Student Web Accessibility Project

Kay Lewis, Elizabeth Riley, Yvonne So, Diane Yoder, Sarah Yusufali

Summary

The Accessibility Institute's Student Web Accessibility Project is an ongoing effort that supports the development of accessible instructional Web sites. The student team evaluates Web sites and identifies educational accessibility issues that present barriers to users with disabilities.

Project Description

The Student Web Accessibility Project was developed to give accessibility feedback about UT-affiliated instructional Web sites, with a larger purpose of improving the online educational experience for students with or without disabilities. Members of the team:

1. Evaluate new and existing instructional resources for compliance with:
• Section 508 Standards
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
2. Work with Web developers and faculty to develop solutions for accessible and usable academic Web content.
3. Research and publish information about identified accessibility issues in educational Web content.

Educational Accessibility Issues

Throughout the project, the student team researches and compiles information about issues that present accessibility challenges in academic content. The team has identified the following issues:

• Blogs
• Content Management Systems
• Forms
• Graphics
• Headings
• Java
• Macromedia Flash
• Multi-user Domain Object Oriented Environments (MOOs)
• Portable Document Format (PDF)
• Portals

Our Team

The Student Web Accessibility Team consists of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds and educational programs at the University of Texas at Austin. The team assists in the development of online instructional resources that are accessible and usable to all students, including students with disabilities. Read their firsthand experiences.

Relevant Law and Policies

Federal law, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, requires that University programs and activities be accessible to qualified students with disabilities. The US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has consistently held that this requirement applies to instructional materials that are provided online as well as those in print or other media such as video. In addition, Texas law requires state agencies, including institutions of higher education, to make online resources that are available to members of the public accessible to individuals with disabilities. An accessibility policy for the University of Texas at Austin is currently in effect.

Our Clients

Our clients include Utopia, Computer Writing and Research Lab, and Liberal Arts Instructional Technology Services. As our client list grows, the sites will present new opportunities for increasing students' and developers' knowledge and understanding about accessibility challenges.

For more information or help with your Web site accessibility, Email Us.

Special thanks to Information Technology Advisory Committee for their sponsorship and support in the project.