Greg Kraus, Principal Accessibility Specialist, Interactive Accessibility
Mark Turner, Director, Center for Accessible Media, CSU Office of the Chancellor
Disability Area: Topic Area:
Length of Session (in hours): 1
Format: Lecture
Expertise Level: All Levels
Type of session: General Conference
Summary of Session
Recommending software for purchasing often requires settling on products with accessibility problems. How do we prioritize which technologies to focus on evaluating, determine which functions in an application are most important to evaluate for accessibility, and address the gaps in accessibility.
Abstract
Selecting software applications involves a mix of business and educational needs with accessibility being among one of many requirements. Often times the products being considered do not fully meet the accessibility requirements of the institution. Given the limited resources we have in implementing accessible IT systems and that there might be multiple groups across our campuses simultaneously considering software purchases, how do we prioritize and determine to what degree we will evaluate each system for accessibility? When none of the products meet the accessibility requirements how does accessibility get considered in the mix of other business and educational needs? Finally, when a less-than-accessible product is selected, how do we plan for dealing with the gaps in accessibility support in the product? This presentation explores how these issues are dealt with at the California State University System and at North Carolina State University, including examples from both institutions.
Kepoints
Creating an accessible IT infrastructure requires prioritizing which projects will receive the most attention.
Accessibility needs have to be considered within the context of other business and educational needs.
Plans need to be developed by all the relevant stakeholders - disability staff, end users, vendors, instructors, and technical staff - for how to deal with accessibility shortcomings of products.
Speaker Bio(s)
Greg Kraus
Greg Kraus is the Principal Accessibility Specialist at Interactive Accessibility. He brings a breadth and depth of accessibility experience that is both engaging and transformative for organizations. Greg combines his experience of implementing accessibility at the institutional level with his technical ability to develop innovative software solutions.
Greg takes a people-centered approach to accessibility – accessibility is about people who need access to products and services, and it’s about people who will be making changes to their own workflows in order to deliver accessible products and services. He meets people where they are, creates a vision for where they need to be, and then journeys with them to make it a reality.
Previously Greg worked at NC State University as the IT Accessibility Coordinator. Where he developed many innovative accessibility solutions. He also led national accessibility efforts as the EDUCAUSE IT Accessibility Constituent Group Leader.
Mark Turner
Mark Turner has worked in postsecondary Disability Services since 1993. He currently serves on the staff of the CSU\\\\\\\'s Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) at the CSU Office of the Chancellor where he has worked since 2006. His work focuses on accessible instructional materials and on operating the Center for Accessible Media (CAM). CAM allows campuses to locate and share curricular content that has been adapted for use by students print disabilities which reduces or eliminates redundant efforts to produce these materials, provides significant savings, and speeds time-to-delivery. In the area of instructional materials, Mark provides leadership in areas such as electronic textbooks, multimedia, electronic documents, and eLearning materials. Prior to joining the ATI, Mark coordinated assistive technology and alternate media services at the Disability Resource Center at California State Polytechnic University Pomona. Mark has also served as a Learning Disability Specialist at Cal Poly Pomona and as a consultant to Special Programs and Services at Los Angeles Harbor College. Mark completed his B.A. in Psychology at University of CA, Irvine, his M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Alliant University, Los Angeles, and completed Ph.D. coursework at Alliant University, Los Angeles._x000D_