ALA

A new website accessibility tool has been developed in
Australia to improve learning for students and teachers with disabilities, particularly those who are blind or have low vision. 

The AccessED Accessibility Website Check will also improve website access for students in rural regions with slower internet connections or for people with access only to older computer systems.  

The new program has been developed by national ICT agency education.au, the Department of Education, Science and Training and leading not-for-profit organisation Vision
Australia. It will be provided without charge, is simple to use,  delivered in ‘plain English’ and suitable for all educational learning management systems. 

Launched earlier this month (October) by education.au and Vision Australia, it is available for free download at www.educationau.edu.au/accessED. 

education.au Chief Executive Greg Black said AccessED was aimed at librarians, course administrators, lecturers, system administrators and website developers to improve website access for a range of school and university students, including users who:

• are colour-blind
• require assistive technologies such as screen readers and magnifiers and Braille displays, or
• require adaptive techniques, such as head wands used by quadriplegics and others with physical disabilities, to operate computers.

“AccessED is exciting new technology that makes learning so much easier for many students who are otherwise disadvantaged by digital technology, whether because of physical disabilities or location,” Mr Black said. 

“It will provide a point of difference for Australian universities who take it up, allowing them to meet world standards on access as well as providing significant technical benefits,” he said. 

A key benefit of the new technology is that, unlike other website accessibility panels, AccessED has a built-in validation engine, allowing it to be used behind private or secure web sites, such as university intranet systems. 

Offering just one place to test the essential components of accessibility, it makes it possible for web designers and users to check in minutes whether a site has passed international Accessibility Guidelines. 

AccessED also has plain English descriptions that offer a more understandable alternative to the usual formal accessibility descriptions, allowing much quicker identification and diagnosis of potential problems.  

It also delivers technical improvements, including reduced site development and maintenance time and reduced server load. 

Mr Black said international standards for accessibility set by the WC3 Web Accessibility Initiative provided a set of guidelines that ensure access by assistive technologies such as screen readers and alternative navigation devices.  

“Many educational learning management systems in
Australia don’t comply with those standards and that can create a major barrier for students with disabilities,” he said. “That not only opens up universities and schools to legal challenge, but it can have a profound effect on the potential of students and teachers.” 

“We’re very proud to have worked closely with Vision
Australia to develop such an important new tool for learning.” 

Gerard Menses, Vision Australia Chief Executive Officer said about 17% of Australians have a print disability and rely on alternate formats such as online resources as their main source of information.  

“Vision Australia knows the vital significance of this new website accessibility tool and is pleased to be working in partnership with education.au to deliver this great solution,” said Gerard Menses, CEO Vision
Australia 

For further information, visit the AccessED website at www.educationau.edu.au/accessED 

Media please contact:Chris Rann, Rann Communication - 08 8211 7771