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hw5;: Post GUI Review

Last revised: September 28th, 2023

Assigned


Due

Overview

The goal of this homework is to learn about how accessibility is being applied outside of websites and apps, and the accessibility challenges and solutions that exist among these new media and technology platforms. A secondary goal is to practice plain language writing.

Learning Goals / Competencies

This homework may contribute to your competency grade on

Length and Difficulty

Students in the past have reported that this assignment takes a median of 8 hours (mode=8). Students liked the variety of technologies to choose from, but had some trouble with meeting the plain language goals on this assignment. To make this easier, we have reduced the plain language requirement to a short summary one-two paragraphs in length.

Details

To complete this assignment, please do the following

1. Select one example of second wave technology and read about it

We have a couple of requests from community partners, and you can also select something based on interest. Once you select that technology, you should pick one paper to read deeply, and also try out some of accessible examples of the technology that are available now (you may need to search around to find these). The details of what you read, and try out, may vary with the topic you pick ad you can check with the instructors if you are unsure.

Possible technologies

Those marked with CA are CREATE ASK topics, i.e. topics that CREATE partners have asked us to provide them with content about, making it more likely that your work will be shared with the CREATE community. Those with MA are Maybe Ask topics, i.e. relevant to a community partner but not a direct ask. Essays on those topics may be shared more broadly in CREATE or partner publications.

2. Find some free, accessible examples to try

Using the resources provided for your topic, and anything else relevant you can find on your own, identify 2-5 freely available examples of accessible versions of the technology you picked. Download them and try them.

2. Write a Plain Language Abstract

Review plain language writing for accessibility and plain language guidelines.

Many Arduino tutorials use schematic diagrams. Schematics are symbols that represent how a circuit works. Some tutorials use pictures or diagrams of the circuit to help people see how to connect the parts of the circuit. Unfortunately, schematics and pictures in tutorials aren’t usually shown in a way that blind people can understand. The Arduino board has pins arranged in rows called headers. Pins are small pieces of metal on the board that attach to wires so you can create a circuit. Each pin has a number. Some pins also have a name, such as “ground.” Pin numbers and names are usually printed on the top of the board next to each pin. It can be hard for blind people to know the pin numbers on an Arduino because they can’t see the names and numbers printed on the board.

3. Create an Introduction to this Technology

Create an introduction about the accessibility of your technology aimed at the disability community. You may write a summary or create a video. Your summary should include:

  1. The plain language abstract
  2. A 1 page summary of the article you read
  3. A review of the free, accessible examples you found, with links to them.

Here is an example from last year. Note that small details of requirements have changed, in particular the whole assignment was required to be plain language and there was no abstract at the time this was done.

Please make sure that the document and/or video you produce is accessible. In the case of the document, you should use a single column format; label headers properly (in word, pdf, or html); and include alt text for images (again in any format). In the case of a video, you should present accessibly; and include captions and verbally describing important visual elements.

Turnin

You will turn this assignment in on canvas.