Abstract Submitted for Computers and Writing Online 2005
Web accessibility and usability is a far-reaching and significant arena of research, which is slowly beginning to receive more attention, not only in academia, but also in the professional writing world and field of web development. At this time, the preponderance of literature that addresses web accessibility and usability related issues takes the form of a dialogue among web developers, predominantly through threaded discussions and online articles. It is these authors that are slowly entering into the conversation and addressing the accessibility standards issued forth by the W3C (WAI) and Section 508 of the Educational Rehabilitations Act Amendments. When addressing accessibility, authors interested in adhering to the standards typically employ traditional rhetorical appeals, with an emphasis on appeals to logos (law and business) and pathos (the plight of the disabled user). A mass of anecdotes, quotes, and other references to the struggles that disabled users face when attempting to use the web, either for professional, personal, or academic purposes consistently emerges. It is these appeals that precipitated the interest and focus of this research. Unfortunately, there is a serious dearth of existing literature addressing web accessibility in the academy. My research focuses on this gap and specifically addresses the accessibility issues that students face when attempting to be successful at a large, public, postsecondary institution. Although the existing literature paints a picture of extreme hardship for disabled users, the emphasis given to the struggles of the disabled student is lacking. Rarely is the student given the formal right to be heard in order to articulate the severity of the problem. This lack of voice is the catalyst to numerous questions about web use at the university level: How do the expectations of professors and instructors encumber the achievement of students? How do the expectations of the university as a degree-granting institution hinder student success? What types of technologies are available to students with disabilities at any particular institution? How do these technologies play a role in aiding students in being successful? Are they sufficient? Do postsecondary institutions provide the “equal opportunity” for students with disabilities that the law requires? The research will apply a qualitative approach to attempt to answer these questions. Through a series of interviews, a focus group, and finally a longitudinal case study of subjects with a variety of disabilities, the full article will argue for an institutionally heightened awareness of web accessibility issues. It will also illuminate issues idiosyncratic to particular disabilities of which web designers and instructors alike need be aware. Ultimately, the goal of the paper is to illuminate the accessibility issues of university students and advocate for an institutional embrace and implementation of the aforementioned accessibility and usability standards.
John M. Spartz
jspartz@purdue.edu
Purdue University
certainly a great study
that will assist in policy construction and help inform our teaching. In addition to the questions you have indicated, I'm also personally curious about some others. Some seem directly relevant to your study; some not:
Responders
Leigh Graves Wolf has been assigned to respond to this post.
Response from Leigh Graves Wolf
Your questions (How do the expectations of professors and instructors encumber the achievement of students? How do the expectations of the university as a degree-granting institution hinder student success? What types of technologies are available to students with disabilities at any particular institution? How do these technologies play a role in aiding students in being successful? Are they sufficient? Do postsecondary institutions provide the “equal opportunity” for students with disabilities that the law requires?) do not seem to correlate with your specific interest in web accessibility. It seems to me (from a web design standpoint) that the tide may be shifting towards embracing web accessibility rather than seeing it as just a legal responsibility. Usability guru Jakob Nielsen (www.useit.com) is making the case that websites designed with accessibility in mind actually improve usability for all users. Additionally, with the proliferation of CSS, making websites accessible is becoming much easier. In my experiences, I have the impression that educational institutions have more issues with providing the assistive technologies (screen readers/magnifiers/braille printers/etc) that interact with web based technolgies. Focusing on web accessibility alone is only telling one side of the story. With this said, I would expand your focus. I think the shift towards studying accessibility and assistive technologies and hearing from students with disabilities, in addition to professors who have adapted and adopted assistive technologies into their practice will be of great interest to the academic community and begin a much needed dialogue that I look forward to reading!
Accessibility and Usability
I heard a talk once -- I think it was a talk about diversity that was given by one of the people at my university's Center for Teaching and Learning Services -- in which the speaker pointed out that anything that's designed with accessibility in mind benefits everyone, not just web sites. Like ramps: We all use those, if we've got something with wheels that we need to maneuver, like a buggy or a dolly, and those power-assist doors: almost anyone who's ever gone up to one such door with his or her hands full has pushed that button. I know I've benefitted from all those things.
CultureCat
Response to Cel4145
Charlie, thanks for the comments and suggestions. You pose some great questions that I will be able to address in this study and in further work.
It is my opinion, without doing any quantitative study, that the majority of instructors, at least the ones with whom I discuss, are very unaware, in fact, somewhat oblivious to the standards or issues as a whole. It seems, because Purdue hasn't really "forced" adherence to the standards, that people who are aware of it might be putting it off because it is "just one more thing to learn" in their busy lives. Once those standards are required, we will have to face it and then find a way to implement them. In my opinion, things will change once awareness is raised and people understand 1) the seriousness of the issue (how it impacts student learning) and 2) the legality of it.
Also, your question about blogs, wikis, Flash, etc. is an interesting one. But, it is only if these are technologies that the students I am studying identify as being problematic, that I will address it in my study. Ultimately, it is my aim to let the subjects guide the content...to give them a voice. Although, I will definitely pose these technologies as options in terms of what they encounter at Purdue.
Oh, your comments on 3.1 are accurate. And, my post was/is quite inaccessible. Thanks, Charlie ;)
Response to Leigh
Leigh, thanks for your comments and suggestions, although, I was/am a bit confused by one of them: "It seems to me (from a web design standpoint) that the tide may be shifting towards embracing web accessibility rather than seeing it as just a legal responsibility." (your words) If you could possibly help me understand, I would appreciate it greatly. I simply added the law aspect as an add on, seeing as it is something that is important to designers/instructors/universities. My focus is not on the legal aspects of accessibility, but rather on the impact of the lack of accessibility on student success. Furthermore, I agree with Jakob Nielsen about accessibility and usability being complementary...this is one of the arguments that I personally make when broaching the subject with colleagues.
As far as expanding my focus, what might you suggest, knowing that I am currently planning on setting this up as a qualitative study, which will include subject interviews, a focus group, and at least four extended case studies, all to give voice to students with disabilities? As far as the actual technology, here at Purdue, there is a lab dedicated to providing the technologies for students with disabilities, but, in doing some preliminary research, it seems as though they aren't enough. This is part of what I want my study to illuminate in an overall call for more awareness of web accessibility and it related technologies, standards, etc..
I do appreciate your comments. Be assured that my focus is minimally on the legal ramifications of not complying, if at all.
Any further comments or suggestions you might have would be great.
John
Reponse to Clancy
Clancy, thanks for your comments and suggestions. I too have heard a talk once like the one you mention. In fact, I gave one like it at ATTW in 2004;) I analyzed the rhetorical appeals in the existing literature that authors used to aruge for web accessiblity. These anecdotes surfaced often. The crossover between accessiblity and usability is one of the ways that many authors attempt to convince web designers and instructors to embrace accessibility standards. Thanks.
John
thanks for answering
I kind of guessed your study wouldn't be able to address those questions, but I thought I'd still ask. Definitely a great study to do!
"Oh, your comments on 3.1 are accurate. And, my post was/is quite inaccessible. Thanks, Charlie ;)"
Gave me hell all semester, I figured I owed you one ;)