March 11, 2008 Webmasters Committee Meeting Minutes

Present: Jill Lenz, Sallie Varner, Merry Wright, Linda Tarnoff, Erin Napier and Tom Harmon.

Jill Lenz, Chair, started the meeting at 9:00 am

New Business

1. Mini-presentation titled "Exploring Web 2.0, Design & Accessibility" by Cath Kilcommons from the CSU Access Project and Shaun Geisert, webmaster for the CSU Division of Student Affairs. This was given at PDI this past January.

Characteristics of Web 1.0 versus Web 2.0 were described and demonstrated by Cath and Shaun. New word terminology, such as Crowdsourcing and Mash Up, was defined and demonstrated. Much of the technology behind this interactive, user-centric web creates accessibility issues. Cath gave the group many good tips for building in accessibility.

Examples:

• Interface issues - avoid mouse dependency, make it work with keyboard access.
• Use of Javascript - make it independent of coding. Link Javascript externally to keep non-compatible browsers and devices from choking on content.
• Multimedia - open file in its own player, rather than imbedding in the page.

Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) is the information bridge that allows assistive technology devices to obtain the additional information about components and behaviors. Do your alternative options work? Do you know what the page says?

Validate your code, validate your CSS, and run you web site on an accessibility checker.

The Powerpoint presentation is available here.

A list of Web 2.0 resources including validation sites and accessibility checkers and other accessibility web tools is available through a collaboration between the Division of Student Affairs and the Access Project – Access to Postsecondary Education through Universal Design for Learning.

The meeting concluded at 10:05 am.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 8^th, 9:00-10:00 am, Environmental Health Building Conference Room 120.

Minutes submitted by Merry Wright.

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