Accessibility Experiences of Developing Sage’s Epigeum, Platform and Content

Scheduled at 1:45 pm in Denver 4-6 on Wednesday, November 13.

Speaker(s)

• Crista Earl, Principal Accessibility Consultant, Tech for All (TFA)
• Lorna Notsch, Senior Content Management Analyst, Sage Publishing
• Lorenzo Milani, Associate UX Specialist, Sage Publishing

Session Details

• Length of Session: 1-hr
• Format: Lecture
• Expertise Level: All Levels
• Type of session: General Conference

Summary

Presenters discuss and give advice on the process of testing, identifying accessibility issues, and then remediating those issues in an already built product, an online platform and set of courses for higher education. Topics include platform fixes versus content fixes, identifying ownership of aspects of a system, and prioritization of issues related to specific screen reader or browser issues.

Abstract

Shortly after Sage acquired Epigeum in 2023, Tech For All (TFA) was asked to complete an accessibility evaluation on the product. That evaluation provided a basis for a remediation plan that included determining prioritization of fixes depending on level of difficulty, resourcing, and how the user experience was impacted. Utilizing TFA's suggestions and in-house testing by Lorna, Lorenzo, and the Epigeum team, the platform issues were addressed, sometimes appreciating that compromises had to be made. Lorna and Lorenzo worked closely with John Furnborough, Epigeum's product manager, to ensure that the recommended fixes were integrated into the longer-term design and development process rather than being simply bolted on. A plan is also in place to address content challenges, particularly as courses are updated and new courses are introduced on the platform.

Keypoints

1. It can be the case that platform accessibility remediation is easier to achieve than course remediation
2. developers and those concerned with accessibility must consider impact on specific groups of users.
3. The choice of content-creation tool has a great impact on accessibility of finished product- choose carefully!

Disability Areas

All Areas, Vision

Topic Areas

Accessible Course Design, Assistive Technology, Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access

Speaker Bio(s)

Crista Earl

Crista is a senior member of the Tech for All (TFA) consulting team, leading non-visual accessibility evaluations of software, website, mobile, and integrated hardware and software products. She brings over 30 years of experience in design, development, and testing of accessible information and communication technology. Crista has helped organizations in a variety of industries, including higher education, finance, and publishing. In her previous role as Director of Web Operations for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), Crista oversaw a team of developers, database administrators, content managers, and social media professionals to develop and expand several accessible websites and software applications.

Lorna Notsch

Lorna lives in Washington, DC, and has worked for Sage Publishing for more than 20 years, with a focus on digital accessibility for the last 13. When not working, she loves to take advantage of all of the amazing cultural opportunities DC offers. She also loves to travel, read, and mother her houseplants.

Lorenzo Milani

Lorenzo is a UX Specialist originally from Le Marche, Italy, but is now based in London. With a background in cultural studies and management, he has been at Sage for almost six years wearing different hats. The bulk of his work is on digital accessibility, with a focus on design, training, and testing, but his role also includes analytics and information architecture. Outside of work Lorenzo plays bass guitar and tennis.