St. Lawrence College is an innovator that wanted to meet the AODA compliance required for accessible course outlines in a way that also drives down costs and improves service to all of their stakeholders. With over 3,000 course outlines, we encouraged them to embrace a database-driven solution, that would replace their manually built Word files with accessible HTML, carefully crafted to work on all of their technologies.
So instead of taking a path where 3,000 individual would be individually made into accessible PDF annually, our solution was to build an engine where the information is housed in an open database structure, which can then generate accessible course outlines in realtime.
As well as complying with the international standards identified in the AODA IASR legislation, we also tested the system on the specific assistive technologies most commonly used at the college. We also performed usability testing with typical users with specific disabilities: blind, low vision, mobility impaired and cognitively-challenged users … in order to make sure that the solution delighted rather than just accomodated. Furthermore, everyone prefers the alternative version, with the intention that the alternative version will eventually completely replace their conventional course outlines altogether.
As part of our process, we also improved the clear writing of the boilerplate text that appears in all course outlines.
College and universities throughout Ontario have a challenge to provide accessible course outlines, and with this solution St. Lawrence also drives down costs with a sustainable solution that improves service for all.
Accessibility testing of St. Lawrence College course outlines on Apple iPad
