I have never felt comfortable trying to describe individuals
who carry the burden of a physical or cognitive disadvantage. There is no real politically
correct way to tag that reality without sounding too contrived. While I was
teaching we steered a course to avoid the rocks and reefs of offense while
trying to navigate a track of greater inclusion. Sometimes we did it well and
at others we hoped a fog would roll in and our transgressions would not be
noticed. But it was obvious that no
matter what we did we couldn’t erase the fact that it’s just a real burden not
being able to do something that everyone else can in a world that was created
to accommodate them. The articles in this week’s readings are an attempt to get
at the heart of the matter by addressing some of the most common obstacles to
those that don’t see and hear as well as the majority of the population. If the
physical world is tough, just imagine how tougher it is to navigate in a
virtual web world; the Web Aim screen reader simulation was a good example. Still
no matter how many adaptive technologies are applied and how aware we are of
the challenges, not all can be satisfactorily addressed. I thought about those
visually impaired individuals who have difficulty with colors even before I
read Mark Pilgrim’s piece, Dive into
Accessibility. Granted, there are quick fixes for identifying links (underlining
and bold) but can they really use
programs like Photoshop, or appreciate the subtle hues of colors in a picture. Probably
not, no matter how web designers attempt to ameliorate the shortcoming.
Individuals like my daughter who carry the burden of cognitive learning
disabilities really exist beyond the scope of most new media designers. True,
some adaptations like more sound and pictures, and better navigation devices
are a plus. But they don’t really address the myriad of mental processing shortfalls
that are present. It is a wide field. Suffice to say that web designers are
using tools at hand with some effect and they need to continue to explore
possibilities. My severely dyslexic daughter learns things faster and has a
greater comprehension rate when she uses on-line resources than if she sits in
a straight lecture class with a monotonic professor. When I taught history at
the college entry level I applied those devices that were effective with her to
reach my students: more videos, more PowerPoint slides, music, guest speakers,
and short YouTube clips. Student class reviews, participation, and grades reflected
the effectiveness of those new media techniques. Any effort that amplifies the
benefits of the web and includes individual users who are at a disadvantage
should be encouraged. As scholars and historians we must learn how to increase
accessibility to our sites lest we lose an audience that deserves to be
included and who in their own right may lend a special creativity of their own.
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