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I chose this article becuase it really takes a good look into whether the internet is really providing options for disabled people. It looks into the barriers and benefits.

I chose this article becuase it really takes a good look into whether the internet is really providing options for disabled people. It looks into the barriers and benefits.

The Zac Browser allows children with autism and similar disorders experience the web comfortably. By limiting access to sites that have been deemed appropriate for children with these disorders, the browser reduces distractions and inappropriate material. And it even works with the Nintendo Wii remote!

Article from Yahoo! VP Alan Brightman on accessibility of their products.

Article in the LA Times from an interview with Stevie Wonder and his thanks to Steve Jobs for the things he has created, which helped the world be more accessible to him and others.

Very moving article Kelly!

Guide for building an accessible website

This is an excellent resource that discusses things to keep in mind when designing a website and making it accessible to all, regardless of visual, hearing, motor and cognitive disabilities.

We must have taken the same class :) I remember that as well.

I highlighted some of the areas that stood out the most to me. I liked where it actually broke down the various components of making a site truly accessible. I have noticed that educational sites for students, like BrainPop and BrainPop Jr. are more accessible as they have text pop up that show up when you scroll over images and a CC option on all videos.

Excellent resources for teachers and families of students needing accessible instruction, such as students with print disabilities. I especially like the section on the right "highlights from the field", a gold mine of pertinent links!

I just posted an article found on that page that I liked and highlighted sections of it. Then I came back here and wanted to just highlight the link to it, and AHHHHH! ended up highlighting almost the entire page. I think I goofed because that page was full of links! It was much easier to highlight text within an article. I can't figure out how to remove the highlighter now, if anyone knows,please help.

Never mind, I was suddenly able to see the delete option :)

Presentation by Denis Boudreau which provides an overview (based on research) of the state of Accessibility in the social media sphere. A comparison of "accessible" features in common social media services such as Facebook and Twitter, an some pointers for the ideal future of the social Web with regards to Accessibility.

This reminds me of a class we took through Lesley where we had to do a test on websites to see how accessible they were. This is something that more people need to be aware of.

I agree with Ashley. This has completely helped me take accessibility into consideration when I am creating websites, or when having my students create websites. So many things are overlooked, and this is one of them!

This website is a Web client for Twitter users that takes into account several features that make Twitter more accessible for users with disabilities. To name a few, it includes features such as: - "All links are keyboard accessible (and visual styling on focus as well as hover states). - Headings and page titles are implemented for optimal accessibility. This includes an H3 heading (for author screen name) added to tweets to assist with screen reader users. - Large default text size and high color contrast. - Text resizes many levels without breaking. Access keys (keyboard shortcuts) to main menu items."

This blog speaks directly to how social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are making their sites more accessible.

And sadly, how so many more sites simply are not.

This is a great article defining web 2.0 and discussing one of the accessibility issues with web 2.0.

I chose to post this article because I think it does a nice job of breaking down this issue. First, the author describes some common web 2.0 tools, then she describes the barriers that people with disabilities might face in using those tools, and then she desribes a few ways that we can make web 2.0 tools accessible.

"then she describes the barriers that people with disabilities might face in using those tools" - That would come in handy in doing resarch for the wiki article!

The writer of this article reviews some major blog hosts and discusses how accessible they are to people with vision impairments. Overall, he discusses how it is easier to read blogs than it is to create blogs for people with vision impairments. The reviews on different blogging sites are interesting. There is no date on this article, so it's possible that some of the blog sites have fixed these accessibility issues since the article was posted. However, I know that Blogger still has a visual CAPTCHA on its site that makes it difficult for people with visual disabilities to create an account.

Disability.gov: Conncecting the Disability Community to Information and Opportunities has a plethora of resources for making technology accessible. I have highlighted two that I found of particular insight. The first is Accessible Media Guidlines -- they are a set of guidelines look at ways to achieve the goal of helping students learn by using adaptive and accessible technology which is so important to all educators, but especially to those of us that teach special education. The other site, IRS Talking Tax Forms, is designed for people that are visually impaired that are supposed to be easy to use -- uses Microsoft Active Accessibility compliant screen readers and Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice Recognition Software. It is great that the government is at least trying to make this part of filling out your IRS Tax Form a little easier -- I guess so they can more easily get your money from you.

I am glad that you found this. It is a pretty comprehensive list of what is out there. I am glad that there are a set of guidelines out there to be followed. I think we sometimes take for granted the use of all of our facilities and senses, we are aware that we have them, but don't take into consideration the obstacles we would face had we not.

This is good to know about. I think especially teachers should know about the resources out there to help out every person who might have some sort of disability. Great resource, glad you found this!

This article by Accessities.org discusses how social networking sites are not user friendly for people with disabilties. Here is the list of issues. No accessibility page. A lack of skip links and poor support for keyboard navigators generally. Navigational graphics that lacked alternative text attributes. Poor link text. Poor typography. No alternatives for site facilities that relied upon JavaScript.

Social networking sites are way to cluttery! That is what ruined Myspace. Not only should people with disabilities fine simplicity more user friendly but also those without.

I found this article browsing thru the links in Dante's post and highlighted specific example sections on specific disabilities accommodations

Like the author said, it's pretty neat for the apple developers to incorporate accessibility features such as AssistiveTouch to the iPhone, knowing that disabled people are not the large part of the market! I highlighted a few sections.