[blindkid] Re-Defining the Term "Accessible" for preK-12 in the Digital Education Era - We Need a Better & More Effective Definition

DrV icdx at earthlink.net
Thu Feb 21 06:44:02 UTC 2013 

The proposed definition is a good one & is based on the precedent set by US
Dept of Ed & US Dept of Justice definitions, however I will be provocative &
state that I don't feel it is specific enough to address the needs of pre-K
through 12 students.
 
It needs to be acknowledged that different tools (laptop, i-device,
electronic braille notetaker) provide different levels of accessibility to
the same e-content. It is critically important to understand that the same
webpage that may technically be accessible to an experienced blind adult, or
a student in middle school or high school (who has been trained in blind
technologies) may very well not be independently accessible to a student in
the younger grades, for various reasons including:
- the technologies may not yet have been introduced,
- or they may not yet have the required proficiently,
- or they may not have the needed software or hardware to access required
assignments both at school & at home.


As I heard so many times in my pediatric training - "Children are not just
little adults". 
 
Thus I think that the Educational Definition of ³Blind-Accessible² in
Childhood should be more specific, for it includes the following components:
1.    Content needs to be designed and presented in a universally accessible
format (ie: reading assignment, presentation, video, graphic, i-textbook).
For this to be a consistent reality, districts need to assure that all
teachers are not only aware of this legal requirement, but must ensure they
have the training and tools to create or otherwise provide accessible
content. Likewise, suppliers of textbooks to blind students need to be held
accountable for making sure that the materials they provide are compliant
with the described current accessibility requirements. The same holds true
for iBook publishers - rules and procedures should be set in place to make
sure that all i-textbooks are vetted to assure adherence to access
standards.

2.    Students need to have full-time access (at school & at home) to the
needed accessible ³hardware². For a blind/VI child that includes: a laptop,
an i-device, an electronic braille notetaker, and/or an independent portable
refreshable braille keyboard.

3.    Students need to have round-the-clock access to needed software. For a
blind child that includes: screen-reading software, a braille translation
program, accessible apps, etc.

4.    Students need to receive training that assures they acquire
grade-appropriate proficiency in the skills to use the various devices and
programs & how to best integrate them to access and manipulate information
and data. The new reality is that this training needs to be initiated much
earlier than has been the historical norm, ideally starting in elementary
school or sooner. Likewise, the student¹s VI service team needs to be
up-to-date and proficient with the tools and skills as well.

5.    Accessible tactile back-up plans must be in place. It is critical to
assure that there is an identified effective mechanism to assure that
content that can¹t be presented effectively in an accessible digital format
be presented in hard copy in real time (math, maps, graphics).

Any other thoughts?

Eric



On 1/29/13 10:50 AM, "NFBMD" <nfbmd at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Here is a definition of accessibility that we are trying to get the Maryland
> State Department of Education to adopt.  Much of this language comes from
> the Department of Justice uses.  I think it is a good definition.
> 
> "Accessible" means fully and equally accessible to and independently usable
> by blind individuals so that blind students and professionals are able to
> acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the
> same services as sighted students and professionals, with substantially
> equivalent ease of use.
> 
> Sharon Maneki
> 
> -----Original Message-----
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>    1. Stay in touch with me through LinkedIn (Steve Heesen)
>    2. Defining the Term ?Accessible? in the Digital Education Era (DrV)
>    3. Re: Defining the Term ?Accessible? in the Digital Education
>       Era (Penny Duffy)
> 
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> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:04:39 +0000 (UTC)
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> To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [blindkid] Stay in touch with me through LinkedIn
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> 
> Steve Heesen
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> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 08:03:56 -0800
> From: DrV <icdx at earthlink.net>
> To: "Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [blindkid] Defining the Term ?Accessible? in the Digital
> Education Era
> Message-ID: <CD293E6C.CB28%icdx at earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
> 
> Hi All,
> Education is moving more & more into the digital realm.
> Students of all ages are being asked or required to access teacher websites,
> web-based calendars, and are being directed to watch on-line videos clips,
> download assignments, upload assignments, or perhaps blog.
> Some districts have adopted digital textbooks, other are seriously planning
> to do so.
> Some students are being expected to do on-line drills.
> An increasing number of students are starting to be tested using on-line
> quizzes & tests, including for math & foreign languages.
> Many school districts are creating Technology Departments & Committees to
> address & some are trying to standardize their districts digital education
> needs & operation.
> A student?s performance & grade is increasingly being assessed based on
> their digital performance.
> There are many tools young blind & low vision students can use to access
> what they need.
> What information is ?visible? on a given website can vary depending on the
> tool used to access it; the same website may look very different to a
> student using a Braille Notaker vs iphone vs ipad vs laptop with JAWS vs a
> Mac laptop.
> This is no longer an issue just for students at the upper grade levels, but
> also in the early education years down to kindergarten & preschool.
> As parents, vi professionals, & students interact with classroom teachers &
> with school districts they need to figure out how accessible things are.
> This is not an academic or philosophical question, but rather a very real
> issue.
> Given the spectrum of tools & age groups pre-k through grad school, has
> anyone come across an accepted working definition of what ?accessible? now
> means?
> I look forward to your thoughts, insights & discussion.
> Respectfully,
> EricV
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 11:17:42 -0500
> From: Penny Duffy <pennyduffy at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Defining the Term ?Accessible? in the Digital
> Education Era
> Message-ID:
> <CABb_=QdVZJZhVtGF2_b7ou_t=Wp8k15Djmf5rEz6ZLLo=fHrJg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> I have always understood it to mean someone isn't able to access it because
> it just visual.  I think there is two streams here that which should always
> be accessible or made accessible for the student and the things that simply
> can't be made accessable and that's 'ok'   For instance a print book isn't
> accessible for many blind students but it can be. 1. Someone can read it but
> than its not reading or it can be transcribed into braille. My daughter has
> a para educator and I remind the school often that she making Abby's
> education more accessible not be her 'baby sitter'.
> 
> Its scary out there with all the new technology and many times the people
> are not trained much less trained to bring access to a blind student. My
> daughter is it 3rd grade and all the students have ipads in the school. Its
> been a confusing adjustment.
> 
> I do think there is wording to what has to be made accessible but I am
> clueless about that.
> 
> _Penny
> On Jan 26, 2013 11:04 AM, "DrV" <icdx at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
>>  Hi All,
>>  Education is moving more & more into the digital realm.
>>  Students of all ages are being asked or required to access teacher
>>  websites, web-based calendars, and are being directed to watch on-line
>>  videos clips, download assignments, upload assignments, or perhaps
>>  blog.
>>  Some districts have adopted digital textbooks, other are seriously
>>  planning to do so.
>>  Some students are being expected to do on-line drills.
>>  An increasing number of students are starting to be tested using
>>  on-line quizzes & tests, including for math & foreign languages.
>>  Many school districts are creating Technology Departments & Committees
>>  to address & some are trying to standardize their districts digital
>>  education needs & operation.
>>  A student?s performance & grade is increasingly being assessed based
>>  on their digital performance.
>>  There are many tools young blind & low vision students can use to
>>  access what they need.
>>  What information is ?visible? on a given website can vary depending on
>>  the tool used to access it; the same website may look very different
>>  to a student using a Braille Notaker vs iphone vs ipad vs laptop with
>>  JAWS vs a Mac laptop.
>>  This is no longer an issue just for students at the upper grade
>>  levels, but also in the early education years down to kindergarten &
> preschool.
>>  As parents, vi professionals, & students interact with classroom
>>  teachers & with school districts they need to figure out how accessible
> things are.
>>  This is not an academic or philosophical question, but rather a very
>>  real issue.
>>  Given the spectrum of tools & age groups pre-k through grad school,
>>  has anyone come across an accepted working definition of what
>>  ?accessible? now means?
>>  I look forward to your thoughts, insights & discussion.
>>  Respectfully,
>>  EricV
>> 
>> 
>>  _______________________________________________
>>  blindkid mailing list
>>  blindkid at nfbnet.org
>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
>>  To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>  blindkid:
>> 
>>  http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/pennyduffy%40gma
>>  il.com
>> 
> 
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