Designing in Designing in the Darkthe Dark

A Collaborative ProjectA Collaborative Project

I am so Lucky!I am so Lucky!

At UTC, I am part of the SoTL community At UTC, I am part of the SoTL community AKA the Faculty FellowsAKA the Faculty Fellows

One of the previous year’s Faculty Fellows One of the previous year’s Faculty Fellows was trying to include the Web in his was trying to include the Web in his technical writing class.technical writing class.

Because of the collegial milieu fostered in Because of the collegial milieu fostered in the Faculty Fellows, he came to me for the Faculty Fellows, he came to me for collaboration.collaboration.

Learning ObjectiveLearning Objective

“ “We today acculturate our students and We today acculturate our students and inform them on such issues so that inform them on such issues so that tomorrow they may go on with their lives tomorrow they may go on with their lives familiar with the many and diverse needs familiar with the many and diverse needs of readers and users of screen-based of readers and users of screen-based texts.“texts.“

Dr. Joe WilferthDr. Joe Wilferth

Utility and usability as goals in Utility and usability as goals in technical communication technical communication

readers should be able to access and use readers should be able to access and use the information presented and this is the information presented and this is traditionally contingent on visual cues, traditionally contingent on visual cues,

bold typebold typebulleted listsbulleted listshierarchically arranged headingshierarchically arranged headingsgraphicsgraphicschartschartsimagesimages

Utility and usability as goals in Utility and usability as goals in technical communication technical communication

However, not all of the audience can follow However, not all of the audience can follow these “traditional” visual cuesthese “traditional” visual cues

Persons with disabilities may have trouble in Persons with disabilities may have trouble in a variety of areas.a variety of areas.

To accommodate these disabilities, you To accommodate these disabilities, you have to identify the persons abilitieshave to identify the persons abilities

Persons with visual disabilityPersons with visual disability

Disability - Has difficulty seeing. Maybe Disability - Has difficulty seeing. Maybe blind but maybe just low visionblind but maybe just low vision

Ability – Will probably have use of their Ability – Will probably have use of their other sensory pathways. Hearing and other sensory pathways. Hearing and touch being the next most sophisticated.touch being the next most sophisticated.

Adaptation – have visual information Adaptation – have visual information presented aurally or tactilely.presented aurally or tactilely.

Adapting the user interfaceAdapting the user interface

Visual pathways are thought to process Visual pathways are thought to process information in parallel. information in parallel.

Auditory and tactile pathways are thought to Auditory and tactile pathways are thought to processed information in series.processed information in series.

Good visual design places the navigation near the Good visual design places the navigation near the content so the reader can choose their own order content so the reader can choose their own order of readingof reading

Problem:Problem:Auditory or tactile pathways cannot process Auditory or tactile pathways cannot process

navigation text at the same time as content.navigation text at the same time as content.

A different layout is neededA different layout is needed

Adapting the user interfaceAdapting the user interface

Where did this problem come from?Where did this problem come from?

The WThe W33ebeb

In the beginning was the wordIn the beginning was the wordThe world wide web was a text only The world wide web was a text only

system.system.Screen readers could read it.Screen readers could read it.

The WThe W33ebeb

Someone got the bright idea to add Someone got the bright idea to add picturespictures

Someone else thought the reading Someone else thought the reading experience could be improved using experience could be improved using layout principles.layout principles.

Screen readers could no longerScreen readers could no longer

access all the content.access all the content.

The WThe W33ebeb

Page layout with frames separated Page layout with frames separated content into different html files.content into different html files.

Page layout with tables chopped Page layout with tables chopped sentences up into different cells.sentences up into different cells.

Garbled the understanding Garbled the understanding

of both content and context.of both content and context.

ADA complianceADA compliance

Federal law requires all entities that draw Federal law requires all entities that draw federal monies to comply with the federal monies to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

(like universities)(like universities)

ADA complianceADA compliance

Which means that people with disabilities Which means that people with disabilities must be able to access information must be able to access information produced by these institutionsproduced by these institutions

(catalog information(catalog information

online course delivery systems)online course delivery systems)

ADA complianceADA compliance

Page layout methods of most current HTML Page layout methods of most current HTML web pages are designed for people web pages are designed for people without disabilitieswithout disabilities

(frames for layout(frames for layout

tables for text layout)tables for text layout)

Universal AccommodationUniversal Accommodation

The concept of creating something from The concept of creating something from the beginning in such a way that it will not the beginning in such a way that it will not require adaptation to become accessible. require adaptation to become accessible.

Universal accommodationUniversal accommodation

Create content that can be received Create content that can be received through various sensory pathwaysthrough various sensory pathways

All visual information needs to available in All visual information needs to available in verbal form or in tactile form (Braille)verbal form or in tactile form (Braille)

There are two different ways that you can There are two different ways that you can accommodate these needs.accommodate these needs.

1.1. Duplicate all content to be accessible Duplicate all content to be accessible through multiple sensory pathwaysthrough multiple sensory pathways

2.2. Create content that can be “multi-Create content that can be “multi-purposed” by the end user to what ever purposed” by the end user to what ever their individual needs aretheir individual needs are

Universal accommodationUniversal accommodation

Multiple files approachMultiple files approach

Yeah right, we barely have time to create Yeah right, we barely have time to create the content once.the content once.

Most content developers have a limited Most content developers have a limited knowledge of disabilities and how to knowledge of disabilities and how to accommodate them accommodate them

Multiple layout, one fileMultiple layout, one file

Solution:Solution:

CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) allows an html CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) allows an html file to be shown differently for different end file to be shown differently for different end users.users.

Separation of content from layout.Separation of content from layout.End user has control over how text End user has control over how text

is displayedis displayed

Low vision – Does not need text read to themLow vision – Does not need text read to them

Solution – Solution – Increase contrastIncrease contrast Increase text sizeIncrease text size

Remember to allow the least Remember to allow the least intrusive accommodation possibleintrusive accommodation possible

Adapting the user interfaceAdapting the user interface

Create content that can be Create content that can be “multi-purposed”“multi-purposed”

A person with low vision will be able to A person with low vision will be able to adjust the contrast and size of the content.adjust the contrast and size of the content.

A person with low vision will be able to adjust the contrast and size of the contentA person with low vision will be able to adjust the contrast and size of the content ..

For verbally presented content, the For verbally presented content, the navigation needs to be presented before navigation needs to be presented before the content.the content.

Needs to be present on every pageNeeds to be present on every page

Needs to be “skippable” if the Needs to be “skippable” if the reader does not need it.reader does not need it.

Adapting the user interfaceAdapting the user interface

Create content that can be Create content that can be “multi-purposed”“multi-purposed”

A person who is Blind can choose to have the A person who is Blind can choose to have the content presented verbally or tactilely through content presented verbally or tactilely through a Braille screen a Braille screen

Pictures will be described not just named.Pictures will be described not just named.Video will have DVS (Descriptive Video Services.) Video will have DVS (Descriptive Video Services.)

Who is the Audience?Who is the Audience?

The primary focus of this process so far The primary focus of this process so far was to accommodate people with visual was to accommodate people with visual impairment. impairment. The BlindThe BlindLow VisionLow Vision

The World Wide Web is currently a visually predominant medium

Who is the Audience?Who is the Audience?

But they are not the only disability types But they are not the only disability types out there.out there.

Physical DisabilitiesPhysical DisabilitiesCognitive DisabilitiesCognitive DisabilitiesPsychosocial DisabilitiesPsychosocial DisabilitiesDevelopmental DisabilitiesDevelopmental DisabilitiesThe DeafThe Deaf

Create content that can be Create content that can be “multi-purposed”“multi-purposed”

Physical Disability has probably gotten the Physical Disability has probably gotten the most press over the years because it is most press over the years because it is the easiest to see and understand.the easiest to see and understand.

Accessibility issues are more with interacting Accessibility issues are more with interacting with the information rather than with with the information rather than with getting the informationgetting the information

Physical accommodation can Physical accommodation can overcome these issuesovercome these issues

Typing on a keyboard using only one handTyping on a keyboard using only one handSimplify your web addresses and page namesSimplify your web addresses and page names

Controlling a mouse with a hand palsyControlling a mouse with a hand palsySpace out navigation linksSpace out navigation links

Clicking a hyperlink using mouthstickClicking a hyperlink using mouthstickMake the target big enough to hitMake the target big enough to hit

Physical accommodation can Physical accommodation can overcome these issuesovercome these issues

Cognitive disability – Have information Cognitive disability – Have information presented through multiple sensory presented through multiple sensory pathways. This helps activate the reticular pathways. This helps activate the reticular activating system and increases attention.activating system and increases attention.

Physical accommodation can Physical accommodation can overcome these issuesovercome these issues

Psychosocial disability – Have information Psychosocial disability – Have information presented in clear, concise chunks to help presented in clear, concise chunks to help reduce frustration. Make sure navigation reduce frustration. Make sure navigation is efficient.is efficient.

Developmental disabilitiesDevelopmental disabilities

A combination of all of the other disability A combination of all of the other disability groups. groups.

But the abilities of the individuals will But the abilities of the individuals will always be uniquealways be unique

The DeafThe Deaf

All verbal information needs to be found in All verbal information needs to be found in text form. Once again ALT= tags but this text form. Once again ALT= tags but this time on audio files.time on audio files.

Continue the conversationContinue the conversation

Create content that is accessible through Create content that is accessible through multiple sensory methodsmultiple sensory methods

Content should not be split between Content should not be split between sensory pathways. It should be sensory pathways. It should be “duplicatable”“duplicatable”

Use CSS to format content for multiple Use CSS to format content for multiple audiences instead of creating multiple files audiences instead of creating multiple files (we like styles, not files)(we like styles, not files)