If a picture is worth a thousand words – a Macromedia Flash presentation is probably worth volumes. Flash technology, in a general sense, may be one of the most widely available technologies used on the web. For developers, the ability to program one multimedia presentation that can be viewed the same on nearly all computers makes the technology very appealing. However, for individuals with disabilities, Flash can introduce unique accessibility problems. Click here for more information on multimedia accessibility.
Different viewing habits are changing the way we use our web browsers. As the Internet provides more multimedia content and users begin to view more video content on their computers, expect larger monitors with larger screen resolutions and the use of a greater amount of different colors. Too accommodate people; we need to know what they are using. Click here to learn more about what people are using for their Internet viewing needs.
Email Rehabilitation Engineer Michael Fiore.
The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) serves as the research and development arm for WGBH’s Media Access Group. One of the main concentrations of NCAM is the continued enhancement of accessibility to media for people with disabilities. In order to boost their mission, they have recently published a series of guidelines that provide systematic solutions for making a variety of electronic media accessible to users with sensory disabilities. This publication offers a collection of various guidelines ranging from the creation of image access points for people with visual impairments, to providing access to scientific and mathematical expressions for all users with disabilities. To view all guidelines, please visit NCAM’s website..
Three True or False Questions about the ADA and Hearing Impairments.
Title I of the ADA covers employment by private employers with 15 or more employees and state and local government employers of the same size. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act provides the same protections for federal employees and applicants for federal employment. Click here to take the test – relax, we can’t see your answers.
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Hearing loss is a common problem in modern society due
to the combined effects of noise, aging, disease, and heredity. Hearing
is a complex sense involving both the sensitivity of the ear as well
as the ability to understand speech. For information and statistics about
hearing loss, click here for a summary
prepared by National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders.
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What do these icons mean about web standards and accessibility?
Eliot Spindel, accessible web designer explains – click here to
learn more about web standards and accessibility.
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We’re all familiar with the often cited statistic of 54 Million Americans with Disabilities, but do we know ‘who’ is included in this group?
In a recent interview with the Philadelphia Business Journal regarding Best Practices in Employment, it became apparent to me that the journalist, like many folks that I meet, was not familiar with the broad list of impairments that constitute a disability. While there are several definitions of disability, the 54 Million Americans statistic that so many of us cite is based on a variety of functional limits. Perhaps the most important source of data on this number comes from an August 1997 Household Economics Study Report (P70-61) for the Department of Commerce that uses Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data - that speaks to Americans with disabilities of all ages. While this data speaks to folks who are not necessarily ‘in the job market’ the definitions are relevant in clarifying the extent and types of disabilities that we may encounter in the workforce. The extensive information collected in SIPP makes it possible to relate disability status to a range of variables including income, employment, health insurance coverage, and the receipt of program benefits. Click here to view more about the Economic Study that created the ‘the 54 Million number’ in its entirety.
In
the decade and a half since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed,
life has improved for many of this country’s 54 million disabled citizens.
But the landmark legislation can be seen as “both a tool and a sword.” That’s
the view of Janet Fiore, CEO of Sierra Group www.thesierragroup.com,
a consulting firm specializing in workers with disabilities.
Click here to view the entire article by Dan Woog on "Disability Update 2007".
As you grow older, less light reaches the back of your eyes. Your pupils get smaller as you age, and the lens inside your eye becomes thicker, absorbing more light. The lens also scatters more light as you age, adding a “luminous veil” over images on your retina. This reduces the contrast and sharpness of objects and the vividness of colors. Reds begin to look like pinks, for example. You might have an even harder time seeing differences in blue colors, because your eye’s lens absorbs more blue light. Good lighting can make the difference between seeing and not seeing for some. The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has developed guidelines for lighting for older adults.
Click here or the image above to view The Lighting Way Guidelines.
