Frequently Asked Questions
How do individuals with disabilities access technology?
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: People with
Disabilities and Computer Technology at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_dis.html.
View the video Access to Technology in the Workplace: In Our Own Words at
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/access_tech.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computer Technology and People with Mobility Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_mobility.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computers and People with Sensory Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_sensory.html.
Read the publication and view the video Working Together: Computers and People with Learning Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/wt_learn.html.
What are specific types of technology and how can they be made accessible to people with disabilities?
Accessible Web Pages and other Internet Tools
Read the publication and view the video World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/www.html.
Read Section 508 Guide: Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm.
Read the WebAIM Section 508 Checklist at http://www.webaim.org/standards/508/checklist.
Read the Checklist of Checkpoints for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10/atag10-chktable.html.
Read Accessibility of Online Chat Programs at http://www.webaim.org/articles/chats/.
Accessible Telecommunications Products
Read Use of Telecommunications Products by People with Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/telcom.html.
Read the Technical Bulletin: Access to Telecommunications at http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/bulletins/telecomm.htm.
Read About the Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines at http://www.access-board.gov/telecomm/about%20telecomm.htm.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Section 255 Telecommunications Access for People with Disabilities at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/section255.html.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Telecommunications Relay Services at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Telecommunications Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.23.htm.
Accessible Video and Multimedia Products
Read Creating Video and Multimedia Products that are Accessible to People with Sensory Impairments at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/vid_sensory.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Video and Multimedia Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.24.htm.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Accessibility of Emergency Video Programming to Persons with Hearing and Visual Disabilities at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/emergencyvideo.html.
Read FCC Consumer Facts—Closed Captioning at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.html.
Accessible Software
Read Designing Software that is Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/design_software.html.
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Software Applications and Operating Systems at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.21.htm.
Review Software Accessibility Checklist at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/archive/oldsoftware.html.
Read Software Accessibility at http://www-306.ibm.com/able/guidelines/software/accesssoftware.html.
Accessible Desktop and Portable Computers
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Desktop and Portable Computers at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.26.htm.
Accessible Self-Contained, Closed Products
Read Guide to Section 508 Standards: Self Contained, Closed Products at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.25.htm.
What are examples of where accessible technology should be used?
Read the publication and view the video Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/real_con.html.
Read the publication and view the video Equal Access: Universal Design of Computer Labs at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Video/equal.html.
Read Equal Access: Universal Design of Libraries at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/equal_access_lib.html.
What are examples of policies for procuring, using, and developing accessible technology?
Read Policy Governing World Wide Web Accessibility at UW - Madison at http://www.wisc.edu/wiscinfo/policy/wwwap.php.
Read the Ohio State University Web Accessibility Policy at http://ada.osu.edu/resources/WebPolicies.htm.
Read The Goal: Making University of Washington Web Sites Accessible to Everyone at http://www.washington.edu/computing/accessible/.
Read Central Michigan University Web Policy at http://www.cmich.edu/web-policy/accessibility.htm.
Read Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility at http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/impl/.
Read Accessible Web Design Policy Statements and Standards at http://www.washington.edu/computing/accessible/resources.html.
Read Oregon State University Information Technology Accessibility at http://oregonstate.edu/accessibility/software.php.
Read Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy at http://www.ala.org/ala/ascla/asclaissues/libraryservices.cfm.
Where can I find training and support regarding accessible technology, legal issues, and resources?
Good places to start include the following:
Technology and Universal Design at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/technology.html.
Equal Access to Software and Information at http://www.rit.edu/~easi/.
AccessIT: The National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education at http://www.washington.edu/accessit/.
IT Access for Persons with Disabilities at http://www.gsa.gov/cita.
Where can I find information about universal design as applied to instruction in higher education?
Read Universal Design of Instruction: Definition, Principles, and Examples - universal design principles applied to curriculum, educational technology, teaching strategies, and classroom activities at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/instruction.html.
Read Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction - a checklist to maximize the learning of all students at http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Academics/equal_access_udi.html.
Read Equal Access: Universal Design of Computing Departments - guidelines for making computer science information technology departments accessible to all students at http://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/equal_access_csd.html.
Visit Universal Design as a Topic of Instruction - ideas for building universal design into a curriculum at http://www.washington.edu/doit/CUDE/ud_topic.html.
Additional Resources:
Frequently Asked Questions, Case Studies, and Promising Practices from the
searchable DO-IT Knowledge Base at http://www.washington.edu/doit/kb.html.
Items include:
Are postsecondary institutions required to purchase adaptive software for a specific course if only one student needs it? - http://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?166
Are there commercial products designed to make math accessible to students with disabilities? - http://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?342
Do colleges and universities agree as to whether they must adhere to Section 508 standards? - http://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?2
Electronic Course Reserves: A Case Study on Universal Access to Electronic Information in Academic Libraries - http://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?205
The University of Washington: A Promising Practice in Making Distance
Learning Courses Accessible to Students with Disabilities - http://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?252
