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Re: Has anyone worked on accessible childrens' activity books?

for

From: Jim Allan
Date: Aug 2, 2016 8:56AM

comments below...

On Mon, Aug 1, 2016 at 11:24 PM, Chagnon | PubCom < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
wrote:

> For about the third time, my firm is being asked to make a childrens'
> activity PDF book accessible, and this one is proving to be the most
> challenging one yet! These PDF books are designed for primary- to
> middle-school kids and focus on learning specific topics, such as nature.
>
> Are there any published guidelines for this type of activity/educational
> material? I haven't found anything yet in my searche
> ​s
>
> Of course we'll make the text accessible with tags, headings, and lists.
> Since the graphics are critical, we're adding visually rich Alt-text so
> that
> children learn the basic visual characteristics of the flowers or animals
> at
> the nature center.
>
> But what can be done for an activity with directions like
> ​​
> "draw a picture of
> what you saw at the nature center"? Our team has come up with these
> possibilities:
>

​?? is the pdf supposed to be interactive or is it for formatting and
printing?
if the directions say ​

​​"draw a picture of what you saw at the nature center"​ - unless the pdf
is interactive and includes a drawing tool, I would assume that a piece of
paper and coloring/drawing tools are provided. Then kids can create to the
best of their ability. For blind kiddos - it depends on many things ... has
the child had hands on experience with "what ever aspect of nature the pdf
is talking about"?, perhaps clay to sculpt, or wikki-sticks, or many other
kinds of materials to create a meaningful (to the child) drawing. The
special ed teacher (for whatever disability) should be able to provide
information/experience.
Perhaps a statement about talking to the special ed teacher about adapting
the activity.

>
> a. Keep the box for drawing and add a nearby form field/text box
> where
> kids can type in the items they saw.
>
> b. Remove the box for drawing and have only the form field/text box
> for typing.
>
> c. Create 2 parallel PDFs, one "as is" for printing, and one that's
> customized for digital accessibility, including adjusting the activities
> for
> accessibility.
> ​
>
​unless there are drawing tools in the pdf. To me there is 1 document. It
meets pdf/UA - so readable with AT, it can be printed or converted to
braille and embosses. the activities are assumed to be not electronic
unless ​specifically stated. Information is provided about adapting the
activities or resources about how to adapt them.

>
> This project also has crossword puzzle. Any methods or suggestions for
> making it accessible in a PDF?
>
​again, it is supposed to be completed digitally? This really sounds like
something to be printed. ​

​For electronic versions that are accessible an additional piece of
software may be useful -- Talking Word Puzzles
http://tech.aph.org/pz_info.htm ​

>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions about this type of material.
>
> ​Happy to talk with you more. or if you can send a sample, I would be
happy to provide suggestions.

Jim​


--
Jim Allan, Accessibility Coordinator
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1100 W. 45th St., Austin, Texas 78756
voice 512.206.9315 fax: 512.206.9264 http://www.tsbvi.edu/
"We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." McLuhan, 1964