Assistive Technology
Assistive technology is a generic term that includes a variety of products, devices, and software applications used by individuals with disabilities to participate and interact with the world around them.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), §300.5, defines assistive technology as:
"any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of such device."
Assistive technology may also consist of both “low tech” and “high tech” solutions, depending on the needs of the student and the nature of the interaction. Using on-screen magnifiers or text-to-speech solutions built in to computer operating systems can provide students with some functionality. For students who require additional support, third-party applications can often extend and improve upon the level of access needed.
More recently, the increased prevalence of mobile devices and apps allows for greater personalization of such devices for individuals with disabilities. This has resulted in a shift from institutions dictating the type of assistive technologies a student would use to a student advocating the assistive technology solution that works best for their needs. The opportunity to customize an individual device offers a student greater independence and autonomy when engaging with the campus community.
Assistive Technology Tools
| Tool Name | App Types | Intended Audience | Free or Paid | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Reader | Text-to-Speech | Dyslexia, Visual Impairments | Both | Windows, Web, Chrome Extension, iOS, Android |
| Kurzweil 3000 | Text-to-Speech, OCR | Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, Visual Impairments | Paid |
Windows, macOS Read the Web extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge |
| Glean | Note-taking | Students with Various Disabilities | Paid | Web, iOS, Android |
| Otter.Ai | Speech Recognition, Transcription, Note-taking | Students with Various Disabilities | Both | Web, Chrome Extension, iOS, Android |
| Dragon Professional 16 | Speech Recognition | Mobility Impairments, Learning Disabilities | Paid | iOS, Android |
| Dragon Anywhere | Speech Recognition | Mobility Impairments, Learning Disabilities | Paid | Windows |
| NVDA | Screen Reader | Blind or Visually Impaired | Free | Windows |
| JAWS | Screen Reader | Blind or Visually Impaired | Paid | Windows |
| ZoomText | Screen Magnification, Screen Reading | Low Vision | Paid | Windows |
| Fusion (JAWS+ZoomText) | Screen Reader, Magnification, Voice Control | Blind or Low Vision | Paid | Windows |
| Refreshable Braille Display | Braille Output | Blind or Visually Impaired | Paid | Windows, macOS, Linux, Mobile |
Learn more about the assistive technology built-in to the most common Operating Systems
Web Developer Tutorial Videos
Creating accessible web content generally involves following best practices and techniques to support access and engagement. The following video tutorials are intended to highlight these techniques that will support accessibility for a wide audience. Averaging 3-5 minutes in length, these videos are published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License and may be repurposed to meet the unique needs of educational institutions. Please note that all videos link to YouTube.
- Well-formed and Valid Markup
- HTML Headings
- SourceOrder vs DisplayOrder vs KeyboardFocusOrder
- Keyboard Focus
- Accessible Form Instructions
- Explicit and Implicit Form Labels
- Identifying Required Form Fields
- Using the Fieldset and Legend Elements
- Checkboxes and Radio Buttons
- Error Messages in Forms
- What Is Aria And Why Use It
- Aria-labelledby vs. Aria-describedby vs. Aria-label
- Aria Landmark Roles
- How Not To Use Aria
- Using Aria-live
- Accessible Timeouts
Accessibility Staffing Examples
An "IT Accessibility Officer" can help promote the topic of accessibility at the campus and it is critical that such a role not exist in a vacuum. This individual would not be expected to know how specific screen-readers function or the code necessary for keyboard accessibility on a website, but rather to coordinate and facilitate the institutional conversation specific to ICT accessibility. Possible responsibilities could include:
- Lead a campus ICT accessibility committee or working group
- Engage other constituent groups across campus that are involved with student services
- Oversee ICT accessibility compliance documentation
- Participate in the evaluation of exception requests
Sample Job Descriptions
The following include various accessibility job descriptions collected from state and national job postings. These job descriptions are intended to be a starting point for you to edit and modify as appropriate for your college's needs.
Institutional & IT Accessibility Role
- College IT Accessibility Coordinator #1 [docx]
- College IT Accessibility Coordinator #2 [docx]
- College IT Accessibility Coordinator #3 [docx]
- IT Accessibility, Senior Specialist [docx]
- Technology Specialist for Accessibility and Compliance [docx]
Alternate Media & Assistive Technology Role
- Alternate Media & Assistive Tech Manager [docx]
- Accessible Video & Media Coordinator [docx]
- Alternate Media & Assistive Tech Specialist #1 [docx]
- Alternate Media & Assistive Tech Specialist #2 [docx]
Instructional Designer & Accessibility Role
- Instructional Media Accessibility Specialist [docx]
- Instructional Accessibility/UDL Specialist [docx]
Caution - it can be tempting to include many different accessibility responsibilities into a single job description, such as combining an instructional designer role with an assistive technology specialist role as well as including IT procurement evaluation duties along with alternate media conversion responsibilities for students with disabilities. Adding too many responsibilities can dilute the actual effectiveness of the position and lead to challenges in meeting job expectations. It is recommended to define job duties and responsibilities so that it is clear if the individual will be focusing efforts on instructional/academic needs or that of institutional accessibility demands.
Document Accessibility
Digital documents can be shared in various ways: on websites, via email, on social media, in blogs, etc. To ensure that all people have equal access to your information, documents should be designed and developed in a way that can be easily perceived, operated, and understood by a wide range of users (including individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities), and robust enough to be interpreted by various assistive technologies.
It is easiest to make a document accessible during content development instead of retroactively remediating it, which may be challenging and resource-intensive. Here are a few basic steps that can be followed in most document authoring tools to help ensure that your content is accessible.
Best Practices for Document Accessibility:
- Use plain language and avoid jargon and acronyms that are not defined.
- Use Headings
- Provide Alternative Text for Images and Charts
- Use Sufficient Color Contrast
- Make Links Descriptive, Succinct, and Unique
- Create Accessible Tables
- Utilize Accessibility Checkers
CCC Accessibility Center Training Resources and Tools:
- To learn how to create accessible documents, enroll in WebAIM Accessible Document Training
- To learn why these concepts are important, enroll in CCC Accessibility Center Canvas Courses
- For assistance with PDF Remediation, licenses of Equidox are available
Platform Specific Guidance:
Word
- Make Your Word Documents Accessible
- Accessibility Tools for Word
- Create Accessible Office Documents
- WebAIM Creating Accessible Word Documents
- Section 508.gov Creating Accessible Documents
- Workflows for PDF Remediation: PDF Accessibility Checking (Self-Paced Canvas Course)
- Understanding PDF Barriers (Self-Paced Canvas Course)
- PDF Accessibility (WebAIM)
- Accessible Forms in Acrobat (WebAIM)
- How to check and fix PDF accessibility issues (Pope Tech)
- PDF Accessibility Overview (Adobe)
PowerPoint
- Make Your PowerPoint Presentations Accessible
- Accessibility Tools for PowerPoint
- WebAIM Creating Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
- Section 508.gov Creating Accessible Presentations
Excel
- Accessibility Best Practices with Excel Spreadsheets
- Accessibility Tools for Excel
- WebAIM Creating Accessible Spreadsheets
- Section 508.gov Creating Accessible Spreadsheets
Google Workspace Document Accessibility
Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM)
Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM)
The CCC Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) takes the broad concept of accessibility and breaks it down into achievable goals and milestones so colleges and districts can drive accessibility forward. The ACMM mitigates risk through iterative improvement and proactively addresses Office of Civil Rights (OCR) settlement requirements in a manageable timeline based on campus resources.
Learning Accessible Web Design
Learning Accessible Web Design
Headings, images, keyboard navigation, color contrast — these are just a few of the accessibility concepts and techniques to be aware of when creating accessible web content.
Accessibility Capability Maturity Model
Learn more about the ACMM and how it helps drive accessibility forward.
Training
Find online and in-person accessibility training opportunities for college staff and faculty.
Alternate Media Workflow
Learn more about alternate media best practices and the different types of alternate formats.
About the CCC Accessibility Center
The CCC Accessibility Center proactively assesses the California community college system's web and information technology accessibility needs and offers services, guidance and technical assistance to help colleges in realizing an accessible technology environment. Diversity and inclusion are core values embraced by the California Community Colleges. Accessible websites and information technology positively impacts individuals with disabilities, offering greater opportunity for engagement and participation in pursuit of lifelong learning throughout California's community colleges.