Web 2.0 technologies are amazing when you look at what is available for Web surfers or us online learners. We've gotten our hands on videos, audios, 3D images, web conferencing, and so many other things out there to explore. They are great tools used for entertainment and learning...but they might not be too great if you are one of the people who falls into the U.S. Census data like the one Kearsley and Moore noted above.
Course Management System is designed to fit the normal users and also disabled individuals. Sometimes we forget there are blind or hearing impaired people out there who are not able to see and hear what everyone else can.
Thus, when we create Web 2.0 contents, it's important to keep this in mind. If you can add captions into your video file, it would be great. There are many product out there with Caption capability. Audio is hard, but if you can, create a transcript of the audio in TXT file.
All of this is time consuming, and really, no one has to do it, but if you have the time, it doesn't hurt to do it.
Hey Nghi
ReplyDeleteI have been enjoying following your comments both in class and here. This one caught my interest, have you read anything about kids with autism and their ability to communicate through computers. I've seen some footage of an individual you would think was not fully functional, boy did I feel like a fool when she spoke through the computer. Apparently they feel we are the ones or are not communicating properly who would've ever thought. Well just thought I would say hello :^)
You're right, it is the right thing to do and yes it is time consuming. But some things are mandated by law, especially if "designed by any federal or DOD agency" (Moore & Kearsley, 2005, p. 119). I think the basics of good web design which include thinking about the color blind person and those who may not be able to load a graphic are key for all people. How many times have you gone to a site to be overwhelmed by the flashing graphics, loud colors and unreadable text? Even those who do not have any visual disabilities will have a hard time using those.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things Moore & Kearsely also suggest is providing keyboard functionality for the disabled who cannot use a mouse. This is also good for the person who's mouse just dies and needs a way to close down the system.
"This one caught my interest, have you read anything about kids with autism and their ability to communicate through computers."
ReplyDeleteYour comment made me think of that guy, I forgot what his name is, the smart physicist, something Hawkin...he has this machine that allows him to breath into it and the machine writes out what he is saying, or something of the kind. I saw it on Discovery Channel. Technology is just amazing and fascinating at what people can create today.
Lynne, I know what you are talking about. Our English Department here in my college, they use this image changing graphic, and I guess the person who designed it for the Department's site didn't think about it. The images change back and forth really quite, I get nausea just looking at the picture.
ReplyDeleteThat's something you don't want your user to experience. When you build a Web site, don't do any speed-lightning graphic, it might cause someone to have a seizure.