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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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Accessible Educational
Technology: Minimum Standards for Computer Software
114
by
Kathy Rupert
Temple University
As schools work to integrate content-specific software into
the classroom, acquiring accessible technology for disabled students is a
growing concern for educators. These professionals will find it necessary to
plan for and purchase software that meets the needs of a wide variety of
students, some of whom have physical disabilities. As previously discussed in
the techno-brief, Accessible Technology: Minimum
Standards for Computer Hardware, the Section 508 standards for
electronic technology were developed by the Architectural and Transportation
Compliance Board (Access Board) for federal agencies but are increasingly being
used by school districts when procuring technology-based educational materials.
Locally, Section 508 has been incorporated into Maryland's Code of Regulations.
These standards not only make software more accessible to
students who have disabilities, but also add to the overall effectiveness of the
product for all students. By offering redundant forms of onscreen information
(e.g., narration, text), reading skills can be reinforced and options in color
and shading can relieve eyestrain and physical fatigue.
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Standards for Software
Twelve basic areas of software performance are covered in
Section 508 and should be considered when purchasing
software for an educational setting:
- All functions of the software should be accessible and operable through the
use of a keyboard, and the outcome of those functions should be textually
discernable. Students who have diminished dexterity or vision may be unable to
accurately place or use input devices such as a mouse and therefore require
keyboard-activated functions. Assistive technology can be used with a keyboard
without posing an undue burden on the school district. Common devices used with
keyboards include Braille templates, keyboards with tactile cues, or keys
conducive to headpointers. The product of the student's efforts should be in
text form so that screen readers or Braille displays can relay the onscreen
information in an accessible form for visually impaired students.
- Software should not override personal preferences established by the
student. Because operating systems allow students to establish their own
personal settings, which can mitigate a student's disability (with enlarged
icons, contrast and color settings, alarms, and keyboard shortcuts), these
settings should remain functional when using a software program. The animation
used in many applications renders personal preferences useless by superseding
color and shading selections.
- Caret location, active screens, and the user's
focus should be intelligible to devices that can interpret onscreen activity for
students who could not otherwise access the information. The position on the
screen where an action takes place is called the "focus" and should be
accessible to a screen reader or Braille output device.
- Onscreen images and
icons should be accompanied by an alternative method of communication that is
discernable to assistive technology. Alternatives to icons such as text or
narration can provide accessibility to visually impaired students. An added
benefit of having equipment that provides an alternative method of conveying
information is that it can also be beneficial in reinforcing the reading and
pronunciation skills of the general student population.
- If bitmap images are
used to identify controls and status indicators or are used to identify an
action on screen or an action taken by the user, the meaning of that image
should remain consistent throughout the program. Often these indicators are
icons that consist of bits of memory (bitmaps) and are accompanied by text
labels that can be distinguished by screen readers. If a bitmap image is not
consistent in its meaning throughout the application, a student can miss the
intended message or cue and render the program useless.
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