Assistive Technology Update and Creating Accessible

Training

Jonathan AvilaChief Accessibility Officer

jon.avila@ssbbartgroup.com

Document Accessibility

Introduction

Agenda

• Introduction• Assistive Technology

Update• Maintain a Productive

Workforce– Create Accessible Training– Provide the right assistive

technology– Promote growth

Document Accessibility

Introduction

Background

SSB Background• Founded in 1997 by engineers

with disabilities• Over 1,000 commercial and

government customers• 2,000+ enterprise projects

successfully completed• Over fifty percent staffing mix of

individuals with disabilities• Pioneers of commercial

accessibility validation tools• Investment of 10 years and

8.7M dollars into AMP platform

My Background• 15 years experience• Work with end users who are

blind visually impaired• Assessed worksite software• Custom scripting solutions• Develop accessibility best

practices• Create technology policy• Create training• Create accessibility solutions:

– Web– Flash– Multimedia

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Introduction

Accessibility Policy

• WCAG 2 is now a ISO standard• Dept. of Justice desires to apply ADA to the web

– Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking– Netflix ruling

• Twenty-first Century Video and Communications Act (CVAA)– Advanced communication systems, media players

• Section 508 refresh– Standards harmonization

• Structured negotiations/Settlements– Major League Baseball, Charles Schwab– Accessibility Information Pages

Document Accessibility

Assistive Technology Update

Document Accessibility

Assistive Technology Update

Mobile

• Mainstream mobile apps replace specialized devices– Barcode readers, currency identifiers, Optical Character

Recognition (OCR)– Global Positioning System (GPS), transportation/travel apps,

(including indoor GPS)• Transportation is significant factor in employee

– Task reminders (location or time based)– Reading and writing assistance

• Expectation of mainstream apps vs. cost for specialized apps

Document Accessibility

Assistive Technology Update

Android

• Android (Jelly Bean)– TalkBack

• Gestures• Explorer by touch • Contracted braille support

– Magnification– TTY access/total conversation software– Voice search– Apps

• Gesture Search• Text-to-speech• Text Entry/Word prediction

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Assistive Technology Update

iOS

• Latest features – Assistive Touch– Guided Access– Support for multiple assistive features at once

• Apps– Fleksy (typing prediction)– Communication software for deaf/blind

Document Accessibility

Assistive Technology Update

Windows

• Windows 8 Surface Pro/RT– Narrator support for IE– Narrator gesture support– Approximately 80 commands for Narrator– Continue to support AT ease of access features like

• Built in Voice Recognition, on-screen keyboards, sticky keys

– Varied support for existing AT (no mirror drivers)• ZoomText still in beta• NVDA, JAWS, Dragon

– Gesture commands for NVDA• No screen reader in Windows Phone 8

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Assistive Technology Update

Additional AT Updates

• JAWS 14– Flexible Web

• ZoomText on Mac OS• Open source assistive technology

– NVDA screen reader– Glassbrick screen magnifier– More text-to-speech synthesizers

• Braille– Multiline braille displays practical in next year– Cost reduction in braille displays

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Maintain a Productive Workforce

Document Accessibility

Maintain a Productive Workforce

Overview

• Consistent and accessible training• The right technology/assistive technology• Growth potential

Goals• Empower employee to take responsibility (self efficacy)

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Create Accessible Training

Document Accessibility

Create Accessible Training

Consistent Training

• Types of training– Individual– Class– eLearning

• Issues with rapid eLearning development tools• Issues with simulations

– Actual system with test account• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) from Center for Applied

Special Technology– Flexible learning environment– Accommodate individual differences– Multiple means of presentation, expression, and engagement

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Create Accessible Training

Consistent Training

ADDIE framework• Assess

– The audience (people with disabilities), requirements, goals• Design

– Accessibility of instruction, experience, and interfaces• Develop

– Built in accessibility supported methods• Implement

– Perform the training, train the trainer, etc.• Evaluate

– Evaluate attainment of goals and adjust training

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE - Analysis

• Identify the applicable standards and audience– e.g. WCAG 2 Level A and AA

• Identify technology being used (delivery method)– Multimedia, simulation– Job aids, documents, PDF– Adobe Flash, RIA, interactive content– In-person (communication methods)

• Identify accessibility of frameworks, dev tools, LMS– Rapid development tools (Captivate, Lectora, Camtasia, etc.)– JQuery, Dojo, YUI, GWT

• What are the goals/outcomes for the training

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE - Design

• Storyboarding• Instructional soundness to different learners• Technical Design

– Consistent, clear, and multiple ways of navigation– Placement of controls for audio, dynamic content, and multimedia– Presentation of alternatives, captions, dynamic content– Ability for content to be resized and adjusted by the user– Use of color, contrast, and indication of focus– Sequence, order, and consistent identification of content– Error handling– Avoidance of flashing content– Wording and placement of labels and instructions

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE - Development

• Implement items from design phase• Implement items in an accessible manner

– Keyboard Access and focus handling– Expose equivalents for non-text elements appropriately– Implement structural markup

• Tables, headings, lists, language indication– Text instead of Images of text– Create programmatic link between information and

relationships

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE – Development (cont.)

• Automated testing• Manual inspection

– Accessibility toolbars• Testing with assistive technologies

– Do not test to AT but use it as a tool for testing– Test with various AT

• Screen Reader• Screen Magnifier• Voice Recognition

• Testing with users that have disabilities– Testing in LMS environment

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE - Implement

• Train facilitation on how to work with people with disabilities• Train on accessible deliver methods

– Sign language interpret/CART– Describe visual information in audible format– Provide materials in accessible format– Accessibility of the physical training environment

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Create Accessible Training

ADDIE - Evaluate

• Where the outcomes met for the audience?• Use feedback to modify future activities• Encourage self efficacy• Help employees understand how they learn• Create best practices

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The Right Assistive Technology

Document Accessibility

The Right Assistive Technology

Overview

• Assistive technology assessment– Perform functional evaluation– Try out different AT options– Combine AT when needed– Efficiency

• E.g. text-to-speech may be more effective than magnification at high level

• Certain AT may not be compatible with certain ICT• Balance keeping AT updated with cognitive load/efficiency

– Updates can take user out of production– Can provide new features

• Have ICT support desk plan

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The Right Assistive Technology

Upgrade Plan

• Upgrade Plan– Separate machine– Update AT– Have expert assist– Test with user– Switch over once testing is complete

• Scripting/customization to software– Script may increase efficiency beyond non-disabled staff

• Customize physical environment• Search for different interfaces

– Increase in mobile and web apps– Inaccessibility of certain third party applications

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Growth Potential

Document Accessibility

Growth Potential

Overview

• Accessibility of internal/external job site and application process– Career center– HR documentation

• Accessibility of testing/assessments• Accessibility of technology used in different position• Bring current AT to new position• ICT support desk accessibility training

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Resources

Android Access – rates accessibility of Android Apps• http://androidaccess.net/browse.php

iOS Accessible Apps

• http://applevis.com/

Technology Best Practices by Platform• https://www.webaccessibility.com/best_practices.php

AMP (Accessibility Management Platform)

• http://amp.ssbbartgroup.com

CAST's Universal Design for Learning (UDL)• http://www.cast.org/udl/

ADDIE framework• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADDIE_Model

SSB Bart Group:Jon Avilajon.avila@ssbbartgroup.com