Large Classroom with 2 Projectors and Multiple TV Displays
Information Technology Services

Accessibility

What Is Accessibility?

Did you know that there is an emerging trend in improving the accessibility of electronic and information technologies? The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA guidelines which are widely used by institutions as a primary resource for improving accessibility.

This page is a collection of tips and resources available to faculty and students at Pace interested in accessible learning. Accessibility can include captioning, adhering to visual standards, and making sure your documents can be processed by screen readers. These best practices can be applied in your course assessments, web content, and course documents including PDFs, PowerPoints, textbooks, syllabi, and multimedia.

Improve Your Course with the Classes (Brightspace) Accessibility Checker

Located in Classes (Brightspace) HTML Editor the Accessibility Checker makes it easier than ever to improve the accessibility of your content pages.

Run the Classes (Brightspace) Accessibility Checker

The Accessibility Checker is available within the HTML Editor when you create or edit HTML content pages. It is located right beside the Spellcheck button. You can select “Check Accessibility” anytime while editing your content.

The Accessibility Checker will catch common accessible issues on static HTML content and offer suggestions to help you fix the issues on the spot. Please note, the Accessibility Checker does not replace real-user testing especially when you have interactive activities that are imported into the course. Real-user testing is still needed for keyboard-only navigation and screen reader testing.

For more information on creating accessible courses in Classes please review the article on Improving Your Course with Brightspace Accessibility Checker.

Best Practices and Accessibility Resources

Check out these LinkedIn Learning courses on creating accessible content

General Resources

Get started with general tips and suggestions.

Video Tutorials

Auditing Tools

The following tools can generate feedback and help you identify accessibility errors.

  • Types of Accessibility Audits Explained

Screen Readers

Become familiar with these popular screen reading tools and test your own content with them.

Accessibility At The Library

The library staff have created a guide to accessibility resources at the library. It describes accommodations at the library as well as assistive technologies including the read-aloud feature available in EBSCOhost databases. Click here to visit the LibGuide to Disability Services.

Captioning and Video Tools

Why Caption?

Captioning can provide content and information to the Pace community and beyond, including learners who are deaf and hearing impaired, learners for whom English is not their native language, and when audio quality (noise, volume, clarity, etc.) is a factor.

Studies show that students learn more when information is presented through multiple modalities, including text, audio and video.*

Use captioning tools to make text in your captions searchable so that people can find your video through Google.

Types of Captioning

Closed Captions: Captions can be turned on or off.
Open Captions: The text is burned onto the video image. Captions cannot be turned on or off.

In order to caption a video, you must own it or contact the owner in order to get permission to caption it.

Captioning Services

For available captioning services, please email the Educational Media department at edmediahelp@pace.edu or visit the ITS Helpdesk.

Assistive Listening Systems and Devices

Hearing is not an all or nothing phenomenon. People show varying degrees of hearing at different frequencies in each ear. The learning implications of this are sometimes overlooked for a variety of reasons that can include a lack of understanding of modern technology that can improve perception of sound.

What is an Assistive Learning System (ALS)?

Assistive Listening Systems (ALSs) are sometimes called Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs). Essentially, they are small amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear. They separate the sounds, particularly speech, that a person wants to hear from background noise. They improve what is known as the “speech to noise ratio”.

Efficacy

Research indicates that people who are hard of hearing require a volume (signal to noise ratio) increase of about 15 to 25 dB in order to achieve the same level of understanding as people with normal hearing. An ALS provides this level of increase without making it too loud for others in the room.

Can ALSs be used by some people who are deaf?

Yes. ALSs are used by people with all degrees of hearing impairment, from mild to profound. This includes hearing aid users and cochlear implant users, as well as individuals who do not use either hearing aids or cochlear implants. Hearing aids and cochlear implants have performance limitations in certain environments. ALDs are sometimes described as “binoculars for the ears” because they “stretch” hearing aids and cochlear implants, thus extending their range and effectiveness.

Where are ALSs used?

ALSs help address listening challenges in three ways: minimizing background noise; reducing the effect of distance between the sound source and the listener; and overcoming poor acoustics such as echo. People use ALSs in places of entertainment, employment, and education, as well as for home or personal use.

ALS Equipped Locations at Pace

Most of the large venues on campus are equipped with ALSs. These include the Bianco Room, Student Union and Lecture Halls in New York City and Gottesman, Miller 21, Miller 22, and the Video Conference Rooms in Pleasantville. Assistive Listening Devices can also be setup in classrooms and other spaces not listed here by contacting Ed Media. For a complete list of locations currently equipped with ALSs please contact the Educational Media Department in New York at (212) 346-1583, or in Pleasantville at (914) 773-3338.

Benefits of Accessibility

The following references offer insight into the benefits accessibility. Improvements in learning, comprehension, and retention are not just for those with disabilities -- everyone can gain from greater accessibility.

Assistive Listening Systems and Devices

Hearing is not an all or nothing phenomenon. People show varying degrees of hearing at different frequencies in each ear. The learning implications of this are sometimes overlooked for a variety of reasons that can include a lack of understanding of modern technology that can improve perception of sound.

  • Assistive Listening Systems (ALSs) are sometimes called Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs). Essentially, they are small amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear. They separate the sounds, particularly speech, that a person wants to hear from background noise. They improve what is known as the “speech to noise ratio”.