TxVSN Course Review Accessibility Statement:
Details to follow soon.
TxVSN Timeline:
| Time Frame |
Expectation |
| Currently |
- Images include alt tags
- Collect video transcripts
- Collect audio transcripts
- Provide descriptive hyperlinks
- Determine alternative methods to represent important information
|
| September 2010 |
- Review TxVSN guidelines
- Begin peer-review and transformation of course for accessibility
|
| January 2011 |
- Continue peer-review of courses and transformation of courses for accessibility
|
| September 2011 |
- Course Review will audit Provider selected course for accessibility
|
| January 2012 |
- Course Review will begin conducting random audits:
- All Provider Districts
- One course per semester
|
TxVSN Accessibility Guidelines:
Details to follow soon.
TxVSN Accessibility Checklists:
The checklists are to be used as a tool to check a course for accessibility. The intent of these documents is to allow Provider Districts the opportunity for a peer team to review a course for accessibility. The checklists cover most of the types of documents that may be contained in an online course. They do not address content outside the Learning Management's system such as websites and resources that are not created by the Provider District. It becomes the responsibility of the Provider District to ensure websites and resources not created by the Provider District follow the accessibility guidelines or provide an alternate means of instruction.
The checklists below will not be used by Course Review to conduct random audits. However, elements from the checklists will be incorporated into Course Review's Accessibility Rubric, which will be used to conduct accessibility audits.
TxVSN Responsibility Chart:
The Texas Virtual School Network entertains four main groups:
- Learning Management systems
- Content Developers
- Provider Districts
- Receiver Districts
These groups can be one-in-the same, or they can be independent of each other. Whatever the relationship, each has a distinct role to play with regards to accessible online learning. Below are each group role and its responsibility towards providing accessible content:
| Groups |
Responsibilities |
| Learning Management Systems |
- Each learning management system has an accessibility statement
- LMS's are adhering to accessibility standards; some are further ahead than others. Check with the LMS for their specific accessibility guidelines
- LMS's allow for content to be added to the management system by developers and this content added may be inaccessible
- LMS's are not responsible for added content being accessible
|
| Content Developers |
- Content Developers need to read and understand a Learning Management System's accessibility guidelines prior to adding content to the system
- Any document, presentation, spreadsheet, pdf document, or multimedia developed or used in the course must follow accessibility guidelines
- Course navigation, discussion boards, interactive components and interactive assessments must provide an alternative means for navigation or responding
- If a concern is raised, while a course is in progress, every attempt must be made in a timely fashion to address the accessibility concern
|
| Provider Districts |
- Hold content developers accountable for accessible content. Depending on the role a Provider District plays, this may also include yourself if you are developing your own content.
- Review courses regularly for accessibility. Instructors may have the liberty of adding or revising course content. If this is the case, checking the course regularly for accessibility will avoid issues later.
- Once informed of a student's unique needs, contact the student's mentor or guardian for clarification
|
| Receiver Districts |
- Carefully screen candidates for success in an online environment using SmarterMeasure©
- Determine, before course enrollment, if the course is the best educational solution for a student with specific learning needs
- Communicate with Provider District and course instructor, prior to the start of instruction, regarding a student's unique needs
- Provide necessary assistive technology tools to student until completion of the online course
|
TxVSN Accessibility Wiki:
The TxVSN Accessibility Wiki contains additional resources that will assist curriculum teams in the development of accessible course content. Please click on the Accessibility Wiki Link to access these resources. If you are unable to access this link, please copy and paste http://txvsn-cr-accessibility.wikispaces.com/ into the address bar.