Dan ComdenAccess Technology Consultant

NADP and ATHEN:

Collaborate and Compare

Background

• Access Technology• CSU Humboldt• University of Washington

• Web Accessibility• WAI• Campus and Washington State

• Alt text

ATHEN is not Athens

ATHEN is a network of AT professionals

AccessTechnologistsHigher EducationNetwork

ATHEN formed 2002

• CSUN (California)• Accessing Higher Ground (Colorado)• ATIA - Assistive Technology Industry

Association (Florida)

ATHEN focus areas

Sharing experience and expertise• Professional development

• Conferences• E-Journal

• Surveys• Blog• National standards

NADP - Higher and Further Education

Focused expertise of Assessors as part of larger group

What are other Uni-related personnel resources in UK?

• What are online resources?• What is the community?

• Forums?• Wikis?• Other?

ATHEN - Higher "Ed"

No (formal) assessors but many ad hoc assessments

• Dearth of national standards• Alternate text production

• E-text• Braille

• Math• Tactile graphics

Shared issues

US and UK technology specialists share issues of:

• Professional development • Financing of AT• E-learning materials• Alt-format production• User training• What else?

Alternate formats

Not just Braille

Implications for AT and alt text

Considerations for production• Appropriate• Effective

Considerations for consumption• Training/expertise• Platforms

• mp3 vs. DAISY vs. Word vs. PDF

And Braille

• Braille conversion• Math and science content• Graphics

• Literacy?

Issues

• Web site accessibility• Social networking

• "Official" vs. what they use• Training

• How to accomplish?• Institutional planning and purchasing

Appropriate and Effective

Appropriate tools for students?

What we know

Vs

What are students using?

ATHEN web site

www.athenpro.org/

membership@athenpro.org

or Dan's email:

danc@washington.edu

Dan ComdenAccess Technology Consultant