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The ADA Compliance Introduction Guide for Faculty provides an overview of ADA compliance considerations for faculty put together by the Curriculum and Innovations team and Accessibility Manager Ryanne Milani.
Purdue Global is committed to providing opportunities for higher education to all students and to making the online programs, activities, and facilities at the University accessible to students with disabilities. Learn more about Student Accessibility Services and review the Student Accommodations Faculty Guide.
Accommodations for Timed Assessments: If student accommodations include extended time for timed assessments, there are additional steps that must be taken to honor and be in compliance with a student’s approved accommodations.
Please review the faculty guide for details about accommodations for timed assessments.
Brightspace provides an accessibility checker tool when adding announcements and discussion posts. Please be sure to use the accessibility checker for your announcements and discussion posts.
When using the Insert Stuff tool to add an image to an announcement or discussion post, prompts will follow to ensure accessibility. Images must have alternative text or be marked as decorative. Please note that decorative images cannot contain important course information. Using an image that includes informational text or directions is not accessible and should be avoided. Informational text and directions should be included as text in the announcement or discussion post.
Tip: Avoid using vector images or graphics. The recommended and supported file types for images include jpeg or png files.
The accessibility checker tool will also verify that text color meets accessibility guidelines for readability.
When providing links in announcements or discussions to course content, use links for the current course section. Do not use links from a master course shell or a section from a previous term as they will not be accessible to students in the current section. If you are teaching more than one section of the same course, you must use links from each individual course. Students will not be able to access links to information in other sections of the course.
Student Interaction Items
Video or animation does not flash (flashing-pulsing elements) on or off the screen.
All images have text descriptions.
Automatically moving, scrolling, or updating content can be stopped by the user.
Color is not the sole method of conveying information or distinguishing visual elements.
If an image represents a control or a link, the link is provided in text form.
A descriptive text transcript OR audio description audio track is provided for non-live, web-based video and all other multimedia projects.
Prevent disruptive or distracting noise and background noise in all recordings.
A mechanism is provided to stop, pause, mute, or adjust the volume for audio that automatically plays on a page for more than 3 seconds.
Other Considerations (not related to Student Interaction)
Keep descriptors for locating content consistent when creating alternate versions. Script button should always be in the same place on the screen. The script should have the same format.
A script is included when end users (e.g. students, instructors) can upload content, allow and facilitate alternatives for non-text content, or an alternate assignment needs to be created, such as podcasting.
Use tables only when necessary and merged cells are not allowed.
No drag and drop activities.
If the image represents a control or a link, the link is provided in text form.
A descriptive text transcript OR audio description audio track is provided for non-live, web-based video and all other multimedia projects.
Keep descriptors for locating content consistent when creating alternate versions. Script button should always be in the same place on the screen. The script should have the same format.
Hyperlink text should provide a clear description of the link destination instead of providing only the URL.
Interactive pieces must be able to be navigated with the arrow keys along with or as an alternative to using the mouse. Any Multimedia activities that are navigated using only the mouse are prohibited. For example, drag and drop activities cannot be completed with keyboard alternatives.
This checklist is also available as a Google Doc Resource (https://bit.ly/3aQtYQa).
The use of contrast and color are vital to accessibility. Contrast is a measure of the difference in brightness between two colors. The brightness difference is expressed as a ratio. Users with visual disabilities may find it difficult to read content on a page unless it has sufficient color contrast between the text color and the background color.
Level AA requirements are:
Contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text.
Contrast ratio of at least 3:1 for large text.
Large text is defined as 14 point (typically 18.66px) and bold or larger, or 18 point (typically 24px) or larger.
Contrast ratio of at least 3:1 for graphics and user interface components (such as form input borders).
Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual content, have no contrast requirement.
Logotypes: Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no contrast requirement.
Use the following site to check the color contrast of your text. Make sure it passes WCAG AA compliance.
© WebAIM
The Color and Contrast Guidelines are also available as a Google Doc Resource (https://bit.ly/2Xhf41I).
Here is an example that FAILS compliance.
Here is an example that PASSES compliance.
This resource provides guidance that aligns with the WCAG 2.1 Guidelines and is specifically targeted to using video in the classroom to enhance the learner experience and supplement course content.
The WCAG 2.1 Compliance Checklist for Video in the Classroom is available as a Google Sheet.
Screen reader technology is a vital tool that enables individuals with visual impairments to access and interact with digital content. It works by translating text and interactive elements on a computer or mobile device screen into audio or touch feedback. Screen readers are particularly beneficial for people who are blind or have limited vision, but they can also assist individuals with learning, motor, or cognitive disabilities. These tools read aloud the content on the screen and allow users to navigate through websites and applications via speech output or a Braille display. Three of the most commonly used screen readers are NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver.
Outcomes
Identify opportunities at Purdue Global for accessibility
Share challenges related to accessibility
Preview the topics for upcoming sessions in the series
Resource Links from the session:
Outcomes
Identify opportunities for accessibility in announcements and discussion threads
Share challenges related to accessible announcements and discussion posts
Review available tools for accessibility in the Brightspace LMS
Resource Links from the session:
Outcomes
Identify opportunities for accessibility in seminar and presentation files
Share challenges related to accessible seminars and presentation files
Review available tools for accessibility in Zoom, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Google Slides
Resource Links from the session:
Outcomes
Identify four disability categories
List four principles used in defining accessibility guidelines
Discuss key principles of accessible design
Resource Links from the session: