**MAR*TEC Accessibility Toolkit**

The MAR*TEC accessibility checklist helps educators consider the accessibility of instructional software. It is based on 508 software standards and is a collaborative repository. Thus, it helps districts prevent "recreating the wheel" syndrome. The data is available anytime and anywhere there is an Internet connection. In addition, the MAR*TEC accessibility checklist is written in natural language and built on educator reviews rather than vendor promises.

MAR*TEC staff found that the legalistic language of Section 508 was difficult for educators to understand and therefore was an obstacle for them in evaluating whether software met the accessibility requirements. For instance, Section 508 states, "When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually" (Subpart B, 1194.21).

Consequently, MAR*TEC "translated" the legal language into a checklist written in normal English with hyperlinks back to the original 508 standards. For instance, the requirement cited earlier was translated as follows: "The student can successfully operate this software without a mouse, by using only a keyboard. This means that the student can navigate through the software, select options, and give the software commands such as 'print' and 'save' without using a mouse." MAR*TEC staff found that by using this checklist teachers could more easily understand the requirements and could competently review a piece of software.

How to Use the Accessibility Toolkit

The MAR*TEC Accessibility Checklist sits within the MAR*TEC Preview Center. It can be found at http://www.temple.edu/martec/previewc.html. The Preview Center is a physical collection of instructional software and an online database of educators' reviews.

Select "Educational Software Catalogue" to see a search screen. Users can search for a specific piece of software or "view all products" within the database. View Database Currently, the database contains two distinct tools for evaluating instructional software. The first survey assesses the educational usability of each piece of software. The second is the accessibility checklist.
Select "View all Products" to receive a descriptive list of software. Five titles are delivered in each window, and users may page forward by selecting "next" at the bottom of the screen.
Select "Add a Review" to add your own review (right side of navigation bar). Users who wish to add a review must first register, but a user may view other practitioner reviews by selecting "view reviews of usability" or "view reviews of accessibility."
Select a question heading to read the Section 508 standard and an explanation of why that standard is valid or of concern to students with disabilities. View Example.
Select a highlighted word to open the hypertext glossary. Technical words or terms specific to Section 508 that may pose problems for general educators are defined in this glossary. View Example.
Select "View Reviews of Accessibility" to receive a detailed description of practitioner reviews. The accessibility reviews are presented using the precise language of the standards. Each specific review details how many reviewers suggest that this software meets the criteria, and how many reviewers suggest that the software does not meet the criteria. View Example
Select "Tutorial" to see specific examples of instructional software. View Tutorial