Accessibility
Research Web Sites & Information
Section
508 Web Site
the Department of Justice site is the location for the most important
new Federal Statute on web accessibility. Go here to down load a PDF of
the actual statute and to link to other important information on Section
508.
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/508home.html
WC3: Web Content Accessibility Standards Version 2.0
This is the WC3 web site with a posting of the current draft of "Web
Content Accessibility Standards Version 2.0". Read carefully. This is
a primer for web site usability. Bookmark it. http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/.
Also see the "Quick Tips" page for a compressed overview (card) of how
to make sites more accessible. Tape a copy on your wall.
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips/
The
CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM)
A virtual plethora of excellent information on accessibility issues
for all manner of media. The NCAM is a research and development effort
dedicated to improving the fit between media and information technology
for people with disabilities in their homes, schools, workplaces, and
communities. Incidentally, the site is fully accessible. Many excellent
links.
http://ncam.wgbh.org/index.html.
Section
255: Fueling the Creation of New Electronic Curbcuts
Steve Jacobs a Senior Technology Consultant with the NCR Corporation
has created a fascinating and engaging review of technology accessibility.
The article includes a description of well known IT systems that were
originally designed for "special population" users but later became highly
successful mainstream products. An excellent historical overview and great
links.
http://www.tiaonline.org/access/news.cfm?ID=37
Industry
Usability Reporting Site
(Accessibility resources) This site, supported by the NIST (National
Institute of Standards and Technology), is an excellent starting point
for detailed content on usability. There are several good links posted
on this simple page. While you are at it, check out the IUSR (Industry
Usability Reporting) site. It contains many links and information related
to software usability.
http://zing.ncsl.nist.gov/iusr/documents/accessibility.html
Trace
Product Design Browser
This interesting information source, created by the Trace Center at
the University of Wisconsin-(Madison) School of Engineering and Gallaudet
University, under a grant from the US Department of Education, offers
an interactive, list-based, design tool for improving the usability of
products of all types. An interesting implementation allows you to select
a design variable (ex: display of visual information for color-weak individuals)
and then receive a screen listing ways to enhance the users' access to
the chosen design variable. Topics cover a wide range of design issues,
including visual, auditory and tactile variables. Unfortunately, the interface
of the site itself is a bit lame (font sizes are too small in some browsers),
but the content is first rate and immediately useful. http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/browser.
The rest of the TRACE site also contains interesting and useful data on
accessibility.
User-Friendly
Materials and Alternate Formats
The National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research
has created a simple yet excellent information set on how to create physical
materials, such as printed documents, videos, CDs and other media, in
forms that are highly accessible. This site provides excellent data and
related links to information on document design and vendors who specialize
is such systems. A good summary document supported by good links.
http://www.ncddr.org/du/products/index.html
Cast
Bobby Web Accessibility Testing Tool
Founded in 1984 as the Center for Applied Special Technology, CAST is
an educational, not-for-profit organization that uses technology to expand
opportunities for all people, including those with disabilities. CAST
has developed and makes available at no cost a web accessibility-testing
tool that allows you to test pages against leading accessibility standards
such as Section 508 and WAI 1.0. You can test one page at a time or download
the tool and test your entire site. If you download the entire application,
there is a modest charge used to defer development costs.
http://www.cast.org/Bobby/Bobby311.cfm.
Articles & Information
of Interest from TASKZ.COM:
Alert!
Section 508 Web Accessibility Now a Federal Law!
A clearly written overview of section 508 with related links. Good for
circulation to team members and executives who do not have an awareness
of 508 and its implications.
Design
Data Section from TASKZ.COM
A quick overview of statistics on special populations who require
special accessibility considerations. Also contains links to other research
data on user populations.
Seminars on Web Accessibility
MNM, in conjunction with the Usability Consortium offers various seminars
on web site accessibility, general usability engineering, interface design
and professional usability testing. For more information send a request
to seminars@mauronewmedia.com.
Please include "seminar" in subject line.
Consulting
Services
Taskz.com is funded by MauroNewMedia.
Founded in 1975, MNM is a leading provider of professional usability engineering
and user interface design consulting services. MNN is a recipient of the
Alexander
C. Williams Award from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Please Give Us Your Comments and Additional Links: We welcome your comments and additional links that add intelligently to any of our Top 10 lists. Send comments and links to: editorTZ@mauronewmedia.com.
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