[WG: Accessibility] Sakai Accessibility Goals

Wed Dec 2 12:59:37 PST 2009

Hi All--

I like #2 as well, with the exception of the extra "that".

Mike

Mary Stores wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I like Modified Version 2 in the way that it is worded because it is 
> straightforward.
>
> Mary
>
> Quoting "Richwine, Brian L" <brichwin at indiana.edu>:
>
>   
>> Hi,
>>
>> The holiday probably interrupted some of the momentum from the last
>> meeting. I'd like to propose that we get the accessibility statement
>> proposal rewritten for Eli this week if possible so we can move on to
>> getting the accessibility goals written.
>>
>> As a start, some of us at the ATC have been mulling over the first
>> paragraph to the proposed Sakai accessibility statement from the last
>> meeting. We came up with two different versions as an attempt to
>> include the suggestion in Eli's comments. They are listed below. What
>> do others think? Please feel free to offer rewrites or comments!
>>
>> Modified version 1:
>> The Sakai foundation's goal is to be the most innovative and powerful
>> collaboration and learning environment; opening the teaching and
>> learning experience to the entire world. The world includes potential
>> users of varied abilities who may employ "assistive" technologies to
>> receive and interact with information. With this in mind, the Sakai
>> Community commits to keep accessibility for all users foremost in all
>> information design decisions.
>>
>> Modified version 2:
>> Consistent with our goal to make Sakai the most innovative and
>> powerful Collaboration and Learning Environment, the Sakai Foundation
>> is committed to making Sakai's features accessible and available to
>> all, including users with disabilities. It only makes sense that in
>> designing Sakai, a tool with communication and collaboration features
>> that open the teaching and learning experience to the entire world,
>> that the Sakai Community is keeping accessibility constantly in mind
>> to enable Sakai's usability for people with disabilities either
>> directly or by supporting the use of assistive technology.
>>
>> Original First Paragraph from last week:
>> Consistent with our goal to make Sakai the most innovative and
>> powerful Collaboration and Learning Environment, the Sakai Foundation
>> is committed to making Sakai's features accessible and available to
>> all. It only makes sense that in designing Sakai, a tool with
>> communication and collaboration features that open the teaching and
>> learning experience to the entire world, that the Sakai Community is
>> keeping accessibility constantly in mind.
>>
>> Eli's Comment:
>> This is the right idea. As much as we understand what "accessibility"
>> is, in a policy statement I think that we need to introduce the term.
>> Our introduction is also a way to hit briefly on the reality that
>> people of different abilities exist and that they need special
>> support.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>  -Brian
>>
>>
>> Brian Richwine
>> Adaptive Technology Support Specialist
>> Adaptive Technology and Accessibility Centers
>> Indiana University - Bloomington/Indianapolis
>> http://iuadapts.indiana.edu
>> (812) 856-4112
>>
>>
>>
>> From: accessibility-bounces at collab.sakaiproject.org
>> [mailto:accessibility-bounces at collab.sakaiproject.org] On Behalf Of
>> Richwine, Brian L
>> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 2:02 PM
>> To: Sakai Accessibility WG
>> Subject: [WG: Accessibility] FW: Sakai Accessibility Goals
>>
>> Here are the ideas Eli and have working on...
>>
>> From: Eli Cochran [mailto:eli at media.berkeley.edu]
>> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 1:48 PM
>> To: Richwine, Brian L
>> Cc: Eli Cochran
>> Subject: Re: Sakai Accessibility Goals
>>
>> Brian,
>>
>> I have a few comments inline.
>>
>> - Eli
>>
>> On Nov 18, 2009, at 9:25 AM, Richwine, Brian L wrote:
>>
>> Hello Eli,
>>
>> I didn't want the two weeks since the last Accessibility Working
>> Group teleconference go by without making some effort towards
>> developing Sakai's Accessibility Goals.
>>
>> I struggled a bit on how to get started, and eventually decided to
>> write something like the ideal accessibility statement I could
>> envision the Sakai Foundation publishing about Sakai. I figure that
>> if that existed as a guiding vision, then the accessibility goals
>> could be more easily derived.
>>
>> I looked at accessibility statements from similar level projects
>> (Desire2Learn, Moodle, Blackboard, etc.) and then searched for other
>> guiding documents like the National Center on Disability and Access
>> to Education's Best Practice Indicators for Institutional Web
>> Accessibility and the IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible
>> Learning Applications.
>>
>> I think of the accessibility goals as being broad statements that
>> voice support for the philosophy and inclusive nature of accessible
>> design principals, the standards being embraced, and includes
>> reference to the process/plan and its implementation.
>>
>> I envision that the following all work together:
>> *         An Accessibility Statement
>> *         The Accessibility Goals
>> *         An Accessibility Plan
>> *         Documents needed for and supporting the plan (Guidelines,
>> checklists, protocols, documentation, etc.)
>> *         A Process for Implementation of the Plan
>> *         Progress evaluation
>> *         Results Assessment and Reporting
>>
>> This is right on. I don't know if we have time to produce all of
>> this, but for Sakai 3, we should hit each of these milestones.
>>
>> I'm not a copywriter or have much experience at determining policy
>> statements, but just wanted to make a try at capturing some  ideas
>> and working towards writing them into goals. Here is the 'ideal'
>> accessibility statement I have so far:
>>
>> Consistent with our goal to make Sakai the most innovative and
>> powerful Collaboration and Learning Environment, the Sakai Foundation
>> is committed to making Sakai's features accessible and available to
>> all. It only makes sense that in designing Sakai, a tool with
>> communication and collaboration features that open the teaching and
>> learning experience to the entire world, that the Sakai Community is
>> keeping accessibility constantly in mind.
>>
>> This is the right idea. As much as we understand what "accessibility"
>> is, in a policy statement I think that we need to introduce the term.
>> Our introduction is also a way to hit briefly on the reality that
>> people of different abilities exist and that they need special
>> support.
>>
>> The Sakai Community is designing Sakai to high standards of
>> accessibility, exceeding necessary legislative requirements (such as
>> Section 508 in the USA). To maintain this standard, Sakai implements
>> accessibility design principals found in recognized international
>> standards. We are working towards having Sakai meet all of the
>> relevant WCAG 2.0 Level A Success Criteria, while striving to meet
>> WCAG 2.0 Level AAA compliance and the relevant parts of the Authoring
>> Tool Accessibility Guidelines(ATAG).
>>
>>
>> This is good but is going to scare some folks.
>>
>> Besides meeting and complying with the accessibility standards, the
>> Sakai Community is going further to ensure Sakai's design is usable
>> and accessible to all. By keeping up with emerging standards and best
>> practice design techniques (such as the WAI-ARIA Suite), the Sakai
>> Community is ensuring Sakai will work with existing and emerging
>> assistive technologies. To keep accessibility principals in the minds
>> of the developers, accessibility guidelines and checklists are
>> available for easy reference.  Access to accessibility experts in the
>> Sakai community is available through the Sakai Accessibility Working
>> Group. Every tool in the Sakai product undergoes several usability
>> and accessibility evaluations throughout the design process to make
>> sure it not only meets the accessibility design principals found in
>> the standards, but also that it is both useable and functionally
>> accessible. The results of the Sakai accessibility evaluation efforts
>> are available that show Sakai's current accessibility. Accessible
>> documentation for Sakai administrators and end-users alike is
>> available on maintaining and using Sakai's accessibility features.
>>
>> This last paragraph talks about what we are planning to do as if we
>> have done it. We should rephrase at this point.
>>
>> Sorry this is so brief, I wanted to get it to you before the meeting.
>>
>> - Eli
>>
>>
>> I want to get your feedback before putting much more time into this,
>> so I don't travel too far down a path that isn't in line with what
>> you are thinking. Is this going anywhere you were expecting?
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>  -Brian Richwine
>>
>>
>> Brian Richwine
>> Adaptive Technology Support Specialist
>> Adaptive Technology and Accessibility Centers
>> Indiana University - Bloomington/Indianapolis
>> http://iuadapts.indiana.edu
>> (812) 856-4112
>>
>>
>> . . . . . . . . . . .  .  .   .    .      .         .              .
>>                    .
>>
>> Eli Cochran
>> user interaction developer
>> ETS, UC Berkeley
>>
>>
>>
>>     
>
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