From athen-list at u.washington.edu Sat Nov 1 08:01:10 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (David Schwarte via athen-list) Date: Sat Nov 1 08:01:21 2025 Subject: [Athen] Community embossers In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Purdue has a public embosser. This is connected to the campus network and has a queue, like any of the printers. I don't know if it would be considered a community embosser. The idea is that students can emboss whenever they would like and faculty and staff could also emboss, although that happens rarely. We have done this for 35+ years, because it was demanded by the students over the years. If a student has an assignment that requires Braille to complete, something the student is creating, the embosser needs to be available in the evenings and over the weekends. We currently have a ViewPlus Delta, so someone can create graphics as well. Purdue does have Braille transcription and tactile graphics services for class materials, which is very helpful to our students. There should be some type of balance, since students of today will eventually leave and need to create their own Braille and tactile graphics. The graduate who has at least a passing knowledge of the process will be in a much better position to confidently move forward. The concern I have always heard is that someone might send something to the embosser that is for another type of printer. That has happened a few times, but very rarely. Maybe, 10 times in the last 20 years that the embosser has been connected to the campus network. We have also had issues with tractor feed embossers. When we got our first network embosser, I made sure it was sheet feed. This has saved a lot of support time over the years. We have a concurrent license for Duxbury, so we can provide it where needed. We also provide Tiger Designer if needed. I have also suggested BrailleBlaster occasionally. David Schwarte From: athen-list On Behalf Of Mark Weiler via athen-list Sent: Friday, October 31, 2025 2:07 PM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: Re: [Athen] Community embossers ---- External Email: Use caution with attachments, links, or sharing data ---- I haven't heard back from anyone about awareness of community embossers. I wanted to try one more time. See below for more details. From: Mark Weiler Sent: October 27, 2025 4:40 PM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: Community embossers I attended a talk by some librarians from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in BC, where they have. It can be used by anyone, whether from the university or the wider community. It's set up like a regular self-serve printer and public workstation. People can send a print job to the embosser like they can send a job to a laser printer. There are supports to learn how to print it. What I find interesting was a how the community is using it. They told a story of how someone from the community learned about the embosser and came in to have a wedding invitation embossed. Does anyone know of other examples of community embossers? Mark Mark Weiler, PhD (he & him) JAWS certified and Web Accessibility Specialist Web & User Experience Librarian Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario 548-889-5056 Notices Upcoming Laurier Library workshops & events -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 09:46:18 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Thompson, Marc via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 09:46:26 2025 Subject: [Athen] Job Announcement: Digital Content Accessibility Specialist University of Illinois Message-ID: Digital Content Accessibility Specialist University of Illinois The Office of the CIO is excited to share that our efforts around digital accessibility are continuing to expand, and we have a new opportunity for a Digital Content Accessibility Specialist or Senior to join our team. Please read more about this new opportunity below and apply online by November 6, 2025. Apply online at: https://illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/15483?c=illinois&sq=1033282 Digital Content Accessibility Specialist or Senior Digital Content Accessibility Specialist Office of the Chief Information Officer - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Job Summary The Digital Content Accessibility Specialist or Senior Digital Content Accessibility Specialist supports the Digital Accessibility Program (DAP) by assisting with the creation, remediation, and evaluation of electronic documents and multimedia to ensure compliance with accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1, ADA Title II, and the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (IITAA). This role provides consultation, training, and hands-on remediation services to faculty, staff, and departments to help make instructional materials, departmental communications, and public-facing content accessible. This role requires familiarity with accessibility evaluation tools and assistive technologies, as well as the ability to explain accessibility practices clearly to a wide range of campus stakeholders. Why Work at Technology Services? Highlights of Employee Benefits Digital Content Accessibility Specialist Duties & Responsibilities Consultation, Remediation & Evaluation * Provide consultation and guidance to faculty, staff, and departments on creating accessible digital content, including PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and multimedia. * Remediate inaccessible documents and multimedia to meet institutional accessibility standards. * Evaluate and test digital documents and multimedia for accessibility using assistive technology tools (e.g., screen readers, voice recognition software). * Maintain documentation and tracking systems for remediation requests and completed work. * Senior level: Lead complex remediation efforts to meet institutional accessibility standards. * Senior level: Conduct comprehensive evaluations of digital documents and multimedia for accessibility using assistive technology tools (e.g., screen readers, voice recognition software). Professional Development and Continuous Improvement * Develop and maintain personal and professional excellence through university-provided and external training/seminars/courses * Stay current with evolving accessibility standards, tools, and technologies, and recommend improvements to institutional practices. * Mentor, train, and provide quality assurance oversight for student workers engaged in accessibility remediation. * Senior level: Deliver workshops and training sessions. * Senior level: Serve as a campus subject matter expert in digital accessibility. * Senior level: Advise on institutional accessibility practices and policies. Digital Content Accessibility Specialist Minimum Requirements 1. High school diploma or equivalent. 2. Any one or any combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the following categories: * College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent: * 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months) * Associate?s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months) * 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months) * Bachelor?s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months) * Work experience in IT-related functions, such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field. 3. Demonstrated experience in digital accessibility and/or document remediation. Senior Digital Content Accessibility Specialist Minimum Requirements 1. High school diploma or equivalent. 2. Any one or any combination totaling three (3) years from the following categories: * College coursework which includes Information Technology (IT), IT Management, Programming, IT systems, or a closely related discipline, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent: * 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months) * Associate?s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months) * 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months) * Bachelor?s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months) * Work experience in IT-related functions, such as hardware/software support, programming, network design, network engineering, IT systems integration, or closely related field. 3. Demonstrated experience in digital accessibility and/or document remediation. Preferred Qualifications * Experience working in a higher education environment. * Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (e.g., Canvas, Moodle) and their accessibility features. * Senior level: Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) or other International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) certification. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Demonstrated expertise in applying WCAG 2.1 Level AA, ADA Title II, and IITAA standards to electronic documents and multimedia. Proficiency with accessibility evaluation and remediation tools (e.g., Microsoft Accessibility Checker, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Equidox or CommonLook, PAC pdf accessibility checker, or similar). Familiarity with assistive technologies such as as screen readers (e.g., JAWS, NVDA), voice recognition software, and alternative input devices. Strong communication and interpersonal skills to explain accessibility concepts to diverse, non-technical audiences. Experience providing training, mentoring, or support to others, including student workers or interns. Appointment Information This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5031 - Information Technology Technical Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. The budgeted salary range for the Digital Content Accessibility Specialist position is $60,000 to $65,000, and the budgeted salary range for the Senior Digital Content Accessibility Specialist is $70,000 to $75,000. Salary is commensurate with experience. Hybrid work options may be available for this position, with the ability to be on-site at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus as needed per the University?s Workplace Flexibility policy. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx. Application Procedures & Deadline Information Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on November 6, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Dallas Johnson at dallas1@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137. The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits. The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu. Requisition ID: 1033282 Job Category: Technical Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu DALLAS JOHNSON, EdM Assistant Director, Human Resources Pronouns: she/her/hers University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Office of the Chief Information Officer 1304 W. Springfield Ave. | M/C 258 | Urbana, IL 61801 Direct: 217-300-7927 | Technology Services HR: 217-333-4222 | Fax: 217-333-9012 dallas1@illinois.edu | techservices.illinois.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 2609 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 12:33:51 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Megan E Hall via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 12:33:56 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format Message-ID: Hello, A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it labels them as "figures." Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this correctly? We are coming up short. We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. Thank you in advance, Megan Hall Senior Instructional Designer Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 12:54:18 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Jane Berk via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 12:54:24 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: My colleagues are now starting to test Equatio, which offers a handwriting interpretation for Math. Has anyone had success with this? Thanks, Jane Berk Alternate Format Coordinator Assistive Computer Technology Service Access and Disability Resources MacEwan University E: berkj@macewan.ca T: 780-497-5826 MacEwan.ca [cid:484aa37b-e99d-416d-86ae-99763ed12224] ________________________________ From: athen-list on behalf of Megan E Hall via athen-list Sent: November 3, 2025 1:33 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format EXTERNAL: Use caution. Hello, A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it labels them as "figures." Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this correctly? We are coming up short. We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. Thank you in advance, Megan Hall Senior Instructional Designer Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Outlook-ww1kbt0y.png Type: image/png Size: 24926 bytes Desc: Outlook-ww1kbt0y.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 12:59:10 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (JORDISON_SHAWN via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 12:59:25 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Holy cow I need an updated video. MathPix I can handle a large scale PDF to Microsoft word editing. This is my go to tool these days for converting all of my math. https://youtu.be/mro6NaTvxCM?si=PIGCJeA13j8XaD0M ? Shawn Jordison MS, Ed.D 530-238-5645 Accessibility Subject Matter Expert Book a Session with me YouTube channel featuring Accessibility Tutorials [Sent from Front] On November 3, 2025, 12:55?PM PST athen-list@u.washington.edu wrote: CAUTION: This email originated outside SMC. My colleagues are now starting to test Equatio, which offers a handwriting interpretation for Math. Has anyone had success with this? Thanks, Jane Berk Alternate Format Coordinator Assistive Computer Technology Service Access and Disability Resources MacEwan University E: berkj@macewan.ca T: 780-497-5826 MacEwan.ca [cid:484aa37b-e99d-416d-86ae-99763ed12224] ________________________________ From: athen-list > on behalf of Megan E Hall via athen-list > Sent: November 3, 2025 1:33 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format EXTERNAL: Use caution. Hello, A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it labels them as "figures." Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this correctly? We are coming up short. We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. Thank you in advance, Megan Hall Senior Instructional Designer Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Outlook-ww1kbt0y.png Type: image/png Size: 24926 bytes Desc: Outlook-ww1kbt0y.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 13:06:34 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (ELIZABETH KILLINGER via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 13:07:14 2025 Subject: [Athen] [EXT] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Try mathpix *Elizabeth Killinger* *Associate Coordinator* *FIT-ABLE | Office of Disability ServicesFashion Institute of Technology* David Dubinsky Student Center, A570 Phone: 212.217.4090 Website: fitnyc.edu/fitable On Mon, Nov 3, 2025 at 3:34?PM Megan E Hall via athen-list < athen-list@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Hello, > > A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology tools > that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file format. So > far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the conversion > process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as an image. This > is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it labels them as > "figures." > > Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this > correctly? We are coming up short. > > We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are > handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. > > Thank you in advance, > > Megan Hall > Senior Instructional Designer > Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning > 814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A > _______________________________________________ > athen-list mailing list > athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu > http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 3 13:09:50 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (shelleyhaven techpotential.net via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 3 13:09:57 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2528A993-B276-46F9-8303-11D3D05507E1@TechPotential.net> Also check out the ATHEN thread "Handwriting to OCR text" (4/8/25-4/15/25) which had a lot of good suggestions. - Shelley _____________________________ Shelley Haven Assistive Technology Consultant www.TechPotential.net On Nov 3, 2025, at 1:59?PM, JORDISON_SHAWN via athen-list wrote: Holy cow I need an updated video. MathPix I can handle a large scale PDF to Microsoft word editing. This is my go to tool these days for converting all of my math. https://youtu.be/mro6NaTvxCM?si=PIGCJeA13j8XaD0M ? Shawn Jordison MS, Ed.D 530-238-5645 Accessibility Subject Matter Expert Book a Session with me YouTube channel featuring Accessibility Tutorials [Sent from Front] On November 3, 2025, 12:55?PM PST athen-list@u.washington.edu wrote: CAUTION: This email originated outside SMC. My colleagues are now starting to test Equatio, which offers a handwriting interpretation for Math. Has anyone had success with this? Thanks, Jane Berk Alternate Format Coordinator Assistive Computer Technology Service Access and Disability Resources MacEwan University E: berkj@macewan.ca T: 780-497-5826 MacEwan.ca ________________________________ From: athen-list > on behalf of Megan E Hall via athen-list > Sent: November 3, 2025 1:33 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu > Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format EXTERNAL: Use caution. Hello, A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it labels them as "figures." Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this correctly? We are coming up short. We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. Thank you in advance, Megan Hall Senior Instructional Designer Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Tue Nov 4 04:37:42 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (David Andrews via athen-list) Date: Tue Nov 4 04:37:46 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I could be remembering wrong, but I think Seeing AI from Microsoft can do this. However, I think you will find that it is a problematic process at best. I am sure it will get better with AI, but ..... Dave >Hello, > >A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology >tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible >file format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR >in the conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the >handwriting as an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat >Pro account; it labels them as "figures." > >Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this >correctly? We are coming up short. > >We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions >are handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. > >Thank you in advance, > >Megan Hall >Senior Instructional Designer >Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning >814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A >_______________________________________________ >athen-list mailing list >athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu >http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list From athen-list at u.washington.edu Tue Nov 4 08:20:47 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Vanessa M Ayala via athen-list) Date: Tue Nov 4 08:21:00 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello, I've been really impressed with the tool Mathpix: https://mathpix.com/handwriting-recognition. It's a STEM focused tool, and uses LaTex code, but I picked it up quickly without prior knowledge. It's not perfect, but it's much better than anything else I've tried. I sometimes use it on stubborn PDFs when I can't get a book to scan, and the OCR outmatches Acrobat every time. Kind regards, Vanessa Vanessa Ayala (she/her) Digital Accessibility Center Manager | The University of Texas at Austin | Enterprise Technology -----Original Message----- From: athen-list On Behalf Of David Andrews via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 6:38 AM To: Megan E Hall ; Access Technology Higher Education Network ; athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format I could be remembering wrong, but I think Seeing AI from Microsoft can do this. However, I think you will find that it is a problematic process at best. I am sure it will get better with AI, but ..... Dave >Hello, > >A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology >tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file >format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the >conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as >an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it >labels them as "figures." > >Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this >correctly? We are coming up short. > >We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are >handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. > >Thank you in advance, > >Megan Hall >Senior Instructional Designer >Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and >Learning >814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A >_______________________________________________ >athen-list mailing list >athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu >http://mailma/ >n22.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fathen-list&data=05%7C02%7C% >7Cf424e2bab583437bcb6408de1b9efb60%7C31d7e2a5bdd8414e9e97bea998ebdfe1%7 >C0%7C0%7C638978566784395624%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnR >ydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D% >3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZqweDOBnHCFiLOmZKnvabF1Wvo%2FmrK48u6lXF8%2BarwE%3 >D&reserved=0 _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list >> This message is from an external sender. Learn more about why this << >> matters at https://links.utexas.edu/rtyclf. << From athen-list at u.washington.edu Tue Nov 4 09:08:55 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Steven Bianco via athen-list) Date: Tue Nov 4 09:09:04 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I don't know if it is just math-focused handwriting, it was not initially clear to me in the original post, but you may want to try a LLM (AI) approved by your institution. Usually, the AI models can try to extract handwriting and provide a text transcript. I have had great luck with just real images of math and conversion to LaTeX or MathML. There is another free tool for Math, it is worth a try since it is free https://mathkicker.ai/. You sign up for a free Mathkicker account and it will send you a personalize conversion link which you can reuse. For convenience I tested an inaccessible handwritten math PDF document shared in the CLAC April 3, 2025, meeting on converting documents to an accessible math format and have Word Document outputs from MathKicker, SensusAccess, and ChatGPT-5. The one that looked to have the best output was MathKicker. The formulae were proper Word equation objects, it noticed the therefore symbol and output it in the equation and was a more one-to-one conversion. It recognized the regular non-math handwritten well, some spelling errors, but I can see why. It noticed the image figure correctly and placed it as an image, however, there was no alt text provided. SensusAccess did not OCR the images, just placed them in the Word Document as images. ChatGPT-5 did provide a good output but did not get the formulae converted to Word Equation objects, it did provide a visual description of the diagram image. It was not a one-to-one conversion as it placed in it's own logic writing out "therefore" and added extra context from the prompt "can you convert this to an accessible format that is screenreader friendly". I hope this information is helpful. Steven Kolberg, MA Florida SouthWestern State College Office of Information Technology Senior Coordinator, Accessibility and LMS Administration Phone: (239) 432-6774 or X16774 Email: Steven.Bianco@FSW.edu Schedule with Me on Zoom Follow the Florida State EIT Consortium on twitter and LinkedIn Florida SouthWestern State College, an equal access institution, prohibits discrimination in its employment, programs and activities based on race, sex, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or veteran's status. The College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Questions pertaining to educational equity, equal access, or equal opportunity should be addressed to Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers, Florida 33919, Compliance@fsw.edu, 239.489.9051 or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, United States Department of Education. ________________________________ From: athen-list on behalf of Vanessa M Ayala via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11:20 AM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format CAUTION: Please Be Aware - This Email Originated Outside of FSW Hello, I've been really impressed with the tool Mathpix: https://mathpix.com/handwriting-recognition. It's a STEM focused tool, and uses LaTex code, but I picked it up quickly without prior knowledge. It's not perfect, but it's much better than anything else I've tried. I sometimes use it on stubborn PDFs when I can't get a book to scan, and the OCR outmatches Acrobat every time. Kind regards, Vanessa Vanessa Ayala (she/her) Digital Accessibility Center Manager | The University of Texas at Austin | Enterprise Technology -----Original Message----- From: athen-list On Behalf Of David Andrews via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 6:38 AM To: Megan E Hall ; Access Technology Higher Education Network ; athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format I could be remembering wrong, but I think Seeing AI from Microsoft can do this. However, I think you will find that it is a problematic process at best. I am sure it will get better with AI, but ..... Dave >Hello, > >A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology >tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file >format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the >conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as >an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it >labels them as "figures." > >Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this >correctly? We are coming up short. > >We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are >handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. > >Thank you in advance, > >Megan Hall >Senior Instructional Designer >Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and >Learning >814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A >_______________________________________________ >athen-list mailing list >athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu >http://mailma/ >n22.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fathen-list&data=05%7C02%7C% >7Cf424e2bab583437bcb6408de1b9efb60%7C31d7e2a5bdd8414e9e97bea998ebdfe1%7 >C0%7C0%7C638978566784395624%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnR >ydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D% >3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZqweDOBnHCFiLOmZKnvabF1Wvo%2FmrK48u6lXF8%2BarwE%3 >D&reserved=0 _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list >> This message is from an external sender. Learn more about why this << >> matters at https://links.utexas.edu/rtyclf. << _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list [Florida SouthWestern State College] Please note: Due to Florida's broad open records law, most written communication to or from College employees is public record, available to the public and the media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure. You are the Key to Information Security. Click Here to Learn More. FSW is an equal access, equal opportunity organization. More: www.fsw.edu/equity. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Wed Nov 5 06:45:06 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Mark Weiler via athen-list) Date: Wed Nov 5 06:45:13 2025 Subject: [Athen] Braille Edge display? Message-ID: Any one out there use a Braille Edge display? Sincerely, Mark Weiler, PhD (he & him) JAWS certified and Web Accessibility Specialist Web & User Experience Librarian Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario 548-889-5056 Notices Upcoming Laurier Library workshops & events -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Sun Nov 9 10:31:57 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Lissner, L. Scott via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 10 07:44:45 2025 Subject: [Athen] FW: Infrastructures for Accessibility: 26th Annual Multiple Perspectives Call for Proposals/Save the Date In-Reply-To: References: <4A472C1B-DA25-4435-8C20-824814563553@gmail.com> Message-ID: SAVE THE DATE CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS The 26th Annual Multiple Perspective Conference: Infrastructures for Accessibility APRIL 13th ? 14th 2026 The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio Multiple Perspective?s celebrates and explores the multiple meanings and expressions of access; recognizing disability as inherent to the human condition and accessibility as integral to design, technological innovation, and engage citizenship. This year?s theme asks you to consider facilitators; enabling structures that allow full engagement in society. From curb-cuts to AI what policies and practices that advance us toward achieving Congress? purpose for enacting the ADA. ?The Nation's proper goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for such individuals? It is the purpose of this Act? 1. to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 2. to provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 3. to ensure that the Federal Government plays a central role in enforcing the standards established in this Act on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and 4. to invoke the sweep of congressional authority, including the power to enforce the fourteenth amendment and to regulate commerce, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day-to-day by people with disabilities. Pub. L. 110-3 5. Preference will be given to proposals that explore practices, policies and structures that facilitate access, serve as a catalyst for collaborations; or connect individuals to local, national or international communities. * Please use our online Submission Form * Proposal reviews begin December 3, 2025 International Day of Disabled Persons * Acceptances by January 4, 2026 Louis Braille?s Birthday (World Braille Day) * Presenter confirmations requested on January 23, 2026 Ed Roberts Birthday Past Programs Conference Updates To be on the mailing list for the conference, send e-mail to ADA-OSU@osu.edu Please Note: The full conference fees will be waived, and lunch provided for onsite for presenters. Presenters are responsible for their own travel and lodging. Supported by the generosity of Margaret Stanton and the Ethel Louise Armstrong Endowment Fund and the Civil Rights Compliance Office at the Ohio State University. Since 2000, the university?s ADA Coordinator has presented a series of workshops and public events supporting the university?s mission as a modern land grant university; serving the wider community by providing a forum for understanding of disability as integral to human experience and creating opportunities s through collaboration with and among our partners in education, business, non-profits, and government. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Wed Nov 12 10:05:33 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (foreigntype@gmail.com via athen-list) Date: Wed Nov 12 10:05:47 2025 Subject: [Athen] Accessing HIGHER Ground pre-conference workshop Message-ID: Hi all, Forgive the cross posting. This is directed at all the folks who have registered for my pre-conference at next week?s Accessing Higher Ground adaptive technology conference on Adaptive Technology in Higher Education, Professional Growth 2-day workshop. I sent out a letter of welcome and introduction with an overview of the course, but I no longer have a dot edu email address, so my email letter may have gone into your spam or junk folder. If you?re coming to AHG and I registered for my pre-conference workshop, please double check your spam or junk folders for an email of introduction to the course from foreigntype@gmail.com. Please let me know if you have any questions ahead of time and I will be happy to address them or direct you to the person who can help you. Looking forward to seeing you all next week. Wink Harner Adaptive Technology Consulting and Training Portland OR. foreigntype@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 13 04:43:53 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Network of Assistive Technologists via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 13 04:44:09 2025 Subject: [Athen] Call for Presentation Proposals Open - NOAT 2026: educATe and integrATe In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *Please forgive any cross postings* Good day fellow AT Practitioners! Don't *just* save the date for the upcoming NOAT 2026: educATe and integrATe virtual conference February 4 to 6, 2026 - *Submit* a presentation proposal *now* and join the conversATion! *Calling all AT Practitioners to submit a presentation proposal for the upcoming NOAT 2026 Virtual Conference - EducATe and IntegrATe.* *No idea too small or too obscure. * Get ready to be part of what is promising to be a great event for all. An event dedicated to educating at every turn, with attendees integrating their newfound skills, ideas, and knowledge every step of the way. The Call For Presentation Proposals is OPEN - Let?s create an inclusive future together ? Submit your presentation proposal today and join the conversation! Jump on the bandwagon and join those who have already submitted their ideas. *Don't push this to tomorrow on your to do list.* *Head on over to the NOAT 2026 conference website for more details and to submit your presentation idea - www.ATconference.ca * Take care everyone! *Doug Mantle,* Founder | The Network of Assistive Technologists www.NOAT.ca | info@NOAT.ca -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 13 14:28:08 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Vicki Walton via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 13 14:28:15 2025 Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business Message-ID: Hello everyone, A colleague is reviewing a section in the Math for Bakery and Business textbook on page 13-15 where the author explains place values using underlines and shading. At this time, we are aware that screen readers do not typically announce formatting unless users change those advanced settings. I would appreciate it if someone could look at this portion of the text along with the comments that were shared about this approach. If you have time to review the materials and offer your thoughts, your perspective would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Best regards, Vicki [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu* office: 360-704-4343* website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3704 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 18063 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.gif Type: image/gif Size: 278 bytes Desc: image004.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.png Type: image/png Size: 8117 bytes Desc: image005.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 13 15:45:07 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Joshua Hori via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 13 15:45:14 2025 Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Are the comments the [GL] and [/GL]? I don?t see the same comments for italics and I haven?t found any shaded content. It would be better to inform the student of the bold and italic content so they can make audio profiles to hear it announced, if they want it. It?s a quick keyboard combination to switch profiles. Refreshable braille displays will have characters stating bold/italic content, so the additional comments aren?t necessary. There are a number of tables on there which I don?t see captions for, and that helps screenreaders navigate through the different tables. You can test out refreshable braille capabilities with the Accessible Equation Editor, which is a free service that works with Google Docs. Best, Joshua Hori Accessible Technology Coordinator Information Educational Technology Academic Technology Services 50 Hutchison Dr. Davis, CA 95616 530-752-2439 Schedule a meeting via Calendly From: athen-list on behalf of Vicki Walton via athen-list Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 2:29?PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business Hello everyone, A colleague is reviewing a section in the Math for Bakery and Business textbook on page 13-15 where the author explains place values using underlines and shading. At this time, we are aware that screen readers do not typically announce formatting unless users change those advanced settings. I would appreciate it if someone could look at this portion of the text along with the comments that were shared about this approach. If you have time to review the materials and offer your thoughts, your perspective would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Best regards, Vicki [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu? office: 360-704-4343? website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3704 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.gif Type: image/gif Size: 278 bytes Desc: image004.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.png Type: image/png Size: 8117 bytes Desc: image005.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 13 16:19:27 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Vicki Walton via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 13 16:19:45 2025 Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I apologize as I should have given more background. This is an OER book in its development. The tables throughout that include review questions and answers as well as the [GL] and [/GL] are internal project tags for this draft version of the text. These will not be visible in the final version. [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu* office: 360-704-4343* website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow From: athen-list On Behalf Of Vicki Walton via athen-list Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2025 2:28 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business [Sent from outside SBCTC] Hello everyone, A colleague is reviewing a section in the Math for Bakery and Business textbook on page 13-15 where the author explains place values using underlines and shading. At this time, we are aware that screen readers do not typically announce formatting unless users change those advanced settings. I would appreciate it if someone could look at this portion of the text along with the comments that were shared about this approach. If you have time to review the materials and offer your thoughts, your perspective would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Best regards, Vicki [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu* office: 360-704-4343* website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3704 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 18063 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.gif Type: image/gif Size: 278 bytes Desc: image004.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.png Type: image/png Size: 8117 bytes Desc: image005.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image007.png Type: image/png Size: 8126 bytes Desc: image007.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 13 16:20:58 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Vicki Walton via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 13 16:21:04 2025 Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I apologize as I should have given more background. This is an OER book in its development. The tables throughout that include review questions and answers as well as the [GL] and [/GL] are internal project tags for this draft version of the text. These will not be visible in the final version. [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu* office: 360-704-4343* website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow From: athen-list On Behalf Of Vicki Walton via athen-list Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2025 2:28 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: [Athen] Request for Review of Place Value Explanation in Math for Bakery and Business [Sent from outside SBCTC] Hello everyone, A colleague is reviewing a section in the Math for Bakery and Business textbook on page 13-15 where the author explains place values using underlines and shading. At this time, we are aware that screen readers do not typically announce formatting unless users change those advanced settings. I would appreciate it if someone could look at this portion of the text along with the comments that were shared about this approach. If you have time to review the materials and offer your thoughts, your perspective would be very helpful. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Best regards, Vicki [Smiley Face Red Flower in a Pot] [Title: SBCTC logo - Description: Compass]Vicki Walton Pronouns: they/them Web Accessibility Specialist/IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges vwalton@sbctc.edu* office: 360-704-4343* website: www.sbctc.edu Accessibility is a fundamental right Accessibility is not a checkbox. Accessibility is a mindset that can lead to a very powerful sense of inclusion. ~ Maayan Ziv founder and CEO AccessNow -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3704 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 18063 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.gif Type: image/gif Size: 278 bytes Desc: image004.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.png Type: image/png Size: 8117 bytes Desc: image005.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image007.png Type: image/png Size: 8126 bytes Desc: image007.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Sat Nov 15 18:33:51 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (foreigntype@gmail.com via athen-list) Date: Sat Nov 15 18:34:30 2025 Subject: [Athen] Welcome to AHG Precon! Message-ID: 15 November 2025 Hi everyone, The 28th annual Accessing Higher Ground Adaptive Technology Conference is almost upon us! I am so glad to see how many of you have signed up for the pre-conference workshop on Adaptive Technology Professional Development Overview: From Inventory to Intake to Implementation. Those of you who signed up will have received a welcome email from me, but as I no longer have a dot edu address, my email may have gone into your spam or junk folder (email address is: foreigntype @ gmail.com). Check your spam folders! This is a 2-day pre-conference workshop designed for disability resources offices and colleges, specifically directed at adaptive technology staff in learning how to research & evaluate adaptive technologies, make recommendations for adoption of AT on the campus, how to upgrade or purchase AT, and how to train and support students in learning the recommended adaptive technologies. The workshop itself is divided into 8 separate modules and the training is tied to specific disability categories. The foundation of this course is based on a professional growth course developed for AHEAD in 2023. Each module includes the PPT, readings, interactive discussions among the group, and mini-quiz evaluations after each module. Over the course of 2 days the participants will create a shared Google doc with results of your findings, research, & links. A certificate of completion is provided to those who complete the 2-day workshop. The workshop was originally set up as a bring-your-own-device (tablet, laptop), but we are in the Denver lab, so desktop computers will be available. Over the course of the workshop, you will learn about a wide variety of different types of adaptive technologies as they relate to specific disabilities, you will learn how to link adaptive technology to the specific disabilities and individual needs, as well as learn how to develop strategies for advising faculty, administrators and campus staff to collaborate on campuswide accessibility. The PowerPoint & reading lists are available in the Handout section for this preconference workshop. Do please let me know if you have any questions or accessibility needs, if not yet provided to Howard Kramer & the conference organizers. Hopefully everyone will have smooth & safe travels to and from Denver. Fingers crossed! See you soon, Wink Harner, Workshop Presenter Wink Harner Accessibility Consultant/Alternative Text Production The Foreign Type Portland OR foreigntype@gmail.com This email was dictated using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Please forgive quirks, misrecognitions, or errata . Virus-free.www.avast.com <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Tue Nov 18 09:03:37 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Tisha L. Marzewski via athen-list) Date: Tue Nov 18 09:04:07 2025 Subject: [Athen] Accessibility Summer Camp 2026: Call for Proposals Message-ID: Share your accessibility knowledge during our ninth annual virtual conference, Accessibility Summer Camp! This year?s ASC event will take place on June 12th, 2026 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm CDT via Zoom. As a conference speaker, you can attend sessions as well as present and engage in valuable networking with like-minded professionals. We are soliciting virtual presentations from all experience levels and backgrounds. Presentations should be engaging, encourage participant interaction, and be no longer than 45 minutes, including questions. Submit your presentation on our Call for Proposal form today! Not sure if your presentation fits the bill? Check out the 2025 Program page to get an idea or email us at AccessibilityCampICT@gmail.com. The session proposal deadline is December 19, 2025 Tisha L Marzewski Arkansas State University-Beebe tlmarzewski@asub.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 20 12:23:46 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Luke Kudryashov via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 20 12:29:38 2025 Subject: [Athen] Call for Proposals: Global Accessibility Awareness Day Virtual Event Message-ID: [image: Logo: Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Design, Develop, Deliver; May 21, 2026. Sponsored by; University of Minnesota, University of Illinois System, and University of Michigan] Dear Community Members, The University of Minnesota, University of Illinois System, and the University of Michigan are hosting a virtual event to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on Thursday, May 21, 2026. This year?s theme, "Design, Develop, Deliver", is about refining your digital accessibility skills. It?s about making accessibility an integral part of everything we do, from the way we communicate, design, and innovate, to how we create a more equitable future for everyone. We invite passionate and knowledgeable individuals to contribute as speakers. Your insights and experiences are invaluable, and we believe they will greatly enrich our event. Find more information about the proposal criteria and past GAAD events on our website. We deeply value the expertise and insights that each of our speakers brings to this event. To show our appreciation of your contribution as a speaker, we are pleased to offer a modest honorarium. Our budget is still being finalized, so we will share the details as soon as they?re available. How to Apply Complete the GAAD 2026 Call for Proposals Form by January 9, 2026. Please share this call for speakers within your network. We are looking for diverse perspectives that can shed light on various aspects of accessibility and inclusivity. For any inquiries or further information, reach out to us at gaad-conference@umn.edu. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference. We look forward to collaborating with you for GAAD 2026. Warm regards, Global Accessibility Awareness Day Planning Committee -- Luke Kudryashov Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst, Deputy ADA Coordinator Office for Digital Accessibility | accessibility.umn.edu University of Minnesota | umn.edu kudry003@umn.edu Pronouns: He/They -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 61984 bytes Desc: not available URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 20 13:59:10 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Lucy Greco via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 20 13:59:49 2025 Subject: [Athen] starting public speaking Message-ID: Hello everyone. I swore I would never be the person that sent this message. but hey we must all do this at some point. if any of you would be interested in helping me get my new speaking career off the ground i could use some linkedin love.. I hate doing this. I would have thought my work spoke for itself but I hate that I have been told that my endorsements are all too old and don't talk about speaking so thanks for any help you all could give. and hay it goes without saying if you need me to give a talk just reach out and lets see what we can do lucy Lucy Greco accessibility evangelist (510)918-9621 Https://accessaces.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 20 17:45:10 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Lissner, L. Scott via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 20 17:45:20 2025 Subject: [Athen] The Twenty Sixth Annual Multiple Perspectives Conference In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The Twenty Sixth Annual Multiple Perspective On Access, Inclusion & Disability Conference APRIL 13 ? 14 2026 | The Ohio State University Infrastructures for Accessibility Multiple Perspective?s celebrates and explores the multiple meanings and expressions of access; recognizing disability as inherent to the human condition and accessibility as integral to design, technological innovation, and engage citizenship. This year?s theme asks you to consider facilitators; enabling structures that allow full engagement in society. From curb-cuts to AI what policies and practices that advance us toward achieving Congress? purpose for enacting the ADA. Please use our online submission form to submit your proposal by December 3, 2025. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 20 18:59:16 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Lissner, L. Scott via athen-list) Date: Fri Nov 21 07:53:41 2025 Subject: [Athen] Call for proposals: Infrastructures for Accessibility Message-ID: Multiple Perspectives 2026 The Twenty Sixth Annual Multiple Perspective On Access, Inclusion & Disability Conference APRIL 13 ? 14 2026 | The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio Infrastructures for Accessibility Multiple Perspective?s celebrates and explores the multiple meanings and expressions of access; recognizing disability as inherent to the human condition and accessibility as integral to design, technological innovation, and engage citizenship. This year?s theme asks you to consider facilitators; enabling structures that allow full engagement in society. From curb-cuts to AI what policies and practices that advance us toward achieving Congress? purpose for enacting the ADA. ?The Nation's proper goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for such individuals? It is the purpose of this Act? 1. To provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 2. To provide clear, strong, consistent, enforceable standards addressing discrimination against individuals with disabilities; 3. To ensure that the Federal Government plays a central role in enforcing the standards established in this Act on behalf of individuals with disabilities; and 4. To invoke the sweep of congressional authority, including the power to enforce the fourteenth amendment and to regulate commerce, in order to address the major areas of discrimination faced day-to-day by people with disabilities. Pub. L. 110-325, ?2 About Hosted by the Office of Institutional Equity at the Ohio State University and supported by the generosity of Margaret Stanton and the Ethel Louise Armstrong Endowment Fund. As a modern land grant university, an important part of Ohio State?s mission is serving the wider community as a catalyst for positive change and a springboard for collaborations with and among our partners in education, business, non-profits, and government. Since 2000, each year the university?s ADA Coordinator has identified series of workshops and public events that provide a forum for expand our understanding of disability as integral to human experience and create opportunities to increase community resources through the synergy of collaboration. Call for Proposals Preference will be given to proposals that explore practices, policies and structures that facilitate access, serve as a catalyst for collaborations; or connect individuals to local, national or international communities. * Please use our online Submission Form * Proposal reviews begin December 3, 2025 International Day of Disabled Persons * Acceptances by January 4, 2026 Louis Braille?s Birthday (World Braille Day) * Presenter confirmations requested on January 23, 2026 Ed Roberts Birthday Please Note: The full conference fees will be waived, and lunch provided for onsite for presenters. Presenters are responsible for their own travel and lodging. Past Programs To be on the mailing list for the conference, send e-mail to ADA-OSU@osu.edu https://ada.osu.edu/multiple-perspectives-conference/multiple-perspectives-2026 Get Outlook for iOS -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Fri Nov 21 08:49:50 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (normajean.brand via athen-list) Date: Fri Nov 21 08:50:00 2025 Subject: [Athen] Titanium Accessibility? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Kevin, If you are inquiring about Titanium Schedule, have you reached out to Titanium?s support team support@titaniumsoftware.com . They are pretty responsive. We use Titanium for our Counseling and Ability Services department, but at this time don?t have any blind users. If you are an administrator of Titanium, under both the System Settings and User Settings there is a tab for Accessibility. Not sure if these settings have been explored by your user but worth a look. In the System Administrator Manual: Accessibility Tips There are several program settings and navigation tips that can be useful to Titanium Schedule users and center clients who also use assistive technology. System and user settings, job responsibilities, workflow, and access may all interact to affect the performance of assistive technology with Titanium Schedule. We are committed to ensuring the best possible experience for all users, and will comply with all of our legal requirements under applicable federal accessibility standards (WCAG Guidelines 2.0 Levels A and AA and Revised Section 508). Any customer can contact us to obtain our Voluntary Product Assessment Report. If you are having difficulty using the software with assistive technology, please contact Titanium Support to report the issue and obtain one-on-one assistance at either Support@TitaniumSoftware.com or 281-443-3544, menu option 2. NJ Brand, (she/her/hers; Dyslexic, ADHD, PsA, Fibro, Migraine- Let?s destigmatize disabilities!) BAAS-Psych, ATAC, Assistive Technology Technician, Center for Learning Innovation ? T: 713.718.5604 ? F:713.718.5430 [https://res.public.onecdn.static.microsoft/assets/bookwithme/misc/CalendarPerson20px.png] Book time to meet with me ? HCCS ? Counseling & Ability Services ? AT@HCCS ? Teaching & Learning Center for Innovation Accessibility shouldn?t be an afterthought ? let?s make it a priority together. ENCOURAGE INCLUSIVITY, ENABLE CHANGE, ELEVATE EQUALITY. Accessibility and Inclusion are shared institutional responsibilities. #ally #highered #inclusion [Houston City College] Confidential - Do Not Copy or Distribute: This message may contain confidential information. It is intended only for the individuals(s) named herein. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this email in error) please notify the sender immediately. This message may also be legally privileged. If you are not the named addressee(s), you must delete this email immediately. Do not disseminate, distribute, or copy. From: athen-list On Behalf Of Kevin Price via athen-list Sent: Friday, October 3, 2025 12:47 PM To: athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: [Athen] Titanium Accessibility? [External Email Notice: This email is from outside the Houston Community College System. HCC will never use external email accounts to send confidential information, job opportunities, business/financial-related emails, or account password/expiration updates.] Hi Athen, I am working with a Blind student who is trying to use Titanium. The Titanium software works with confidential client notes. We have tried NVDA and JAWS and can?t get it to work (read) at all. Has anyone used Titanium and found that it is accessible, or found another solution to make it accessible? Any ideas would be appreciated. Kevin Kevin Price, MSW Assistant Director of Accessible Technology Student Accessibility Services Access and Community Engagement University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd Ferrell Commons, Room 155B Orlando, FL 32816-3661 Office: 407.823.2371 kevin.price@ucf.edu sas.sswb.ucf.edu Please note: Florida has a very broad open records law (F.S. 119). Emails may be subject to public disclosure. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 4976 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Fri Nov 21 09:01:29 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (normajean.brand via athen-list) Date: Fri Nov 21 09:01:40 2025 Subject: [Athen] Accessible Textbook Platforms? (long) In-Reply-To: <024201dc42a8$9187d750$b49785f0$@montana.com> References: <024201dc42a8$9187d750$b49785f0$@montana.com> Message-ID: [heart] normajean.brand reacted to your message: ________________________________ From: athen-list on behalf of via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 4:34:26 PM To: 'Deborah Armstrong' ; 'Access Technology Higher Education Network' ; 'Ali Steenis' Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible Textbook Platforms? (long) [External Email Notice: This email is from outside the Houston Community College System. HCC will never use external email accounts to send confidential information, job opportunities, business/financial-related emails, or account password/expiration updates.] Hi, Great comments from DeBee. I have been saying for a long time that a university should offer course credit for students with disabilities around learning Assistive Technology and Applications used at the University. I have run such independent studies for individual students, and they got 2 credits. Once completed, they had more of the skills they needed to be successful. IMO every student with a disability that uses AT should take such a course in their first year. Of course, this is difficult because it needs to be specialized. It also means identifying the right technology for that individual. Hopefully, the student would then be able to explore solutions on their own and identify support groups to help solve the issues they will face throughout their lives. Best George Best George From: athen-list On Behalf Of Deborah Armstrong via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 9:47 AM To: Ali Steenis ; Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: Re: [Athen] Accessible Textbook Platforms? (long) What I want to say about this, is more opinion than fact. Definitely spend some time with George?s epub tests. As a screen reader user I?ve found BryteWave/RedShelf (I think they are the same-- easy to use. Also VitalSource. I also can cope with Adobe Digital Edditions but wish it showed more of a book?s structure to the screen reader user. George likes Thorium which can read unprotected EPUB books. I have found both the eBook platforms integrated in to labs from Pearson and McGraw-Hill work well for me also. But this has not been the experience of many of my students. In cases of blind and low-vision users, it seems they don?t have the advanced screen reader skills to work effectively with these platforms. They get lost in the toolbars, sidebars, footers and the like. You need a firm grasp of jumping to, in and around html elements to be successful with these platforms. Another issue is how these platforms want to show you a little section at a time, so you are always trying to locate the next button or the table of contents button. Learning to use bookmarks for web navigation can help there. Sometimes, if you can get the book in a reasonable format and convert it to something the student knows, like Word, that student will be more successful. But Word is not my favorite platform for reading either. For one thing, it?s a word processor, so the wrong keypress can modify the document. Also Word will insert soft page breaks, messing up pagination. The first thing I do if I have a textbook converted to Word is to save it as HTMl, making it accessible and read-only. The biggest problem I think our non-techie students have is the constant requirement to change reading platforms. One semester it?s Pearson. Next it is VitalSource or RedShelf. Next it?s some weird publisher-supplied platform that none of the DSS staff has ever heard of. And then, the instructor puts his own book in google docs, or it?s in libretext, Openstaxor Merlot or someplace else on OER commons. This is particularly a big deal for my learning disabled students. Having to switch to and master a new platform is very stressful even though, unlike blind students, they can use a mouse. So the biggest barrier I think is not the platforms, though not all are accessible of course, but the mastery of tech skills. For one recent example, one of my blind students complained his book was inaccessible. It was an OER textbook on the Libretext platform. He went to the platform, arrowed down to ?download PDF? selected that, and presto, an inaccessible PDF appear. It was over 500 pages, so asking JAWS to OCR it would not have been a fun experience. Next he pulled up the page on his iPhone. Again he did ?download PDF? knowing it would appear in Apple books. It did, but it was still just an image. I went to the platform scrolled past ?download PDF? wen to an unlabeled button and chose it. The table of contents appears, I selected various sections, opening each in a different tab. The book was fully accessible after all, and even included some picture descriptions. It was the button to pull up the table of contents and the accessible text-based HTML view of the book that was inaccessible; One lousy little button was the only inaccessible thing! My student?s problem was impatience! A couple of tips: be sure to look for ?text view? or some other clue that when an image of a page is displayed, the platform also has a way to read the book as text. For example, a Pearson lab I used showed the book as page images. I was poking around looking for some study aids, when I found a link labeled ?accessible resources?. When I chose it, the full text of the book appeared, and the link to it was outside of the paywall!!! So you really have to explore and poke around before you determine that the thing is not accessible even when the default presentation of an eBook might be. If your book has images and your student is blind, teach them to use AI to get good descriptions. Sure, AI hallucinates, but we can hallucinate too when listening to a human describe. With the latest CoPilot app, you can actually share your screen and chat with it voice-to voice, asking it to tell you about a graph; it will even tell you to scroll up or down so it can ?see? the image better. JAWS has Picture Smart and there are several NVDA add-ons utilizing AI for image description. Consider too, if your student prefers a device for reading and if you can extract the book from the publisher, that they might be happier reading it on their phone, in Kurzweil 3000 or 1000, on a Victor reader stream, or a Braille display. One of my long-term sighted students is in love with his Plextalk player, which these days is pretty deprecated. I cannot always format a book for his player, but I try! Some students simply cannot look at a book for long periods, but they can see, and we should respect that they want to use their vision. Maybe all they need is for you to point out the ?read out loud? button in the platform and that makes it accessible for that student, even though it is generally considered an inaccessible platform. Maybe they should buy or rent the electronic version on Amazon and have Alexa read it to them while they look at specific sections in their browser or their Amazon device. I?ve rented textbooks on my Fire tablet and read them without trouble and saved a lot of money too. But if it is stuck inside an online platform, and a power user of a screen reader can access it, then I?d generally call that platform accessible. Remember too, that if there is a text view, all those apps and browser extensions that ?read the web? with synthesized speech are useful for low-vision and learning disabled students. For English and humanities, especially you can often borrow the book from a local library so any student majoring in these subjects should procure many library cards. As a lover of science fiction and someone who uses a Fire tablet, and borrows tons of eBooks from libraries, I have a lot less trouble with diverse reading platforms than either my blind or learning disabled students. The desire to fuel my reading addiction has forced my screen reader competence in to a higher plane, because if I don?t have something to read always, I?m in serious withdrawal. But the vast majority of students I serve dislike reading, which already reduces their ability to work with eBooks wherever they are located. ?If you like horror flicks?, I tell them, ?Read some Stephen King over the summer using your library card and don?t wait to master online platforms until you have to?. --Debee -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 24 06:14:23 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Kevin Price via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 24 06:14:27 2025 Subject: [Athen] Job Opening: Assistant Director, Student Accessibility Services, UCF Message-ID: Hi I wanted to share with you this job opening. It closes December 1st. UCF Student Accessibility Services (SAS) seeks applicants for an Assistant Director, Student Accessibility Services. This position provides leadership in the coordination of the accessible technology experience for the campus community and people with disabilities, including students with visual disabilities. The Assistant Director oversees accessible technology and accessible material purchases and coordination for Student Accessibility Services while also supporting the incorporation of web and other digital accessibility needs for the campus community. This position includes accessible technology responsibilities, along with general access and accommodation work as part of the Student Accessibility Services team's reasonable accommodation analysis process. More information is available at: https://jobs.ucf.edu/jobs/assistant-director-student-accessibility-services-orlando-florida-united-states Kevin Price, MSW Student Accessibility Services Access and Community Engagement University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd Ferrell Commons, Room 155B Orlando, FL 32816-3661 Office: 407.823.2371 kevin.price@ucf.edu sas.sswb.ucf.edu Please note: Florida has a very broad open records law (F.S. 119). Emails may be subject to public disclosure. SAS acknowledges the value of expressing identity-first (disabled person) and person first (person with disability) language in our communication. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 24 10:00:00 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Emily Singer Lucio via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 24 10:00:19 2025 Subject: [Athen] Image Alt Tags Message-ID: I am working with our social media tem and some questions came up about tagging images. If you have any insights, I would really appreciate it. - A while back I was told to write acronyms in alt text like "U-M-D" to make sure they're read aloud correctly. Is this still best practice? - Is there a recommended way to approach acronyms that are pronounced as words? E.g. for one of the Athletics photos, "SECU" is typically pronounced "See-kyu" - On the flip side -- For branded phrases that are typically presented in all-caps for emphasis, should we deliberately lowercase them so that screenreaders don't get confused and think it's an acronym? E.g. "Next NOW Fest" - Is there a best approach to dates? Would both "November 18, 2025" and "11/18/25" be read aloud correctly? - Is there a best approach to rankings numbers? E.g. would "#16" and "No. 16" both be read as "Number 16," or would we need to spell out "Number 16" for that to work? Respectfully, *Emily Singer Lucio She/Her/Hers* ADA Coordinator University of Maryland, College Park Belonging and Community 0112 Lee Building 7809 Regents Drive College Park MD 20742 Tel:301 405-2841 | Fax:301 314-9992 Email: eslucio@umd.edu *ADA Website*: accessibility.umd.edu *Report a Concern*: Disability Access Feedback and Concerns Form ( Also on the UMD app) *Sign up for the ADA Newsletter*: Subscribe to the ADA Newsletter *Join the* UMD Disability Google Group *To schedule a training*: You can fill out our training form *To request an interview*: You can fill out our Interview Request Form *Learn more about Disability Identity Language * ?Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn?t mean he lacks vision.? ? Stevie Wonder Source: WeCapable -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 24 11:14:08 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Kamran Rasul via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 24 11:14:15 2025 Subject: [Athen] Image Alt Tags In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Emily, I have included my answers below (in blue) and based on how I have configured my screen readers. [cid:image001.png@01DC5D43.A1EF0360] Kamran Rasul, MEd. Assistive Technology/Alternate Format Specialist (SDS) Phone: 410-516-1167 E-mail: krasul1@jhu.edu Garland Hall, 1st Floor, Office 135-G 3400 N. Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218 Schedule a meeting with Kamran From: athen-list On Behalf Of Emily Singer Lucio via athen-list Sent: Monday, November 24, 2025 1:00 PM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: [Athen] Image Alt Tags External Email - Use Caution I am working with our social media tem and some questions came up about tagging images. If you have any insights, I would really appreciate it. * A while back I was told to write acronyms in alt text like "U-M-D" to make sure they're read aloud correctly. Is this still best practice? o Is there a recommended way to approach acronyms that are pronounced as words? E.g. for one of the Athletics photos, "SECU" is typically pronounced "See-kyu" With acronyms, I first type UMD and listen to how it's read. If it sounds off or awkward, then I suggest experimenting as you have done until you hear it the way it meant to be. Keep in mind, a screen reader will announce dashes, so in those cases, I type it as: U M D (spaces between letters). This helps pace out reading the acronyms than listening rushing letters. Or, as you showcased, you can phonetically spell it out, long as it is culturally pronounced correctly. Only change I would make is having it typed in this manner: See kyu * On the flip side -- For branded phrases that are typically presented in all-caps for emphasis, should we deliberately lowercase them so that screenreaders don't get confused and think it's an acronym? E.g. "Next NOW Fest" I take it the original branded phrase displayed as NEXT NOW FEST? Either way it read phonetically as it is written for me. * Is there a best approach to dates? Would both "November 18, 2025" and "11/18/25" be read aloud correctly? This is a personal preference. I prefer having it as November 18, 2025, because if you think about other countries, they read it as day/month/year. If this not a concern, month/day/year will be fine and will read aloud including "slash." * Is there a best approach to rankings numbers? E.g. would "#16" and "No. 16" both be read as "Number 16," or would we need to spell out "Number 16" for that to work? For my setup it reads #16 as "number 16." Respectfully, Emily Singer Lucio She/Her/Hers ADA Coordinator University of Maryland, College Park Belonging and Community 0112 Lee Building 7809 Regents Drive College Park MD 20742 Tel:301 405-2841 | Fax:301 314-9992 Email: eslucio@umd.edu ADA Website: accessibility.umd.edu Report a Concern: Disability Access Feedback and Concerns Form ( Also on the UMD app) Sign up for the ADA Newsletter: Subscribe to the ADA Newsletter Join the UMD Disability Google Group To schedule a training: You can fill out our training form To request an interview: You can fill out our Interview Request Form Learn more about Disability Identity Language "Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision." - Stevie Wonder Source: WeCapable -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 16012 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Mon Nov 24 11:15:56 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Emily Singer Lucio via athen-list) Date: Mon Nov 24 11:16:15 2025 Subject: [Athen] Image Alt Tags In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks Kamran. Respectfully, *Emily Singer Lucio She/Her/Hers* ADA Coordinator University of Maryland, College Park Belonging and Community 0112 Lee Building 7809 Regents Drive College Park MD 20742 Tel:301 405-2841 | Fax:301 314-9992 Email: eslucio@umd.edu *ADA Website*: accessibility.umd.edu *Report a Concern*: Disability Access Feedback and Concerns Form ( Also on the UMD app) *Sign up for the ADA Newsletter*: Subscribe to the ADA Newsletter *Join the* UMD Disability Google Group *To schedule a training*: You can fill out our training form *To request an interview*: You can fill out our Interview Request Form *Learn more about Disability Identity Language * ?Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn?t mean he lacks vision.? ? Stevie Wonder Source: WeCapable On Mon, Nov 24, 2025 at 2:14?PM Kamran Rasul wrote: > Hi Emily, > > > > I have included my answers below (in blue) and based on how I have > configured my screen readers. > > > > Kamran Rasul, MEd. > > Assistive Technology/Alternate Format Specialist (SDS) > > Phone: 410-516-1167 > > E-mail: krasul1@jhu.edu > > Garland Hall, 1st Floor, Office 135-G > > 3400 N. Charles Street > > Baltimore, MD 21218 > > Schedule a meeting with Kamran > > > > > *From:* athen-list *On > Behalf Of *Emily Singer Lucio via athen-list > *Sent:* Monday, November 24, 2025 1:00 PM > *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network < > athen-list@u.washington.edu> > *Subject:* [Athen] Image Alt Tags > > > > > * External Email - Use Caution * > > > > I am working with our social media tem and some questions came up about > tagging images. If you have any insights, I would really appreciate it. > > ? A while back I was told to write acronyms in alt text like "U-M-D" to > make sure they're read aloud correctly. Is this still best practice? > > o Is there a recommended way to approach acronyms that are pronounced as > words? E.g. for one of the Athletics photos, "SECU" is typically pronounced > "See-kyu" > > With acronyms, I first type UMD and listen to how it's read. If it sounds > off or awkward, then I suggest experimenting as you have done until you > hear it the way it meant to be. > > Keep in mind, a screen reader will announce dashes, so in those cases, I > type it as: U M D (spaces between letters). This helps pace out reading the > acronyms than listening rushing letters. > > Or, as you showcased, you can phonetically spell it out, long as it is > culturally pronounced correctly. Only change I would make is having it > typed in this manner: See kyu > > ? On the flip side -- For branded phrases that are typically presented in > all-caps for emphasis, should we deliberately lowercase them so that > screenreaders don't get confused and think it's an acronym? E.g. "Next NOW > Fest" > > I take it the original branded phrase displayed as NEXT NOW FEST? Either > way it read phonetically as it is written for me. > > ? Is there a best approach to dates? Would both "November 18, 2025" and > "11/18/25" be read aloud correctly? > > This is a personal preference. > > I prefer having it as November 18, 2025, because if you think about other > countries, they read it as day/month/year. If this not a concern, > month/day/year will be fine and will read aloud including ?slash.? > > ? Is there a best approach to rankings numbers? E.g. would "#16" and "No. > 16" both be read as "Number 16," or would we need to spell out "Number 16" > for that to work? > > For my setup it reads #16 as ?number 16.? > > > > Respectfully, > > > > *Emily Singer Lucio She/Her/Hers* > > ADA Coordinator > > University of Maryland, College Park > > Belonging and Community > > 0112 Lee Building > > 7809 Regents Drive > > College Park MD 20742 > > Tel:301 405-2841 | Fax:301 314-9992 > > Email: eslucio@umd.edu > > *ADA Website*: accessibility.umd.edu > > *Report a Concern*: Disability Access Feedback and Concerns Form > ( > Also on the UMD app) > > *Sign up for the ADA Newsletter*: Subscribe to the ADA Newsletter > > > *Join the* UMD Disability Google Group > > > *To schedule a training*: You can fill out our training form > > > *To request an interview*: You can fill out our Interview Request Form > > > *Learn more about Disability Identity Language* > > > > > ?Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn?t mean he lacks > vision.? ? Stevie Wonder > > Source: WeCapable > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 16012 bytes Desc: not available URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Wed Nov 26 13:24:13 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Monica Olsson via athen-list) Date: Wed Nov 26 13:24:17 2025 Subject: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks for the info on the Math Kicker app, that looks interesting! I agree that the original poster may not have been only referring to handwritten math but scanned handwriting in general. Last week at the Accessing Higher Ground conference I learned of an AI OCR tool in beta that appears to be a grant funded collaboration between Benetech and Bookshare. It is called Bookshare+. From the conference - "Bookshare+ aims to close the gap in faculty created accessible materials. Benetech is developing an AI-powered platform that instantly remediates instructional content into accessible formats. Students can upload a file or take a photo and immediately read with text to speech, dyslexic-friendly settings, or on the fly image descriptions." Monica M. Olsson (she/her/hers) Policy Associate ? Accessible IT Coordinator Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges ?Email: molsson@sbctc.edu ? Phone: 360-704-3922 The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect. Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web ________________________________ From: athen-list on behalf of Steven Bianco via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 9:08 AM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network ; Vanessa M Ayala Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format [Sent from outside SBCTC] I don't know if it is just math-focused handwriting, it was not initially clear to me in the original post, but you may want to try a LLM (AI) approved by your institution. Usually, the AI models can try to extract handwriting and provide a text transcript. I have had great luck with just real images of math and conversion to LaTeX or MathML. There is another free tool for Math, it is worth a try since it is free https://mathkicker.ai/. You sign up for a free Mathkicker account and it will send you a personalize conversion link which you can reuse. For convenience I tested an inaccessible handwritten math PDF document shared in the CLAC April 3, 2025, meeting on converting documents to an accessible math format and have Word Document outputs from MathKicker, SensusAccess, and ChatGPT-5. The one that looked to have the best output was MathKicker. The formulae were proper Word equation objects, it noticed the therefore symbol and output it in the equation and was a more one-to-one conversion. It recognized the regular non-math handwritten well, some spelling errors, but I can see why. It noticed the image figure correctly and placed it as an image, however, there was no alt text provided. SensusAccess did not OCR the images, just placed them in the Word Document as images. ChatGPT-5 did provide a good output but did not get the formulae converted to Word Equation objects, it did provide a visual description of the diagram image. It was not a one-to-one conversion as it placed in it's own logic writing out "therefore" and added extra context from the prompt "can you convert this to an accessible format that is screenreader friendly". I hope this information is helpful. Steven Kolberg, MA Florida SouthWestern State College Office of Information Technology Senior Coordinator, Accessibility and LMS Administration Phone: (239) 432-6774 or X16774 Email: Steven.Bianco@FSW.edu Schedule with Me on Zoom Follow the Florida State EIT Consortium on twitter and LinkedIn Florida SouthWestern State College, an equal access institution, prohibits discrimination in its employment, programs and activities based on race, sex, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or veteran's status. The College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Questions pertaining to educational equity, equal access, or equal opportunity should be addressed to Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers, Florida 33919, Compliance@fsw.edu, 239.489.9051 or to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, United States Department of Education. ________________________________ From: athen-list on behalf of Vanessa M Ayala via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 11:20 AM To: Access Technology Higher Education Network Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format CAUTION: Please Be Aware - This Email Originated Outside of FSW Hello, I've been really impressed with the tool Mathpix: https://mathpix.com/handwriting-recognition. It's a STEM focused tool, and uses LaTex code, but I picked it up quickly without prior knowledge. It's not perfect, but it's much better than anything else I've tried. I sometimes use it on stubborn PDFs when I can't get a book to scan, and the OCR outmatches Acrobat every time. Kind regards, Vanessa Vanessa Ayala (she/her) Digital Accessibility Center Manager | The University of Texas at Austin | Enterprise Technology -----Original Message----- From: athen-list On Behalf Of David Andrews via athen-list Sent: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 6:38 AM To: Megan E Hall ; Access Technology Higher Education Network ; athen-list@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Athen] Converting Hand-Written Documents to an Accessible Format I could be remembering wrong, but I think Seeing AI from Microsoft can do this. However, I think you will find that it is a problematic process at best. I am sure it will get better with AI, but ..... Dave >Hello, > >A colleague and I have been searching and testing various technology >tools that would convert a hand-written document to an accessible file >format. So far, we have found several tools that will use OCR in the >conversion process, but it seems it still recognizes the handwriting as >an image. This is also happening in my Adobe Acrobat Pro account; it >labels them as "figures." > >Does anyone have any recommendations for a tool that can do this >correctly? We are coming up short. > >We would also appreciate some insight into how other institutions are >handling this. Tips, best practices, etc. are welcome. > >Thank you in advance, > >Megan Hall >Senior Instructional Designer >Saint Francis University | Center for Excellence in Teaching and >Learning >814.472.3933 | Library Room 110A >_______________________________________________ >athen-list mailing list >athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu >http://mailma/ >n22.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Fathen-list&data=05%7C02%7C% >7Cf424e2bab583437bcb6408de1b9efb60%7C31d7e2a5bdd8414e9e97bea998ebdfe1%7 >C0%7C0%7C638978566784395624%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnR >ydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D% >3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZqweDOBnHCFiLOmZKnvabF1Wvo%2FmrK48u6lXF8%2BarwE%3 >D&reserved=0 _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list >> This message is from an external sender. Learn more about why this << >> matters at https://links.utexas.edu/rtyclf. << _______________________________________________ athen-list mailing list athen-list@mailman22.u.washington.edu http://mailman22.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list [Florida SouthWestern State College] Please note: Due to Florida's broad open records law, most written communication to or from College employees is public record, available to the public and the media upon request. Therefore, this e-mail communication may be subject to public disclosure. You are the Key to Information Security. Click Here to Learn More. FSW is an equal access, equal opportunity organization. More: [www.fsw.edu/equity]www.fsw.edu/equity. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From athen-list at u.washington.edu Thu Nov 27 10:30:00 2025 From: athen-list at u.washington.edu (Network of Assistive Technologists via athen-list) Date: Thu Nov 27 10:30:29 2025 Subject: [Athen] Deadline Extended! Submit your NOAT 2026 conference proposal by December 16 Message-ID: Please forgive any cross postings The buzz for NOAT 2026: educATe and integrATe is building, and we're extending our call for proposals until Tuesday, December 16, 2025. But this isn't just a conference; it's a movement toward a more inclusive future. It's a gathering of like-minded innovators dedicated to integrating new skills and knowledge at every turn. *We need your unique voice to make it happen.* If you're an AT practitioner with a story to tell, an idea to share, a topic to discuss, or a lesson to teach, this is your opportunity. We are seeking compelling presentations that align with our theme: *educATe and integrATe*. Don't let this deadline slip by again. Take action now and *be a part of the conversation* that shapes our collective future. For more details and to submit your proposal, visit www.ATconference.ca TODAY! *Doug Mantle,* Founder | The Network of Assistive Technologists www.NOAT.ca | info@NOAT.ca -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: