Real-time, Synchronous Web conference on: accessibility and Usability

EASI is the premiere provider of online learning about accessible information technology having reached more than 4,000 participants in more than 3 dozen countries since 1993. EASI continues to deliver month-long courses, but we are now adding interact, voice chat presentations lasting 60-90 minutes. The web conference room has a limited number of seats, and you should register early to reserve a place for this event.

To learn more, go to http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI’s August online courses (starting August 4) are:
Barrier-free E-learning
Beginner Barrier-free Web Design

While the web conference will focus on this one issue, the month-long courses provide a good background for faculty, administrators, web designers, ADA compliance officers, DSS staff, student support staff, and staff from distance learning departments.

The online courses use e-mail and the web, and you can work at any time and from anywhere.

The web conference is at a specific time. Its requirements are below:

EASI’s web conferences use the Ivocalize Web conference system which requires that participants run Windows and use a recent version of Internet Explorer. They also need a sound card, speakers and a microphone.

Thursday, August 21 starting at:

• 3 pm Eastern
  
• 2 pm Central
  
• 1 pm Mountain
  
• Noon Pacific.
  

Those who register will be sent further information on how to access the web conference before the event.

All the major courseware and presentation systems, in recent years, have made giant strides forward to meet most or all of the Web Accessibility Initiative’s guidelines and/or the Federal Access Board’s Section 508 standards. While they were slow to become conscious of accessibility for students and faculty with disabilities, once they became truly aware, they have made great strides forward. Courseware systems as well as many other Web tools sometimes strove to achieve so many different goals and provide facilities to meet the wishes of a variety of users that they frequently became very complex. This has often intimidated novice users without disabilities, but it has been a real difficulty for people with disabilities using special adaptive software.

This presentation demonstrates the difference between accessibility and usability. It will also show video clips letting clinic participants watch how complex systems pose a problem for users with disabilities. We believe if faculty users of courseware understand this, they will be patient with the student, will tailor their personalization of the courseware to minimize usability issues and will be sure to post course content that will also minimize the difficulty for students with disabilities.

Again, register for the web conference at http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

If you are involved in providing e-learning or content on the web, all three of these events will prepare you to increase their availability for students and faculty with disabilities.

EASI August Courses http://easi.cc/workshop.htm

Beginner Barrier-free Web Design Barrier-free E-learning

Business Benefits of Accessible IT Design
Norman Coombs
CEO EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
(949) 922-5992 (cell)