Supporting the CSU Accessible Technology Initiative
California State University (CSU) Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI)
The purpose of the ATI is to make information technology resources and services at CSUs accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless of disability.
As part of their efforts the ATI has:
- Developed a plan for CSU campuses to create accessible instructional materials for their courses
- Provided information to assist procurement officers in accessible Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) procurement
- Implemented a plan for web accessibility on CSU web sites, web content and web applications
- Gathered information to help CSU campuses understand Section 508
- Gathered information on creating accessible content
- Shared information about accessibility projects among CSUs
- Organized accessibility related events
For updates about current ATI activities, check the ATI Newsletter
Center for Usability in Design and Accessibility (CUDA) Support of the Accessible Technology Initiative (ATI)
CUDA is an established research and testing center specializing in product usability and accessibility evaluations. As the guiding principle of the ATI is to have products at the CSU "usable by the greatest number of people including individuals with disabilities," CUDA has been recruited to support the ATI in product evaluations and other activities.
In support of the ATI CUDA has:
- Created the Database of Accessibility Resources to provide easy access to helpful accessibility information. Accessibility resources are divided into categories based on:
- ATI Training Resources - Whether they were created as part of the CSU-ATI program or by the worldwide accessibility community
- Product Type - The types of Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) product that they reference
- Evaluation Method - The types of accessibility evaluation method that they reference
- Assistive Technology - The types of assistive technology (used by people with disabilities to access E&IT) that they reference
- Topic - The main topics that they discuss
- Compiled ATI produced accessibility training that make it easy to:
- Understand confusing terminology used in the Section 508 Standards
- Section 508 Standards Clarifications - Audio clips and transcripts from the training on Section 508 held at CUDA
- Section 508 Questions and Discussions - Audio clips and transcripts from the training on Section 508 held at CUDA
- Section 508 Training Materials PDF - provided during the training on Section 508 held at CUDA
- Understand accessibility evaluation and what it entails
- Presentation on CUDA and Evaluating Accessibility - Presentation on accessibility evaluation given by CUDA staff at 508 procurement conferences in Los Angeles and San Francisco
- Understand confusing terminology used in the Section 508 Standards
CUDA is also working to develop Accessibility Testing Center information to provide:
- Methodologies for evaluating the accessibility of products at multiple levels of detail
- Specifications on equipment used to evaluate the accessibility of products at CUDA
- Information on how to set up an accessibility testing center
- Information on the accessibility of products evaluated at CUDA