Presented at 3:30pm in WB IV on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.
#10428Speaker(s)
- Hadi Rangin, IT Accessibility Specialist, University of Washington
- Dan Comden, Access Technology Consultant, University of Washington
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Expert
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
Many higher education institutions lack the requisite resources or expertise to independently test and verify the accessibility of locally-developed/third-party applications. At the UW, we work closely with local developers and third-party vendors to ensure accessibility at all steps of the product development and implementation process.
Abstract
Given the diversity of the contemporary college campus, it is imperative that the technologies endorsed by educational institutions are accessible, within and above legislative requirements.
At the University of Washington, the philosophy of Universal Design (UD) is at the heart of the decision-making process. Concerted efforts are made to both design and develop applications locally as well as purchase products from third-party vendors that emphasize a focus on UD and accessibility.
Our IT Accessibility team works closely with designers/developers to ensure accessibility throughout the development process. We negotiate the accessibility features in contracts and work with vendors to define an accessibility roadmap.
In this session, we will describe how we address the accessibility of local and third-party applications from RFP through deployment processes while sharing several success stories demonstrating the importance of an inclusive technological environment.
Keypoints
- How to Engage Service Owners/Managers in Accessibility Discussions
- How to Compile a Prioritized Accessibility Issue List
- How to Collaborate with Service Owners on Accessibility Language in Contracts and the Accessibility Roadmap
Disability Areas
Topic Areas
Assistive Technology, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Hadi Rangin
Hadi Rangin is an Information Technology Accessibility Specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle. In this position he is tasked with improving access to information technologies for all users, including those with disabilities. To do this Hadi works with and advises software engineers, designers, administrators, and purchasers on accessible implementation techniques, quality assurance, and best practices. Some of the higher education vendors Hadi has collaborated with include Blackboard, Blackboard Collaborate, Desire2Learn, Moodle, Canvas, Elsevier, Ebsco, Ex-Libris, PeopleSoft, Microsoft, Google, Qualtrics, Ellucian, Workday, ServiceNow, Trumba, Innotas, Zoom, and many more.
Additionally, Hadi teaches the Universal Design Principles for Online Learning as well as the Certificate of Professional Development course in Information Accessibility Design and Policy for the University of Illinois.
Hadi's educational background is in Computer Science with a focus on Network Management and Human-Computer Interfaces. As someone who is blind, Hadi brings a wealth of personal and professional experiences to the many spheres he works within.
Dan Comden
Dan manages the Access Technology Center (ATC) at the University of Washington. The ATC is a UW system-wide resource within central IT that works directly with students, faculty, and staff with disabilities who need to access computing resources. The ATC also help web and application developers make exciting and accessible online resources. In his free time, Dan plays with cars and rides his bike.