Guided Accessiblity

On Demand Assistance With Developing Accessible Web Content

Proposal In Draft

This is a proposal I will be submiting shortly to the TLT Conference. It coincides with my development of the Accessibility Flow Chart and it's possible evolution into a web tool.

Abstract

Accessibility concerns are not new, but many faculty and staff still don't understand exactly how to make content accessible and why they are required to do so. Miscommunication and misunderstandings have lead to the misconception that accessibility means avoiding innovate technologies or lots of duplicated effort to accommodate people with different needs. This is rarely the case, these problems can often be avoided with informed design decisions, good pedagogical practice, and the proper application of technology.

ITECS and ITD at North Carolina State University are collaborating to create a tool that provides assistance on demand for understanding and incorporating accessibility into new or existing websites. This system has a deep repository of knowledge, but provides need based information so users do not feel overwhelmed. Concepts are explained in a frame of mind where web accessibility practices are a sub-set of web usability, so the process is justified from both ethical and self-serving points of view. The intended outcomes of using the tool are users that are better informed and more receptive to diverse needs and sites that are more accessible and usable.

Bio

Troy Hurteau is the Web Developer for the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University. He serves as a back-end programmer, front-end designer, and a strong advocate of NCSU's grass-roots computing tradition.

Link To Progress

Link To Concept Images