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Re: Accessibility training and certifications

for

From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Dec 6, 2010 10:12AM

The real issue with this is if you are attempting to demonstrate:
Conformance with coding practices designed to ensure that assistive
technologies "should" work because the information they need is
provided;
Or
If a list of screen readers, and a list of those associated
functions work with a set of identified content;

the second description is really limited in scope interoperability
testing for a combination of products at a specific point in time, not a
test for coding which works, based upon specific definition of
functionality.

I don't know of any certifications which are widely accepted for the
first description, but the NFB certification is in use for the second
description. For anyone hiring people to do such "accessibility"
assessments, there are some key concepts required for applicants which
lead to a conclusion about their fitness for the task:

Understanding of basic HTML and CSS coding practices and principles;
Understanding and experience applying Section 508 and/or WCAG 2.0
standards and guidelines to Websites, Web applications, and occasionally
to non-HTML content;
Understanding of, and experience with Web coding inspection tools;
Understanding of, and experience with, formalized assessment and
reporting procedures;
Understanding and experience with how assistive technologies, including
screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech input systems operate;

I hope this helps.







-----Original Message-----
From: Cliff Tyllick [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 2:29 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Accessibility training and certifications

I wondered whether the NFIB (
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Web_accessibility_consultants.asp?SnID=1940909702
) certification as a web accessibility consultant is worth getting. So I
checked out their site. Here's an excerpt, rearranged to put the
introductory statement before the list of requirements:

If the answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES, then you
may be qualified to become a Web Accessibility Consultant (WAC) for the
National Federation of the Blind Nonvisual Access Certification program
for Web applications:
Do you have experience with nonvisual access technology?
Have you used screen access technology in testing Web applications for
accessibility?
Do you own licenses for at least two screen reading programs?
Are you familiar with Section 508 requirements and W3C guidelines?
Are you willing to provide examples of applications that have undergone
your testing process, and are you willing to submit your Web application
audit process to be certified by the National Federation of the Blind?
Are you committed to creating Web-wide nonvisual access? [End of
excerpt]
The process seems simple enough, except maybe for owning licenses to at
least two screen reading programs. That requirement raises some
questions:
At the bottom of the page, they feature JAWS and Window-Eyes, including
a link to each respective vendor's site. So do those two screen reading
programs have to be JAWS and Window-Eyes? If so, can I count my agency's
licenses? After all, I use them now and then. (They're on one machine in
a classroom where we can teach accessibility and do some testing of
documents and applications for accessibility.)
Shouldn't the copy of NVDA on my netbook at home count?
What about VoiceOver?
How about Read Out Loud?
Is anybody from the NFIB on this list? (If you are and I do or should
know you, I apologize for not remembering that you are on *this* list.)
I'd love to know the answers.

Thanks!
Cliff

>>> On 12/3/2010 at 1:05 PM, in message
< <EMAIL REMOVED> >,
"Hoffman, Allen" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
I must point out that this would be generally focused on two categories
of disabilities, not all categories, so is limited in scope.


-----Original Message-----
From: Marco Maertens [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]


Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 12:18 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Accessibility training and certifications

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the clarification. The NFB does, however, appear to have a
process of qualifying practitioners to be "Web Accessibility Consultants

(WACs)" on the same page. Again, I have no first-hand experience with
it. There are more details on the NFB site.

http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Web_accessibility_consultants.asp?SnID=1940909702


-Marco.

On 12/3/2010 09:22, Andrews, David B B (DEED) wrote:
> The NFB Non visual Certification is for websites, not individuals.
>
> Dave
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
<EMAIL REMOVED> < <EMAIL REMOVED>

g>
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 2:20 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List< <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Accessibility training and certifications
>
> Hi Marc,
>
> One that comes to mind immediately is EASI training and certification
> with the Univ. of Southern Maine:
>
> http://www.easi.cc/workshops/certificate.htm
>
>
> EASI training some twelve years ago got me started in accessibility,
but
> I did not the complete the full set of classes to get the USM
> certificate. I don't think it was available then, but I'm not sure
anymore.
>
> I've seen that the NFB has a Nonvisual Accessibility Web
Certification,
> but I don't know much more than that.
>
>
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Web_accessibility_consultants.asp?SnID=1940909702

>
>
> Will you be posting the results of your information gathering?
>
> -Marco.
>
> On 12/1/2010 16:47, Marc Seguin wrote:
>> Hello All,
>>
>> I am creating a wish list of certifications and training that a
person specializing in accessibility should complete. WebAIM, I
believe, has training coming up in March. What else does anyone
recommend or suggest avoiding? Quality matters more to me than location
or costs. I appreciate any suggestions and feedback you may have.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Marc
>>
>>