Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> From: "Dr. AnnMarie (Paulukonis) Johnson" <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Blackboard 5 accessibility Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 11:26:30 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: text/plain I just tried out Blackboard 5 with JAWS (screen reader) and IBM Home page reader (screen reader just for web pages). Blackboard 5 runs pretty miserably on both. On the latter, it is impossible. The first page frame set gives no alternative text so it is impossible to find the login button. I visually went into the Portal and then into the workshop 4 class. It continues to be unreadable. In the former (JAWS), you can hit the tab button and find the login button...but it isn't labeled "Login" so you haven't a clue if you can't see the button (that is, there is no alt text on the image). In the portal, it's better, because it reads *everything* straight across the page. However, this means the first line of every table (?) is read first, then the second line, then the third. So you hear "Announcements Welcome Calendar Today's announcements My course tasks dot.edu's online education using Blackboard courses you are teaching Tasks etc." Inside a course, not all of the images (navigation) have alt text, so they aren't read either. On the one I'm looking at, only Assignments, Books, Groups and Web Sites have alt text out of 12 total buttons. I spoke a little about my concerns yesterday with Kathryn, but she indicated she hadn't tried out any screen reading software with version 5. Sean recently did a brown bag on accessibility and we have some demo programs around, so I decided to give it a whirl. I am exceedingly disappointed in the lack of accessibility. Given the renewed push for accessibility for the entire UW System, I believe that Blackboard 5 will not able to be supported unless a lot is done to make it usable by visually handicapped students (and faculty). I saw this morning a letter sent to CIOs that indicates Katherine Lyall has recommended all chancellors mandate level 1 accessibility for all web pages coming from any University of WI. The letter sent to us this morning via Kathryn appears to indicate Blackboard will not be address ADA compliance and accessibility until version 6. At this time, unless there are revisions to Blackboard 5 making it accessible, I am not certain we could support it on this campus. AnnMarie