Week 6: The DIAGRAM Center and Course Review

Hi Everyone,
This is my last course update. Thank you for your interest,  participation and your ongoing attention to accessibility! I will continue to monitor and reply to posts as long as P2PU keeps these discussion threads open. Finally, please take some time to learn about the DIAGRAM Center.

bg

This course, Alt Text & Universal Design, is supported in part by the DIAGRAM Center. The DIAGRAM Center has been established by the US Department of Education to help find ways to make image descriptions in textbooks for print disabled students more effective and less costly.

At the present time, print disabled students are at a disadvantage compared to their sighted peers because textbooks often lack descriptions of the images they contain, or if descriptions exist, they may not be as helpful to understand the material as they could be. The goal the DIAGRAM Center is to help alleviate these situations.

It is very costly to produce image descriptions and a goal the DIAGRAM Center is to find ways where collaboration (crowd sourcing) could be a helpful mechanism to bring the cost down. An outgrowth of this process may be the creation of images description database of multiple formats which can be used by authors in the creation of their texts.

Specifically, The DIAGRAM Center is researching and developing technical solutions for image description; influencing the standards working groups that create technical standards for digital publishing including DAISY, EPUB and HTML5; and providing training for individuals and organizations on best practices for accessibility and alt text (like this course!)

Follow the ongoing work of the DIAGRAM Center.

The DIAGRAM Center is a Benetech Literacy Solution in conjunction with Bookshare, a free digital library of 90,000 accessible books and other texts for people with print disabilities. Bookshare's continuous growth and embrace of current technologies is impressive. Please take some time to learn about Bookshare.

Bookshare is welcoming volunteers to test a new image description editing tool they are developing. If you are interested, please send me an email.

Additionally, Bookshare is offering participants of this course a temporary demonstration account of their online library. You will be able to download the tools that members use to read these books and explore the library more fully. Again, if you are interested, please send me an email.

Course Review

We have covered a huge amount of material in this course and I hope you have found it useful. Most of all, I hope that you have found methods and encouragement to make the digital media you create Universally Designed so that everyone can have access to your content and services.

What follows is a Course Review or Course Highlights since there is so much more valuable information provided in each individual week's materials.

A Simple Question: Why create accessible digital media?
A BIG Answer: Because accessibility principles help people with disabilities while also making it easier for anyone to browse the Web, read digital textbooks, watch videos, etc., especially on mobile devices. Because accessible digital media helps everyone!

10 Basic Steps to Creating Accessible Web Content

1. Apply text equivalents for all images (The most basic rule of Web accessibility!)
2. Use headings to aid in page navigation
3. Supply a mechanism to skip repetitive links
4. Label form controls explicitly
5. Use appropriate data-table markup
6. Provide accessible multimedia (video and audio clips)
7. Convey information by means other than color alone
8. Ensure device independence (i.e., can operate from keyboard alone)
9. Write context-independent links
10. Ensure that fonts respond to user settings

Review of Alt Text or Image Description Practices

There are 3 Types of Images:

1. Images that are Eye Candy = Do Not Describe
2. Images that are really Links and Buttons = Provide function not image description
3. Images that Convey Information = Require Description

What I Need to Write Image Descriptions?

• Detailed knowledge of the subject matter
• Good writing skills and an excellent command of the vocabulary associated with the subject
• Adequate access to reference and support materials to ensure that the descriptions are as clear and accurate as possible
• Descriptions should be reviewed for accuracy by someone other than the original writer

How Do I Write Image Descriptions?

• Always Consider Context.
  • Why is the image there?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • The Description will differ if the audience is specific, for example: children, students, scientists.
• If there is no description what will the reader miss?
• What information is included in the surrounding text?
• Is there an image caption?

Helpful Resources:

• Accessible Digital Media Guidelines
• Creating Accessible iTunes U Content
• Effective Practices for Description of Science Content 
• MAGpie
• Section 508 Guidelines
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines v2.0  
• WebAIM
• DIAGRAM Center