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Tools to Provide Accessibility



When creating a blog, or any type of content that is meant to share information, it is important to consider everyone that may come across it. This includes those who are both hearing and/or visually impaired. I have recently began watching a woman named Molly Burke on YouTube who is blind, and she posts videos and shares information on how she manages certain activities without sight. In the past, she has shared how she uses her cell phone and how Apple has played a big role in helping her to stay connected and freely use the internet. Apple (2018) explains their device’s accessibility features, including voice activation, hearing aids, shortcuts, reading support, and switch control (Accessibility, para. 1). Companies like Apple are empowering to those with disabilities, allowing hearing or visually impaired people to understand and enjoy the same content as those who have no problem hearing or seeing. Below is a video of Molly Burke publicly speaking about the importance of accessibility. 
Features such as talk-to-text/search, subtitles, and voiceovers are all valuable accessibility tools to consider when creating content. “Subtitles and closed captions open up your content to a larger audience, including deaf or hard of hearing viewers or those who speak languages besides the one spoken in your video” (YouTube Help, 2018, para. 1). For those who are blind, features that allow the user to listen to the content, as all of the text is read out loud, would be very helpful. In a blog, if there are images, there should also be a description attached to each one. For example, when uploading an image in Moodle, I have noticed that there is an option to add a description. While this may be overlooked by some, it is a valuable feature that can help those that may not be able to view the image. According to an accessibility blog (2009), one of the biggest accessibility issues blind people face is that images are not described with regular text, such as when image links are not labeled on websites (para. 8)
(Images Retrieved November 2018, from 
https://accessibility.blog.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2016/08/Karwai-blog-1-1.png)


While these are things that those who are not disabled may easily take for granted, it is important to create and design content that can benefit everyone; content that is clear and comprehensible for all audiences. 


References:
“Accessibility.” (2018). Apple. Retrieved November 2018, from https://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/
“Add Your Own Subtitles & Closed Captions.” (2018). YouTube Help. Retrieved November 2018, from https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2734796?hl=en
Burke, Molly. (2017, November 14). Making the World Accessible Helps Everyone! Retrieved November 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwf9TcLyS5KDoLRLjke41Hg
Tom. (2009, May 11). How Do Blind People Use the Computer? Even Grounds, Accessibility Consulting. Retrieved November 2018, from http://www.evengrounds.com/blog/how-do-blind-people-use-the-computer








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