• Universal Design for the Digital Environment:  Transforming the Institution

   

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  © 2010 Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M. Siegel, and Jonathan  Whiting.
  The text of this article is licensed under the Creative Commons  Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

   

  EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 45, no. 6 (November/December 2010)

   

  Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M. Siegel, and Jonathan  Whiting

   

   

  Cyndi Rowland (Cyndi.Rowland@usu.edu) is the Director of WebAIM  and of the National Center on Disability and Access to Education (NCDAE), both  housed at the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) at Utah State  University (USU). Heather Mariger (Heather.Mariger@usu.edu) is Coordinator of Project  GOALS, within the NCDAE at USU. Peter M. Siegel (pmsiegel@ucdavis.edu) is the Chief Information  Officer at the University of California at Davis. Jonathan Whiting (Jonathan@webaim.org) is Director of Training &  Evaluation for WebAIM at USU.

   

  Comments on this article can be posted to the web via the link at the bottom  of this page.

   

  A revolution is about to transform higher education.To participate in this  revolution, all of us in higher education need to explore a critical concept:  "universal design." Universal design was originally aimed at innovations in  architecture, community spaces, and products, but today it is about creating  services and products, from the beginning, in ways that will benefit the widest  array of users, including those with disabilities, without the need for  adaptation or specialized design.¹ It is now time for universal  design to make the jump to cyberspace: allowing everyone to engage fully in rich  digital experiences is critical not only to a just world but also to a  competitive higher education institution. Yet, we still have a long way to go if  we are to embrace universal design fully as a core institutional value—and as a  primary tool for creating effective electronic services for all members of the  campus community.

   

  Universal design has made a difference to all of us: services and tools that  enhance accessibility invariably improve all of our lives. Curb

• Universal Design for the Digital Environment:  Transforming the Institution

   

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   © 2010 Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M.  Siegel, and Jonathan   Whiting. 
   The text  of this article is licensed under the Creative Commons   Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License  (  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/  ). 

   

  EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 45, no. 6 (November/December 2010)

   

   Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M. Siegel,  and Jonathan   Whiting 

   

   

   Cyndi Rowland (  Cyndi.Rowland@usu.edu  ) is the  Director of WebAIM   and of the National Center on Disability and  Access to Education (NCDAE), both   housed at  the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) at Utah State   University (USU). Heather Mariger (  Heather.Mariger@usu.edu  ) is  Coordinator of Project   GOALS, within the NCDAE at USU. Peter M. Siegel  (  pmsiegel@ucdavis.edu  ) is the  Chief Information   Officer at the University of California at  Davis. Jonathan Whiting (  Jonathan@webaim.org  ) is  Director of Training &   Evaluation for WebAIM at USU. 

   

     

   

  Comments  on this article can be posted to the   web via  the link at the bottom     of  this   page.  

   

    A revolution is about to transform  higher   education.To participate in this      revolution, all of us in higher education  need   to explore a critical concept:      "universal design." Universal design was    originally aimed at innovations  in     architecture, community spaces, and  products,   but today it is about creating      services   and  products, from the beginning, in ways that will benefit the  widest     array of users, including those with    disabilities, without the need  for    adaptation or specialized   design.¹ It is now time for universal   design  to   make the jump to cyberspace: allowing everyone  to engage fully in rich     digital  experiences is critical not only to a   just  world but also to a     competitive higher education institution.  Yet,   we still have a long way to go  if     we are to   embrace  universal design fully as a core institutional value—and as a      primary tool for creating effective  electronic   services for all members of the      campus   community.  

   

    Universal design has made a difference to all  of   us: services and tools that      enhance   accessibility invariably improve all of our  lives. Curb   cuts, automatic doors, speakerphones, text-to-speech  capabilities, ergonomic keyboards and potato peelers, video captioning, zooming  and other gestures on smart-phones and tablets, and motion-sensor  lighting—

• Universal Design for the Digital Environment:  Transforming the Institution

   

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    © 2010   

   

  Cyndi  Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M.     Siegel,   and  Jonathan       Whiting .  
    The  text   of this article is licensed under the Creative  Commons     Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0  License   (    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/    ).  

   

  EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 45, no. 6 (November/December 2010)

   

    Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M.  Siegel,   and Jonathan     Whiting  

   

   

     Cyndi Rowland (      Cyndi.Rowland@usu.edu      )  is   the     Director  of WebAIM       and of   the  National Center on Disability and     Access  to   Education (NCDAE), both        housed   at     the  Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD)   at Utah  State       University (USU). Heather Mariger   (      Heather.Mariger@usu.edu      )    is     Coordinator of Project        GOALS,   within  the NCDAE at USU. Peter M. Siegel     (      pmsiegel@ucdavis.edu      )  is   the     Chief  Information       Officer   at the  University of California at     Davis.   Jonathan  Whiting (      Jonathan@webaim.org      )    is     Director  of Training &       Evaluation for WebAIM at   USU.   

   

     

   

    Comments     on  this   article can be posted to  the       web   via     the link  at the bottom         of     this       page.    

   

      A revolution is about to  transform     higher       education.To participate in   this         revolution, all of us in higher   education     need       to   explore a  critical concept:         "universal design." Universal design    was       originally aimed at    in   novations    in        architecture, community spaces,  and     products,       but  today   it is about  creating         services       and     products,   from the  beginning, in ways that will benefit the     widest         array  of   users, including those  with       disabilities, without the need      for        adaptation or  specialized      design  .¹ It is now  time for  universal     design    to       make  the   jump to cyberspace: allowing  everyone     to engage   fully in  rich         digital     experiences is critical not only to    a       just     world  but   also to a         competitive higher education   institution.     Yet,       we  still   have a long way to go     if         we  are   to       embrace     universal   design  fully as a core institutional value—and as a          primary tool for creating  effective     electronic       services   for all  members of the         campus       community.    

   

     Universal design has made a difference to  all   of     us:  services and tools that       enhance     accessibility invariably improve all of  our   lives. Curb     cuts,  automatic doors, speakerphones, text-to-speech   capabilities, ergonomic keyboards and potato  peelers, video captioning, zooming   and other  gestures  

•   Cyndi Rowland, Heather Mariger, Peter M.  Siegel,   and Jonathan     Whiting  

   

   

    Cyndi Rowland (    Cyndi.Rowland@usu.edu    ) is  the   Director of WebAIM     and of  the National Center on Disability and   Access to  Education (NCDAE), both     housed  at   the Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD)  at Utah State     University (USU). Heather Mariger  (    Heather.Mariger@usu.edu    )  is   Coordinator of Project     GOALS,  within the NCDAE at USU. Peter M. Siegel   (    pmsiegel@ucdavis.edu    ) is  the   Chief Information     Officer  at the University of California at   Davis.  Jonathan Whiting (    Jonathan@webaim.org    )  is   Director of Training &      Evaluation for WebAIM at  USU.  

   

     

   

   Comments   on this  article can be posted to the     web  via   the link at the bottom        of   this     page.   

   

     A revolution is about to transform    higher     education.To participate in  this       revolution, all of us in higher  education   need     to  explore a critical concept:       "universal design." Universal design  was     originally aimed at  in novations  in       architecture, community spaces, and    products,     but today  it is about creating       services     and   products,  from the beginning, in ways that will benefit the   widest       array of  users, including those with     disabilities, without the need   for      adaptation or specialized    design .¹ It is now time for  universal   design  to     make the  jump to cyberspace: allowing everyone   to engage  fully in rich       digital   experiences is critical not only to  a     just   world but  also to a       competitive higher education  institution.   Yet,     we still  have a long way to go   if       we are  to     embrace   universal  design fully as a core institutional value—and as a        primary tool for creating effective    electronic     services  for all members of the       campus     community.   
•  

   Comments on this article can be posted to the  web via the link at the bottom   of this  page. 

   

   A revolution is about to transform higher  education.To participate in this   revolution, all of us in higher education need  to explore a critical concept:   "universal design." Universal design was  originally aimed at innovations in   architecture, community spaces, and products,  but today it is about creating   services  and products, from the beginning, in ways that will benefit the widest    array of users, including those with  disabilities, without the need for  adaptation or specialized  design.¹ It is now time for universal  design to  make the jump to cyberspace: allowing everyone to engage fully in rich    digital experiences is critical not only to a  just world but also to a   competitive higher education institution. Yet,  we still have a long way to go if   we are to  embrace universal design fully as a core institutional value—and as a    primary tool for creating effective electronic  services for all members of the   campus  community. 

   

   Universal design has made a difference to all of  us: services and tools that   enhance  accessibility invariably improve all of our lives. Curb 
• Universal design is critical for consumer electronics
• Unfortunately, Internet-based courses and applications have created a digital  divide for many students, faculty, and staff who have disabilities due to  vision, hearing, motor skills, cognition, or photoepilepsy.⁵ They are  often unable to access content or functions on the Internet, even with assistive  technologies that allow them to do so.
• regional  educational  collaboratives.²⁰ They provide a venue to disseminate and
• "Inaccessible websites make it difficult for me to do any online research that  is associated with my school or job.   

   

  Having to  wait for    

   

  assistance  or materials while my peers have instant access is frustrating and    limits my opportunities  for  participation, which in return could also be an obstacle for me for  any advancement at my place of employment."
• assistance or materials while my peers have instant access is frustrating and  limits my opportunities for
• Having to wait for   

   
• In today's technology-rich environment, pedagogical principles such as  just-in-time learning, engaged learning, and student-centered instruction are  lost if a student must wait for accommodations due to an inaccessible  website.¹²
• The institutional website also helps to build and maintain relationships with  the local community and alumni, who look to it for information on institutional  activities, academic programs, and sporting events. College websites are proving  to be an important fundraising and development tool as well: a 2005 survey by  the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) reported that the  100 schools responding to its survey raised $4.8 million dollars  online.¹⁷
• Moreover, when an institution relies on after-the-fact fixes and accommodations,  it can lead to an inequitable situation for those with disabilities. Often
• Faculty sharing and course-delivery arrangements are now part of most regional  educational collaboratives.²⁰ They provide a venue to disseminate and  administer courses across the member institutions. As institutions within these  collaboratives adopt policies that mandate web accessibility to specified  standards, those institutions that do not meet the criteria may find their  collaboration opportunities limited. 

• Moreover, several attributes of accessible web pages can promote technology  innovation on campus:

   
   
  • They generally load more quickly in browsers.
   
  • They require less bandwidth.
   
  • They are easier to maintain and update.
   
  • They tend to have a higher return in prominent search engines (e.g.,  Google),²⁵ which means that the resources required for search engine  optimization can be reduced.
• implemented enterprise-wide
• Leaders must help staffunderstand why enterprise-wide web accessibility is  important and must provide the resources and motivation to make it happen. To  assist in integrating universal design into the fabric of the college or  university, leaders must guide institutions in fundamentally committing to UDDE  throughout all levels of the enterprise. It's not only the right thing to do;  it's the smart thing to do. 

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