EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information

EASI's commitment:

Students and professionals with disabilities have the same right to access information technology as everyone else.

EASI's mission:

EASI's mission is to serve as a resource by providing information and guidance in the area of access-to-information technologies by individuals with disabilities. We stay informed about developments and advancements within the adaptive computer technology field and spread that information to colleges, universities, K-12 schools, libraries and into the workplace.


Interested in the latest best practices of Designing Accessible Web pages?


In 2009, EASI revised this course on designing Accessible Web pages and based it on the Web Content Accessibility guidelines version 2 (WCAG2). Even if your site's pages had been made accessible, you need to understand the changes in WCAG2. In most cases, your pages will still be accessible, but you need to be able to explain these new guidelines.

Certificate in Accessible Information Technology and Continuing Education Credits
Everyone who completes the course will receive an EASI certificate of completion. Those requesting it will receive 3 continuing education units for doing the course work. To earn the course completion certificate, participants will have to do all lessons and submit the assignment at the bottom of each lesson. There are 2 provisions to help in this situation. First anyone can get a 2-week extension to finish the course. Second, if that is not enough, the person will be able to do a free registration as a repeat for the next offering but this option will only be offered one time.

Course Registration and Schedule
Schedule: 2010 February 1, June 7, Oct. 4

Course registration is $350 with a %20 discount for students. Overseas participants and EASI Annual Webinar members qualify for the student discount.

Register for this course
Marisol Miranda is the lead instructor for this course. She was the Founder of Akxes Mexico A.C.and the organizer of a large conference on disabilities and information technology in Mexico City which included EASI presenters. Marisol has studied Photoshop and Dreamweaver. She has taken certificate programs with EASI and CSUN.She has worked closely with EASI since 2002. EASI is pleased to include Marisol on our instructor team.

Course Description
Web pages can be created using Universal Design principles permitting Their use by people with different browsers, different connection speeds, palm pilots, PDA's and by people with disabilities using Adaptive computer technology. They can also be created in ways that Exclude many of the above users. Barrier-free Web Design will prepare you to create web pages that are visually appealing and still permit full access by users with various technologies and by those with disabilities.
The course is based both on the Federal Access Board’s Section 508 Web standards and on the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2 which were released in Dec. 2008. BE AN EARLY ADOPTER AND BRING YOUR WEB CONTENT IN LINE WITH WCAG VERSION 2!
The course will not require an extensive knowledge of HTML as it assumes that designers are working in some Web authoring sofware that does the actual Web coding for the designer. Participants who are not currently using such applications can obtain demo versions of such software for the duration of the course. The course will be useful for Web designers, faculty, instructional and information designers, administrators, ADA compliance officials, librarians and anyone wanting to learn how to make their Web site conform to accessibility guidelines and standards.

Do you have trouble reading computer and software manuals? EASI will take the jargon out of Web design and out of the technical requirements for Web accessibility. Instructors are always available in email to provide individual support. Having technical information originally designed in acceptable technical language to promote clear technical requirements and to meet the needs of technicians is important, and the WCAG guidelines do an excellent job of this. EASI strives to translate this precise information for the many designers who, while making Web pages, are not real technical types. EASI will make creating accessible Web pages easier than you think!

The course is asynchronous and available in EASI's Blackboard system. Participants should plan to complete the course in a month. Those who are not able to finish will be automatically enrolled for the next course offering and have a second opportunity to complete the work.

For more information on course structure visit:

http://easi.cc/workshops/easiweb.htm