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Re: Thoughts on Prof. Accreditation in Digital Accessibility

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From: Karlen Communications
Date: Jun 17, 2014 4:28AM

In 2009 I wrote a discussion paper on the need to have curriculum revised in
Ontario so that we were graduating students with the skills necessary to
create AODA compliant and beyond content. It is still on the Karlen
Communications website as it is still a valid discussion. Hopefully at one
point in the near future, we'll move into a strategy and action phase.

How can we have international treaties and national legislation that
mandates accessibility when we do not create graduates that are ready and
skilled to do so? Putting the "burden" of retraining graduates on how to
create accessible content/apps and any digital content on an employer or the
individual themselves seems an endless cycle of technical stagnation. "We"
spend more time catching up to the skills we should seamlessly have than
advancing technology or accessibility/inclusion.

I have long advocated that inclusive education means that any accommodation
for a student with a disability should be rare and not the norm. Any digital
tools used or content produced for learning in primary, secondary, tertiary
education or for professional development of any kind, must be accessible.
This means anything used or produced by teachers and students...including
students without disabilities.

Criteria for creating digital content doesn't have to be framed in "we are
going to make this accessible." It is simply framed as "this is how we
create this."

One of my concerns with the IAAP is the cost of membership which means that
many of us who are individuals with small businesses can't afford
membership. This is my case. I've worked for many years in the area of
accessible document design and was among the first people to advocate and
work in the area of PDF accessibility (I literally wrote the book on this)
and find myself unable to afford to join an organization that I've lobbied
for. The cost of membership will also prevent many in developing countries
or those living in countries with lower economic status from joining what
could be a great international accreditation organization.

In Ontario we have the College of Teachers which has a minimal membership
fee/about $200 per year but you have to have a B.Ed and membership validates
your Ontario Teacher's Certificate. We have the same professional
organization for RN's. It is based on a post graduate degree in nursing and
membership in the College of Nurses is for your RN status/employment.

Both of these "colleges" have professional development mandates and
criteria. I think it is every 5 years you have to go through more advanced
training to ensure that the latest tools and skills are learned/added to
your skills base.

So, while I think that the IAAP is a good idea, it cannot be the "answer" to
the need for inclusive education where inclusive education means that
anything used in the learning process is accessible by default. Eventually
and sooner rather than later, it can be the equivalent to an "International
college of Accessibility Professionals" which would leverage global
employment and accreditation.

We need to start graduating students with the skills they need to be
employed in a global economy/workplace where there is legislation and the UN
Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. It should not be up to
employers or the IAAP to retrain graduates in any field about accessibility
and inclusion.

My 2 cents CAD!

Cheers, Karen