ELC 028: Make Accessibility Part Of Your Design Process

You may think that accessible eLearning design is only for people with disabilities. Actually, accessible learning designs are for diverse groups, such as people who are limited to using low bandwidth, people who may not be fluent in the language, as well as people who are using a mobile phone to access the Internet. In this conversation with accessibility and usability specialists Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery, they explain how all users win when we design for accessibility first. And how Universal Design is the path that provides the best access to digital products for the widest audience. We can apply their philosophy and principles to accessible eLearning design. Sarah is a consultant for strategic planning for websites and web applications. She also does accessibility and usability reviews. Sarah has written several books on topics from web design to accessibility for the web. Whitney brings user research insights to designing products where people matter. She has written two other books on user experience and is co-director of the non-profit Center for Civic Design, working with election officials on usability and design of ballots and other election materials. WE DISCUSS: The story behind A Web for Everyone Why accessibility should be part of design and not just a legal mandate Difference between accessibility and universal design Spectrum of accessibility strategies Common problems people have with web accessibility Designing with an "accessibility first" strategy How usability testing makes designs more effective Web standards and standards for authoring tools and authoring tool vendors Guidelines for visual presentation of content TIME: 35 minutes TRANSCRIPT: Download the [Download not found]. RATE: Rate this podcast in iTunes BOOKS: A Web for Everyone by Sarah Horton and Whitney Quesenbery (Use Code AWFE for 20% off when you buy from Rosenfeld Media) A Web for Everyone buy on Amazon Design for All Learners by Sarah Mercier RESOURCES: Sarah Horton Design (Sarah's website) WQUsability (Whitney's website) Web Accessibility Initiatives (WAI) Easy Checks Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) ON THIS SITE: Using Contrast to Improve Visual Accessibility in eLearning Getting Started with Inclusive Design