Your Universally Designed Website May Not Be Accessible

October 20, 2005

David Klein

Law, Health Policy & Disability Center

The University of Iowa

College of Lawhttp://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/publications/kleinpubs.html

OverviewThe problemDefining the key terms

Universal Design Accessibility Human Factors Usability

How these terms relate to instructional design

Recommendations / suggestions

Design Disconnect

X-Plain at MedLine Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

Sample http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

tutorials/angina/htm/lesson.htm

With Screen Reader

Universal Design

“Design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design” Ron Mace

Universal Design Principles(from Center for Universal Design)

Equitable use Useful and appealing to all

Flexibility in use Wide range of preferences and abilities

Simple and intuitive Regardless of experience, knowledge, language skills, or

concentration level Perceptible information

Despite ambient conditions or sensory abilities Tolerance for error

Minimizes hazards and adverse consequences Low physical effort Appropriate size and space for approach and use

Universal Design

Assumes only one population with diverse abilities

Design philosophy based on inclusion

Universal Design for the Web Information redundancy

Text Graphics Sound

Color contrastChoice of mouse or keyboardUser controlUsable controls and achievable tasks

Assistive TechnologyPersonal use deviceHas a specific function that

enhances or maintains a person’s ability to do something

Usually refers to a device that compensates for a person’s deficiency or deviation from the norm

AccessibilityCharacteristic of being available to

be used – possibility for use Environmental quality Person interacting in the environment

Disability perspective Environment in which an individual can

function independently Assumption of a minimal level of

functioning

AccessibilityAssumes two populations – normal

and disabledDesign criteria (not a philosophy)

that change as norms and technology change

Requires standardsUse of assistive technology may be

required

Accessibility for the Web

Access to all information and controls (ALT text)

Ability to perform all functions (labeled controls)

May be differences in user’s time and effort

Human Factors

Study of how humans fit in to systems (environments, products, or services)

Human-machine systems EngineeringStandards

Human FactorsProducts - Cost effectiveness

Production Market Warehousing Sales

Typically target 90% of the marketBased on research and standardsHuman psycho-physical tolerances

Human Factors and the WebJakob NielsenResearch-based

Design Usage

Wait times (download, rendering)Page density and complexityControlsQuality of instructions

Usability

Subset of human factorsEfficiency

Time Effort

Effectiveness Task completion

Usability and the Web

User needs and tasks vs. Web browser as delivery medium

Eliminate superfluous information and activity

High level of accessibilityUser testing

Universal Design PhilosophyBased on ideal goal – a product

that all users can usePresumes a continuum of

knowledge, skills, and abilities that must be accounted for Human factors research

Relatively unchangingAccessibility a prerequisite?

AccessibilityAssumes discriminationRelies on standards

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Section 508

Socially and technologically basedChanges as social norms change

and technology is developed

Universal Design Relevance

Products for widespread useDiverse audienceIll-defined audience

Accessibility RelevanceApplicable standards exist

Section 508 WCAG

Possible use with assistive technology

Defined user group with special needs

Usability Relevance

Always?

Instructional Design Issues

Definitions

Determine consistent and clear definitions of these terms Universal design Accessibility Usability

Teach these terms to ID students

Teaching Instructional Design

Incorporate these concepts into the design process.

Assign projects that require consideration for universal design and accessibility

Provide lists of resources (e.g., link to WCAG -- http://www.w3.org/WAI/).

Instructional Design Theory

Include Universal Design principles early in the ID process

Phase in accessibility into the ID process as the relationship between the users and environment is understood

Instructional Design Theory

Learner-environment analysis?

Instructional Design Theory

User-Centered Design (Information Technology Technical Assistance Center)

Analysis Phase Personas Scenarios Demonstrate how a persona interacts with the

product/environment within a scenario http://www.ittatc.org/technical/access-ucd/analysis.php

Tell stories See “Imagination and Empathy in Instructional

Design” (Patrick Parrish, this conference)

Instructional Design TheoryUsability/Accessibility testingInclude

Personas Scenarios Assistive technologies

Should be formative as well as summative

Resources – GeneralW3C Web Accessibility Initiative

http://www.w3c.org/wai/ Center for Universal Design

http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/ WebAIM (Web Accessibility In

Mind) http://www.webaim.org/

Resources - Education Information Technology Technical

Assistance Center http://www.ittatc.org/

Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/

Accessible University http://www.washington.edu/accessit/AU/index.html

AccessIT http://www.washington.edu/accessit/index.php

Resources – Articles Iwarsson & Stahl. (2003). Accessibility, usability, and

universal design—positioning and definition of concepts describing person-environment relationships, Disability and Rehabilitation 25(2), 57-66.

Quesenbery. What does usability mean: Looking beyond ‘ease of use.’ http://www.wqusability.com/articles/more-than-ease-of-use.html

Henry. Another –ability: Accessibility primer for usability specialists. http://www.uiaccess.com/upa2002a.html

Alexander. What is the relationship between usability and accessibility, and what should it be? http://deyalexander.com/presentations/usability-accessibility/

Resources – Books Paciello, Michael. (2000). Web

Accessibility for People with Disabilities. Thatcher, Jim, et al. (2002). Beyond

Exclusion: Constructing Accessible Websites.

Clark, Joe. (2002). Building Accessible Websites.

Nielsen, Jakob. (2001). Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity. Indianapolis: New Riders Publishing.