A: Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product (e.g., device, service, environment) is able to be used by as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" the functionality, and possible benefit, of some system or entity. Accessibility is often used to focus on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive technology. - adapted from Web Wikipedia
A: The "Disability Snapshot" [pdf] prepared by the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and located at http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/docs/disability_snapshot_7_29_08.pdf features SJSU and national disability statistics along with relevant disability-related research findings.
A: The University will comply with the CSU reporting format which has yet to be communicated. The San Jose State University Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) provides an annual report to the California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office.
A: According to the United States Census, 2006, American Community Survey of 18-34 year olds enrolled in college/graduate school, nearly 14% report the presence of a disability. These students report sensory, physical and mental disabilities. The CSU has developed a series of videos, entitled “From Where I Sit,” located at http://www.calstate.edu/accessibility/resources/videos.shtml. The video features eight students with disabilities who share their experiences in the college classroom. Each video includes the challenges the students face in the classroom and suggestions for faculty to help the students be more successful.
A: The Instructional Materials Committee is working on an exception, extension and undue burden policy.
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A: The University’s current focus is on educating faculty and staff regarding the Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) and assisting faculty to make instructional materials accessible. In December 2007, the Academic Senate passed a policy, Access to Instructional Materials:Timely Identification of Textbooks, Course Readers and Library Reserves located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/F07-3.htm. In May 2008, the Academic Senate passed the Policy on Incorporating Accessibility into the Curriculum Review Process located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S08-3.htm. The University has a number of processes to investigate complaints and ensure compliance with federal and state laws.
A: The new policy, Access to Instructional Materials:Timely Identification of Textbooks, Course Readers and Library Reserves located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/F07-3.htm, requires that all faculty provide a list of textbooks, course readers and library reserves to the Spartan Bookstore irrespective of the source they choose for purchasing. The Spartan Bookstore shares the information about the textbooks, course readers and library reserves with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) who can then create alternative media as necessary. A good general rule will be to plan to have the textbook, course readers and library reserve reported to the Spartan Bookstore 7-8 weeks in advance of the beginning of the next semester. Note: Faculty are not required to order books from the Spartan Bookstore, but they are required to submit the list. Directions for submitting the textbook, course readers and library reserve selections can be found at http://www.spartanbookstore.com/SiteText.aspx?id=1256.
A: Faculty are NOT being asked to contact publishers or find digital, accessible textbooks. Faculty should their order textbooks, course readers and library reserves by the required due date posted in the Spartan Bookstore and on the DRC website (http://www.drc.sjsu.edu).
Course Readers: If the faculty member does not have an electronic version of the course reader, then the faulty member must provide a clean paper copy to the student who requires alternative media. If the copy has blurred or poor print contrast, contains notes or underlining, it cannot be easily made into an accessible document.
A: Intellectual Property rights are recognized; however, intellectual property rights are not exempt from legal requirements pertaining to students with disabilities. Faculty may NOT be required to give the actual slides if they are not given to other students and the presentation of them in class does not pose an access issue for students with disabilities. The faculty would also not be required to share the slides with the entire class if they chose to share them with the student with a disability. NOTE: All curriculum related materials that are used and shared in class or on the web must be accessible, which include: PowerPoint, podcasts, and all other electronic documents.
A: Faculty should work with the Alternative Media Center for guidance and information related to equation formats.
A: The key point of providing alternate text to ensure all students, including students with visual impairment, have equivalent access to course materials. The alternative text should include the instructional purpose of the visual.
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A: The reality is that it is very difficult for a student to watch an interpreter and the media at the same time. So the student misses a great deal of information by not being able to view the screen and the interpreter simultaneously as when it is captioned. Also, electronic media is scripted which means it is presented at a much faster rate of speed than normal speech. This makes it close to impossible for the interpreter to keep up with the scripted dialog and information is often dropped.
A: The same holds true for real-time captioners as for interpreters, it is very difficult for a student to watch the real-time screen and the electronic media at the same time. So the student misses a great deal of information by not being able to view the screen and the real-time text simultaneously as when it is captioned. Also, being that it is scripted it is presented at a much faster rate of speed than normal speech. This makes it close to impossible for the captioner to keep up with the scripted dialog and information is often dropped.
A: The California State University (CSU) system has launched a system-wide Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) to ensure that each CSU campus follows state and federal laws mandating access to technology as well as to ensure a culture of inclusive learning. Accessibility for all is a priority at San José State University. The University is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive environment which enables all students to be successful in attaining an education. At this time, there are no alternatives to providing captioned media, once the students are exposed to the captions on a regular basis they will eventually tune them out if they are not needed or utilize them to support their learning.
A: This is often the case in many of the classes, thus captions are not made an option and the Deaf or Hard of Hearing student must rely on the service providers (sign language interpreters/captioners) which does not provide the student with effective communication as information is often dropped due to the faster rate of speech than normal speech.
A: You may not be aware that the CSU system has an Accessible Technology Initiative for all 23 campuses which states that all media and technology must be accessible which includes movies, streaming videos etc. The Chancellor’s Office is providing a discounted opportunity for the captioning of such media and each department is responsible for their own curriculum. For more information contact Chris Laxton in the TV Education Network Dept; his number is 4-2856.
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A: Academic Technology's Web Services has created Website Builder, a user friendly application that will create accessible faculty web sites. For more information about Website Builder, apply for an account or register for a class, visit http://www.sjsu.edu/webservices/services/websitebuilder/. The Center for Faculty Development provides classes in Website Builder on a regular basis. The class schedule is available on the Center for Faculty Development's web site at http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/events. One-on-one instruction is available in IRC 202, the Faculty Development Lab. Contact Jean Shiota, lab coordinator, for an appointment at 924-2884 or by email to Jean.Shiota@sjsu.edu.
A: Academic Technology's Web Services has created Web CMS 7, a user friendly application that will create accessible department, program or college web sites. For more information about Web CMS 7, apply for an account or register for a class, visit http://www.sjsu.edu/webservices/faq/webcms7/. Web Services provides classes on a regular basis. The class schedule is available on the Center for Faculty Development's web site at http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/events.
A:In accordance with the CSU wide Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI) faculty are required to have an accessible course web site by 2012. Given that faculty cannot be held accountable for the accessibility of web sites beyond their control faculty should provide equally effective alternate web sites to students who are unable to access a web site.
A: The campus's version of WebCT was not found to be accessible. The campus has adopted a new learning management system, Desire2Learn, which is accessible. The new learning management system will be available to faculty in Spring 2010.
A: The Center for Faculty Development is currently using Microsoft Office 2007 (PC) and Microsoft Office 2008 (Mac) for instruction. The tutorials for Office 2003 and 2004 as well as the tutorials for Office 2007 and Office 2008 are available on the Center for Faculty Development web site under the Tutorials section located at http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/tutorials/.
A: The Center for Faculty Development Faculty Lab located in IRC 202 has scanners, computers and OCR software for modifying documents. We have staff available to support faculty and staff to use the equipment.
A: All curriculum related materials that are used and shared in class or on the web must be accessible. Alternative text with an equally effective description of the visual must be provided.
A: OCR reads tables in the same way that it reads text, from left to right. Tables that not formatted to read from left to right are not accessible.
A: Any image element appearing in PowerPoint's background will be ignored. However, if you convert the PowerPoint into an Adobe Acrobat pdf document, a text box containing the alternative text for the background picture will appear in a format similar to footer information on every slide.
A: For converting Word to PDF, the styles will be preserved as long as you instruct Acrobat to add tags. Refer to the Accessible Word Tutorial available at http://www.sjsu.edu/cfd/tutorials/. Currently we have not been successful at having Acrobat transfer the alternative text. Therefore, it is necessary to create captions in Word for safe conversion or add the alternative text manually once the document has been converted in Acrobat.
For converting PowerPoint to PDF, the text in the outline pane will be preserved. JAWS will not see the alternative texts for the images. If the alternative text for the images is provided in the Notes pane and the document is printed to pdf with the Notes feature selected, the alternative text will be available.
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NEW! Undergraduate Research Grants
CFD Spring Forum & End-of-the-Year Celebration April 27, 2012
A unit of
Graduate Studies & Research
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0026
Main Office Location: IRC 213
Computing/Consultation: IRC 202
Seminars: IRC 101, IRC 210
Hours: 8 AM - 5 PM
Monday to Friday
Contact Main Office
(408) 924-2303
cfd@sjsu.edu
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