Category: Higher Education

Online Learning Resource Accessibility in a Lunchtime

David Sloan a research fellow  in the School of Computing,  University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland,  writes about e-accessibility at  e-Accessibility Blog.  Via short, regular posts the blog comments  on developments in the field of web accessibility and inclusive digital communication.

One of the strengths of the blog is an awareness of the fact that readers will have varying roles of web authorship as part of their work, a range of levels of technical experience in creating web content – but probably less time than they would like to develop skills in inclusive digital content creation.

In a lunch-and learn presentation earlier this year, Dr. Sloan shared  a set of short, easy-to-implement activities for evaluating existing web resources for accessibility and addressing any shortcomings found.  The information is so straightforward and sensible that  it is worth sharing.  Dr. Sloan posted his presentation slides at Slideshare.

The presentation discussed five accessibility checks

  1. Keyboard accessibility
  2. Alternatives for images
  3. Use of color
  4. Headings and lists
  5. Accessibility in online resource selection policy

Servicemembers with Student Loans Could be Missing out on Help

Many members of the military with student loans are spending way too much to pay off those loans. They are not accessing the student loan repayment protections and forgiveness benefits that have been granted to them under federal rules.

Unfortunately, those rules are extremely complex, and not all loan servicers are properly handling the loans or advising their clients. A report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (PDF) shows that many servicemembers are paying thousands too much over the life of their loans.

To read the complete post and to access PDF documents  such as Action Guide for Servicemembers with Student Loans which shows you step-by-step how to take advantage of the repayment protections mandated by Congress, visit:  Servicemembers with Student Loans Could be Missing out on Help

For Collegians With Disabilities, Success Linked to Active Participation and Mentoring

A Rutgers study of recent New Jersey college graduates with disabilities has found that students attributed their academic success to a combination of possessing strong personality traits as perseverance and their relationship with a faculty or staff mentor.

Accessing campus accommodations was not a major issue but learning about such help “was not always the smoothest process,” the report noted. The research also determined that students mainly used campus resources for assistance rather than a combination of college and community services. Additionally, investigators examined problems faced by college disability and special services offices, including record-keeping and student-faculty outreach.

To read the full report visit – College Students with Disabilities: What Factors Influence Successful Degree Completion? A Case Study