closed captioning at a level
substantially the same as the average level of captioning that they
provided during the first six months off 1997, even if the amount of
captioned programming exceeds that required under the benchmarks.
That the accessibility of pre-rule programming (video programming
first published or exhibited before January 1, 1998) is "maximized"
through the provision of closed captions, as required by Section 713.
With respect to pre-rule programming that does not meet any of our
criteria for exemption, at least 75% of such programming must contain
closed captions at the end of a ten year transition period. Compliance
will be measured on a per-channel, quarterly basis. The Commission
expects that the amount of captioning of such programming will
increase incrementally over the transition period and does not set
specific benchmarks for pre-rule programming. During the transition
period the Commission will monitor distributor's efforts to increase
the amount of captioning to determine whether channels are progressing
toward the 75% requirement. The Commission also will reevaluate its
decision to determine whether specific benchmarks are necessary to
increase captioning and whether the 75% threshold for maximizing the
accessibility of pre-rule programming is the appropriate amount to
meet the goals of the statute.
Exemptions based on economic burden:
The rules exempt from our closed captioning requirements several
specific classes of programming for which such requirements would be
economically burdensome. These include: non-English language
programming, primarily textual programming, programming distributed
late at night, interstitial announcements, promotional programming and
public service announcements, certain locally-produced and distributed
programming, non-vocal musical programming, ITFS programming and
programming from new networks.
The rules further exempt any video programming provider from closed
captioning requirements where the provider has annual gross revenues
of less than three million dollars. Advertisements of less than 5
minutes are not included in the definition of covered programming
here. The rules also permit some smaller video programming providers
to caption less than the specified benchmark amounts of their
programming by permitting them to cap their spending on closed
captioning based on their gross revenues.
Exemptions based on existing contracts:
The rules will exempt any programming subject to a contract in effect
on February 8, 1996, for which compliance with the closed captioning
requirements would constitute a breach of contract.
Exemptions based on undue burden:
The Commission will consider petitions for exemption from the closed
captioning rules if the requirements would impose an undue burden
based on statutory criteria.
Standards for quality and accuracy:
Video programming distributors will be required to deliver intact the
closed captioning they receive as part of the programming they
distribute to viewers, where the captions do not require reformatting.
Video programming distributors must maintain and monitor their
equipment to ensure the technical quality of the closed captioning
they transmit. The Commission will not adopt standards for the
non-technical aspects of quality at this time.
Enforcement process:
The rules will be enforced through a complaint process. Complaints
alleging violation of the closed captioning rules must first be
directed in writing to the video programming distributor responsible
for distribution of the programming. If a video programming
distributor fails to respond to a complaint or a dispute remains
following this initial procedure, a complaint may then be filed with
the Commission.
Action by the Commission August 7, 1997, by Order (FCC 97-279).
Chairman
Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong, with Chairman Hundt and
Commissioner Chong issuing separate statements.
Basic Captioning Terms
If you are unfamiliar with the process of captioning, this glossary
can help you understand the most basic terms:
Off-line captioning:
Captioning that is produced after a video segment has been recorded. A
captioner watches the video recording and creates captions, paying
attention to the timing and screen placement of each caption. The
captions are usually then recorded on videotape with the program
picture and sound before the program is broadcast or distributed. Most
captioned programming is produced off-line.
Realtime captioning:
Captions which are simultaneously created and transmitted during a
video program or conference. This type of captioning is most
frequently used for live programs, including news shows and sporting
events. A trained stenotypist, acting in much the same way as a
courtroom reporter, enters the spoken content by typing phonetic codes
on a special keyboard that permits high-speed transcription. A
computer, using custom software, then very quickly translates the
phonetic codes into proper words. In order to display the words as
quickly as possible after they are spoken, most realtime captioning is
shown in a scrolling style.
Closed captions:
Captions that appear only when special equipment called a decoder is
used. Closed captioning is typically used for broadcast television and
for videocassettes of movies which are widely distributed. Closed
captioning allows caption users (people who are deaf or hard of
hearing) to enjoy the same broadcast and pre-recorded video materials
that other television viewers enjoy.
Open captions:
Captions that are visible without using a decoder. When a video is
open captioned, the captions are permanently part of the picture. Open
captions are advised for any situation where a decoder may be
difficult to obtain or operate (for example, in a hotel, convention
center, or museum). For this reason, open captioning is recommended
for training and promotional videos.
Closed caption decoder:
Equipment that decodes the captioning signal and causes captions to
appear on the screen. In the 1980s and early 1990s, closed caption
decoders were usually separate appliances that connected to the
television set, VCR, and/or cable converter box. Since July 1, 1993,
all television receivers with screens 13 inches or larger manufactured
for sale in the United States must have built-in closed caption
decoders, and the additional appliance will not be needed for these
sets.
Roll-up and Pop-On captions:
These are the two main styles in which captions may appear. Roll-up
captions scroll onto and off the screen in a continuous motion. Pop-on
captions do not scroll; the words display and erase entirely together.
Pop-on captions are used for most off-line captioning. Roll-up
captions are used for most realtime captioning.
Captioning Service Providers
These are links to captioning and subtitling service providers. There
are no licensing requirements or tests a captioner must meet in order
to call themselves a captioning service provider.
The National Association of the Deaf in cooperation with the
Department of Education operates a Captioned Films/Videos program; and
the NADCFV has a list of vendors evaluated by the NAD and approved by
the U. S. Department of Education for CFV captioning. In order to be
listed, a captioning vendor must submit samples to the NAD for
approval. Some of the vendors on the NAD/DOE list are represented
here:
Captionmax, Inc.
530 N. 3rd St.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
http://www.captionmax.com/
Caption Perfect
P.O. Box 12454
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2454
919-942-0693 (v)
919-942-0435 (fax)
http://members.aol.com/captioning/index.html
Henninger Digital Captioning
2601-A Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22201
phone 703-243-3444
fax 703-243-5697
http://www.henninger.com/hcap.html
National Captioning Institute
NCI California Office
303 North Glenoaks Boulevard, Suite 200
Burbank, CA 91502
V/TTY (818) 238-0068
http://www.ncicap.org/
VITAC
4450 Lakeside Drive, Suite 250
Burbank, California 91505
(888) 528-4822
(818) 295-2490
(818) 295-2494 Fax
http://www.vitac.com/
_________________________________________________________________
Appendix IV
WAI Guidelines for Accessible Web Site Design
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/)
_________________________________________________________________
Appendix V
Microsoft's Checklist of Accessibility Design Guidelines
(Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation)
Basic Principles
You should follow these basic principles when designing an accessible
application:
Flexibility. Provide a flexible, customizable user interface for your
application that can accommodate the user's needs and preferences. For
example, you should allow the user to choose font sizes, reduce visual
complexity, and customize the arrangement of menus.
Choice of input methods. Support the user's choice of input methods by
providing keyboard access to all features and by providing access to
common tasks using simple mouse operations.
Choice of output modalities. Support the user's choice of output
methods through the use of sound and visuals and of visual text and
graphics. You should combine these output methods redundantly or allow
the user to choose his or her preferred output method.
Compatibility with accessibility aids. Use programming techniques and
user-interface elements that are compatible with accessibility aids,
such as blind access, screen magnification, and voice input utilities.
Consistency. Make your application's behavior consistent with other
Windows-based applications and with system standards. For example, you
should support Control Panel settings for colors and sizes and use
standard keyboard behavior.
Keyboard Access
Providing a good keyboard user interface is key to designing an
accessible application.
* Provide keyboard access to all features.
* Fully document your keyboard user interface.
* When possible, model your keyboard interface on a familiar
application or control.
* Provide underlined access keys for all menu items and controls.
* Use logical keyboard navigation order.
If you normally hide some keyboard user interface elements, display
them when the Keyboard Preference flag is set.
* Allow the user to select text with the keyboard.
* Avoid using the GetAsynchKeyState function.
* If possible, provide customizable keyboard shortcuts.
* Exposing the Keyboard Focus
Many accessibility aids need to know where the user is working.
* Expose the location of the keyboard focus within a window, either
by moving the system caret or by using ActiveAccessibility.
* Exposing Screen Elements
Many accessibility aids need to identify or manipulate the objects on
the screen.
* Allow other software to identify and manipulate all screen
elements that the user interacts with, using Microsoft Active
Accessibility (which is already supported by standard window
classes and controls).
* Ensure that every object, window, and graphic is properly named.
Define correct text labels for all controls, and give every window
a user-friendly caption, even if the text is not visible on the
screen.
* Support the WM_GETDLGCODE message in all custom controls that have
their own window, to identify your control type and keyboard
interface.
* Provide an alternative to any owner-drawn menus.
* Display text using appropriate read-write edit, read-only edit,
status, static, or HTML controls.
* Make sure that dialog boxes define the correct tab order.
* Uniquely identify every type of window.
* Expose names or descriptions for all images and bitmapped text.
* Give objects labels that are unique within their context and are
unambiguous when taken out of context.
If screen contents are not exposed in other ways, support standard
drawing techniques that can be monitored and recorded. Provide
alternatives to operations that directly manipulate bitmap or screen
pixels.
Color
* Color should be used to enhance, emphasize, or reiterate
information.
* The application must respond properly when the High Contrast
option is True.
* Use only colors that the user can customize, ideally through
Control Panel.
* Use colors in their proper foreground/background combinations.
* Omit background images drawn behind text.
* Where possible, allow the use to customize all colors through
Control Panel or through its own user interface.
* When screen elements correspond with standard elements, use the
appropriate system colors chosen in control Panel.
* Always use colors in their proper foreground/background
combinations.
* If possible, be prepared to draw monochrome images that contrast
with the background color.
* Avoid conveying important information by color alone, or make it
optional.
* Draw graphic objects to contrast with the current background
color.
* Provide an option to omit complex or shaded backgrounds drawn
behind text.
Size
* The size of text and graphics affects usability as well as
accessibility.
* The application must be compatible with system settings for sizes
and fonts. (Logo Requirement).
* Avoid hard coding any font sizes smaller than 10 points.
* If you draw lines, determine the proper width rather than using a
fixed value.
* Allow the user to select font and font sizes for displayed
information.
* Allow the user to adjust the size of non-document elements such as
toolbars.
* Make sure the application is compatible with changes to the system
font size and the number of pixels per logical inch.
* If feasible, provide a draft mode, zoom, and wrap to window
features.
* Stretch, shrink, pad, or crop images appropriately when their
space changes.
* Avoid tuning your application too tightly to a single font.
Sound
* Do not convey important information by sound alone, or if you do,
provide an option to convey this information by visual means.
* Display important information visually when the ShowSounds option
is True.
* Provide closed captions for all audio content rendered through
DirectPlay.
* Define many custom sound events, even if they are silent in the
default sound scheme.
* Trigger standard sound events when carrying out equivalent
actions.
* If you generate sounds, provide a way to turn them off.
Timings
* Allow the user to customize all user interface timings.
* Allow the user to avoid having messages time out.
* Allow slowing down or disabling any rapid screen updates or
flashing.
Unexpected Side Effects
* Moving the mouse should not trigger unexpected side effects
* Navigating with the keyboard should not trigger unexpected side
effects.
Mouse Input
* Applications must be compatible with specified system settings for
mouse input.
* Provide mouse shortcuts for commonly used features.
* Make toolbars customizable.
* Emphasize simple mouse operations that require only single clicks.
Customizable User Interface
* If possible, allow the user to administrator to customize the
application to meet specific needs.
Layout
* Visual design and layout can make an application more usable and
more accessible for people with cognitive or visual impairments.
* Make it easy to recognize the label for each control or object.
* Place a text label immediately to the left of or above its
control.
* Do not separate a control and its label by too great a distance.
* Do not place unlabeled controls both to the left of and beneath a
label.
* All text labels should end with colons, and static text controls
that do not label other controls should not end in colons.
* Follow conventions for labeling icons, with text below or to the
right of the icon, or displayed as a tooltip.
* Try to position related objects near each other.
Verifying Accessibility
* Test the application against this guidelines checklist.
* Test with the High Contrast option and high contrast appearance
schemes.
* Test compatibility with extra-large appearance schemes.
* Verify that all features can be used without a mouse.
* Verify that all keyboard user interface methods are documented.
* Test with the Inspect Objects tool to verify that all screen
elements are exposed and properly labeled.
* Test with the Microsoft Magnifier to verify that the keyboard
focus location is properly exposed during navigation and editing.
* Test with commercial accessibility aids.
* Test with changes to the system font size and number of pixels per
logical inch.
* Include people with disabilities and accessibility software
vendors in your beta tests.
* Include people with disabilities in your usability tests.
* Conduct surveys of your users who have disabilities.
* Distribute free evaluation copies of your product to individuals
with disabilities, disability organizations, and accessibility
software vendors.
Documentation
* Provide documentation in accessible format, such as ASCII text or
HTML.
* Accessible documentation should contain descriptions of
illustrations and tables.
* Do not convey important information by color or graphics alone.
Use color and graphics redundantly to the text.
* Maintain high contrast between the text and its background.
* Do not use text smaller than 10 points in size.
* If possible, bind printed documentation to lie flat.
_________________________________________________________________
Software Design Guidelines (TRACE Research Center)
General Design Guidelines
There are a few general themes that you'll notice occurring repeatedly
in the specific guidelines in the next section. They are worth noting
since they provide the rationale for many of the specific guidelines
and can be used to help make decisions when options exist for a given
design.
* Use system tools whenever possible.
* Maintain consistent, predictable layout & behavior and adhere to
system standards/style guides.
* Provide keyboard access to all dialogs, menus, and tools.
* Design software to minimize the skills and abilities needed to
operate it.
* Be sure software cooperates with (or at the least, does not break)
special access features in the OS and third party access software.
* Use an open systems approach.
1. Use system tools whenever possible
Many software based access programs provide their alternate input and
display capabilities by tapping into the system software. These access
systems depend on the application program using the system tools
provided for input and output. Application programs which do not use
the system tools may not be accessible to people using special access
software or features in the operating system.
For example, alternate input software may take Morse code in and
convert it into alternate or "counterfeit" keystrokes which it then
puts into the input cue or buffer just as if they came from the
keyboard. Application software that takes its keystrokes from the
input buffer will find these alternate keystrokes and treat them just
like regular keystrokes. If your application program bypasses the
input buffer and takes its keystrokes directly from the input
hardware, then the alternate keystrokes will not be seen and the
person will not be able to use it.
Similarly, screen reading software for people who are blind works by
watching the activity of the text drawing routines in the operating
system. By watching commands sent to the operating system telling it
to draw text on the screen, the screen reading software can keep track
of everything that is written to the screen. If application software
writes text directly to the screen, then the screen reading software
will not know that it is there.
Alternate mouse or pointer routines would also depend on the ability
to make system and application software think that a person was moving
the mouse when in fact they were operating a mouse simulation program.
2. Maintain consistent, predictable layout & behavior and adhere to
system standards/style guides
Wherever possible, follow system standards and style guides. For
people with cognitive disabilities it makes it easier to predict and
understand how things should operate and what they mean. For people
who are blind and use screen readers to find out what is on the
screen, predictable layouts and controls are easier to figure out.
Also, adaptive software manufactures can build techniques into their
software to handle the standard objects and appearances, but not
unique or one of a kind implementations. If you do something
different, be sure it is accessible (see "Product Testing and
Developer Support" at the end of Guidelines-Part I.)
3. Provide keyboard access to all dialogs, menus, and tools
Application programs which provide the ability to access all of the
menus by using the keyboard greatly facilitate access by individuals
who cannot use the standard mouse. It also makes access easier (or
possible) for people with poor eye hand coordination or those who are
blind. This access may be provided either by use of the arrow keys to
move around through the menu structure, or through use of keyboard
equivalents for ALL menu items.
4. Design software to minimize the skills and abilities needed to
operate it
The best way to view people who have disabilities is to think of them
simply as individuals with reduced abilities rather than as people
without an ability. The reduction in their abilities may vary from
slight to severe. The more you can reduce the sensory, physical, or
cognitive skills necessary to operate the program, the more people
will be able to directly use the program. It also makes it easier for
everyone else to use the program. Some examples: using a slightly
larger or clearer type, using menus which can be scanned rather than
commands which must be memorized, keeping menus short and dialog boxes
uncluttered, reducing or eliminating the need for fine motor control.
It is also helpful to provide multiple ways of accomplishing functions
in order to adapt to different needs or weaknesses. For example,
having pull-down menus reduces the cognitive load and makes it easier
to operate computers. While providing hot keys reduces the motor load
and makes it easier and faster for individuals with physical
disabilities to use computers, providing both addresses the needs of
both groups and gives all users more options to meet their
preferences. A second example would be the ability to use either the
scroll bar or the keyboard to select position within a document.
The third general strategy is to provide layering to reduce visual and
cognitive complexity. One example of this are programs which provide
both short and long forms of their menus. The use of option buttons in
dialog boxes or other techniques for nesting complexity would be a
second example of this.
5. Be sure software cooperates with (or at the least, does not break)
special access features in the OS and third party access software
Using system tools and conventions/standards
As mentioned above, the most important and easiest mechanism for
ensuring greater compatibility with access software is to use the
tools and conventions which have been established for the operating
system. Most access software works through modifications to the system
tools, or bases its operation on assumptions that the standard
conventions for the system will be followed. As long as application
software programs use the system tools and conventions, there is
generally little problem.
Provide software access to commands
When commands are all executed through the menus, access software has
very little trouble in both accessing listings of the available
commands and activating the commands. Program commands which are
issued in other fashions-such as tool bars, special palettes,
etc.-present problems. It is difficult to get a listing of all of the
commands (for example, to present to somebody who is blind). It is
also difficult to directly activate the various commands (for example,
by an alternate access routine for someone with a severe physical
disability). Where all of the palette and tool bar commands are
available via the standard menus, this is not a problem. When these
commands, however, are not otherwise available, it is important that
access somehow be achieved.
Access to commands in a program consists of four parts. Fortunately,
the movement toward inter-application control is making the commands
in a program more accessible electronically. Features like balloon
help are also useful for providing descriptions of the commands and
buttons on the screen. Eventually, it would be nice to be able to:
* Obtain a listing of all of the possible commands
* Obtain help text for each of the commands
* Be able to execute all of the commands from an external program
* Be able to read the status of user-settable parameters (and be
able to set all such parameters) from an external program
When these capabilities are all available in a standardized format, it
will make the process of developing access programs much simpler and
more complete. In the meantime, programs which have most of their
commands available for inter-program control may consider making the
rest of the program commands available as well.
6. Use an open systems approach
Providing access to people who have disabilities is in many ways just
a natural extension of the open systems approach to software design.
Support of the open systems through GOSIP, POSIX, and the applications
portability profile facilitates compatibility with special access
software and hardware within these environments. With the rapid
advance of technologies and operating systems, software that is based
upon open systems concepts and which retains a stable or similar
interface format across platforms greatly facilitates the efforts of
third-party accessibility developers in keeping up and adapting their
products.
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
|
