Disability

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Aging and the Elderly (3 Links)  Guide for Aging Computer Users Microsoft have put together some tips and resources on making web-based information accessible to aging and elderly people. 

Making Your Web Site Senior Friendly (PDF Format - 175Kb) by the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. A set of guidelines with some examples on making web sites accessible to older people. 

Usability for Senior Citizens by Jakob Nielsen, useit.com, April 2002. This is an overview of Nielsen's Web Usability for Senior Citizens: 46 Design Guidelines Based on Usability Studies with People Age 65 and Older, which looks at the use of web sites by the elderly. 

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Designing for People with Learning and Cognitive Disabilities (11 Links)  Cognitive Disabilities by WebAIM. This resource from WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) provides an overview of the difficulties people with cognitive disabilities face when interacting with the internet and the design considerations that can be made to reduce some of these barriers. 

Cognitive Disabilities and the Web: Where Accessibility and Usability Meet? by Heather Margier, 2006. A short article that includes some tips on making web based resources more accessible to people with cognitive disabilities. 

Designing for Users with Cognitive Disabilities by Erica Kolatch, University of Maryland, April 2000. This paper gives practical suggestions on design issues. 

Designing for Users with Cognitive Disabilities by Kanta Jiwnani, University of Maryland, April 2000. This paper gives guidelines for web designers in order to help them understand the problems faced by people with cognitive and language impairments when dealing with information. </li>

Designing Web Pages for Dyslexic Readers by John Bradford. This article discusses some of the principles of web design for people with dyslexia. </li>

Developing Sites for Users with Cognitive Disabilities and Learning Difficulties by Russ Weakley, January 2005. This article describes some of the problems people with cognitive disabilities might face and offers practical solutions. </li>

Distractability Simulation. This simulation from WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind) is designed to give a sense of the effects of navigating a website with certain cognitive disabilities. </li>

Dyslexia Style Guide. This article from the BDA (British Dyslexia Association) suggests ways of presenting information in an accessible and understandable format. </li>

Inclusion of Cognitive Disabilities in the Web Accessibility Movement by Lisa Seeman, for the Eleventh International World Wide Web Conference, 2002. This paper suggests practical steps that could be taken to increase the usefulness of web accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities, such as increasing the number of practical techniques for producing accessible material, and adjusting the definition of "minimal accessibility". </li>

Ten Guidelines for Improving Accessibility for People with Dyslexia by Vashti Zarach, JISC CETIS, August 2002. Principles for enhancing readability and accessibility for people with dyslexia. </li>

Web Design for Dyslexic Users by Abigail Marshall, Davis Dyslexia Association International, February 2004. This article gives tips on creating an accessible website for people with dyslexia.</li></ol>

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Designing for People with Visual Impairments (5 Links)  A Guide to Making Documents Accessible to People who are Blind or Visually Impaired by Jennifer Sutton, for the American Council of the Blind, 2002. This article discusses how to make print and electronic information available to people with visual impairments. </li>

Low Vision Simulation. This simulation from WebAIM shows how content can appear to people with certain types of visual impairments. </li>

Making Text Legible: Designing for People with Partial Sight by Aries Arditi, Lighthouse International. This article gives guidelines on legibility. </li>

Observing Users Who Listen to Web Sites by Janice Redish and Mary Frances Theofanos, April 2003. This article discusses some of the results from web usability testing with blind and visually impaired people and makes some recommendations on web site design. </li>

Stuckness and Low Vision: How Technology and Socratic Classroom Dialogue Changed my Life by Gloria Reece, April 2003. This article gives an overview of some of the problems faced by someone with a Strabismus visual impairment and how it affects the use of web-based content.</li></ol>

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Designing for People who are Deafblind (4 Links)  Deafblind Access to the Web by James Gallagher This article describes how a deafblind person accesses web-based resources. </li>

Deafblind.com. A collection of resources, links and information gathered by James Gallagher. </li>

<li>Deafblind.co.uk. A resource page compiled by James Gallagher. </li> <li>Sense. A UK (United Kingdom) organization for deafblind people. </li></ol> Back to Top of Page

Dyscalculia, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia (9 Links) <ol> <li>BDA (British Dyslexia Association). The BDA website contains various resources and links relating to dyslexia. </li>

<li>Dyscalculia (or Dyscalcula). A brief introduction to dyscalculia with a list of software aids. </li>

<li>Dyslexia and the Use of Assistive Technology (TechDis Staff Pack). "These materials give a basic overview of the common Specific Learning Difficulties and how Assistive Technology can be implemented to assist learners". </li>

<li>Dyslexia at College. This site covers many of the issues faced by students at college and university, including tips, resources and symptoms. </li>

<li>Dyslexic.com. This site contains various links and resources relating to dyslexia. </li>

<li>Dyspraxia Foundation. This site contains information about dyspraxia. </li>

<li>Guide to Dyslexia. A Flash resource from BRITE (Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education) to help students learn more about dyslexia and tips on how to cope with studying. </li>

<li>Maths Learning Disabilities This site describes the features of maths learning disabilities and suggests strategies and tools. </li>

<li>Understanding Dyslexia (PDF format - 548Kb) by Jill Hammond and Fabian Hercules. An introduction for dyslexic students in HE.</li></ol>

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Haptics, Symbols, and Tactile Graphics (4 Links). <ol> <li>Haptics Research at Certec. Papers and links on Haptics research at Certec, Lund University, Sweden. </li>

<li>NCTD (National Centre for Tactile Diagrams). NCTD provides tactile diagrams, maps and pictures for blind and partially sighted people. </li>

<li>Tactile Graphics: an Overview and Resource Guide by John Gardner, Oregon State University, May 1996. This article describes some of the benefits of and problems with using tactile graphics for conveying information. </li>

<li>WAI-NOT This site uses a combination of symbols, speech and text to act as a teaching resource for children with learning disabilities. It is available in several European languages. </li></ol>

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Sign Language (7 Links). <ol> <li>A Better Model for Animating American Sign Language by Roymieco Carter, Jerry Schnepp, Karen Alkoby, Mary Jo Davidson, Jacob Furst, Damien Hinkle, Glenn Lancaster, John McDonald, Lori Smallwood, Jorge Toro and Rosalee Wolfe. This article features computer images of a female and a hand designed to present American Sign Language in a digital format. </li>

<li>ArtSigns. An online BSL (British Sign Language) glossary for art and design containing approximately 1250 specialist art and design terms, 1150 BSL videos, and covering 21 subjects. </li> <li>BSL (British Sign Language). This site describes how to spell words using the BSL alphabet. </li>

<li>BSL Alphabet. This site has animations of the letters of the BSL alphabet. </li>

<li>Deafsign.com. A resource site for deafness and sign language. </li>

<li>EngineeringSigns. An online BSL (British Sign Language) glossary for engineering and the built environment containing many engineering terms, BSL videos, and covering the following subjects: achitecture, civil engineering, computer aided design, construction, electronic and electrical, housing, mechanical engineering, and surveying. </li>

<li>ScienceSigns. An online BSL (British Sign Language) glossary for science containing many scientific terms, BSL videos, and covering the following subjects: anatomy, biology, chemistry, environmental science, genetics, geography, geology, and physics.</li></ol>

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