Tools and Resources

If you are using “Adobe InDesign Creative Suite 2” and “Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional” this document will teach you how make accessible brochures.

Equivalent text descriptions (EqTD's) are extremely important and can be difficult to create. Here you will find a set of EqTD related documents that detail processes, purposes and levels of complexity. The origin of providing alternative text for graphic elements and a brief review of the R2D2 standard are included.

These files will provide the information you need to lead Universal Design & Learner Centered Workshops. Please note that the ppt file is labeled "Draft" because some of the graphics do not have EqTDs written yet.

This protocol will help you create a video with an additional audio track that attempts to describe the visual component of the video. Note that the file created from this document will always have the additional track playing. We are currently examining the possibility of adding a toggle button.

Excellent discussion and strategies for making accessible podcasts. "Podcasts are an increasingly popular way to present content on the Web. Because they are audio files, they generally only work for people who can hear. In addition, they are often quite large files, which can present accessibility problems for people with slower connections to the Internet. Podcasts that include video, often referred to as vodcasts, generally have larger file sizes than a podcast of the same duration, so the speed of the user's Internet access is even more crucial." The webpage appears to be home-made.

In formulating your company's policy regarding the inclusion of persons with disabilities as customers and staff you might want to utilize these guidelines.

Description is the verbal depiction of key visual elements in media and live productions. Also known as “audio description” or “video description,” the description of media involves the interspersion of these depictions with the program’s original audio. "Description is the key to opening a world of information for persons with a vision loss, literacy needs, or loss of cognitive abilities. While description was developed for people who are blind or visually impaired, millions of others may also benefit from description’s concise, objective translation of media’s key visual components.

These guidelines are a key for vendors and cover a range of topics from preparing to describe to determining both what information needs to be described and how to describe it. The information is also applicable to vendors and other businesses [PDF] that provide description for broadcast television and other media. Some background information and rationale are included for the novice, as well as an evolving list of description resources to help improve the quality and efficiency of one’s description."

This web page includes a more detailed definition, philosophy and more.

This pdf guide is to help organize meetings that are inclusive. An area often overlooked by meeting planners, or dismissed as too difficult, is how to make a meeting accessible for people with disabilities. By considering accessibility as part of the planning process, you ensure that everyone can participate and be involved, which means a successful meeting. The guide includes a useful checklist, resources, and a glossary.

This website contains helpful tips from social media leaders to ensure social media content is accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.

This 27 page guide explains general accessibility features every home should include in order to accommodate homeowners with various abilities and needs in the future. The guide includes a list of priority features, select important universal features, and diagrams of how to remodel/build an accessible home inside and out.

"As classrooms start to incorporate more digital technology, it becomes increasingly important that materials used in the classroom are designed to be useable by all students from the start. This requires adjustments in the way materials are purchased, and that, in turn, will drive the availability of more flexible and accessible learning materials in the marketplace." The PALM Initiative (Purchase Accessible Learning Materials) offers a Tool Kit and other valuable resources that identify the problem and offer suggestions for impacting publishers regarding accessibility of instructional media.

This workbook is for faculty and instructional developers who are in the process of planning or revising a predominantly“face to face” course and are interested in making it more consistent with UID principles. "Indeed, because fewer individual accommodations are needed when the principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID) are applied, UID can save time for instructors, reduce possible stigma associated with asking for special accommodation, and provide a greater sense of equity and fairness for students." The checklist is based on the 7 Principles of UID.

Web Best Practices Overview: This group, lead by Jon Gunderson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, convenes regularly "to develop best practices for web development using HTML, CSS, Javascript and Adobe PDF." Information about joining, issues and topics for discussion are found at this website.