Employment Incentives: Fiore Files Archives Page

Universal Access and Web Design: What You Should Know about Flash

If a picture is worth a thousand words – a Macromedia Flash presentation is probably worth volumes. Flash technology, in a general sense, may be one of the most widely available technologies used on the web. For developers, the ability to program one multimedia presentation that can be viewed the same on nearly all computers makes the technology very appealing. However, for individuals with disabilities, Flash can introduce unique accessibility problems. Click here for more information on multimedia accessibility.

I’m Just Looking: Browser Usage, Operating Systems and Screen Resolution Trends

Different viewing habits are changing the way we use our web browsers. As the Internet provides more multimedia content and users begin to view more video content on their computers, expect larger monitors with larger screen resolutions and the use of a greater amount of different colors. Too accommodate people; we need to know what they are using. Click here to learn more about what people are using for their Internet viewing needs.

Guidelines for Creating Accessible Media

The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) serves as the research and development arm for WGBH’s Media Access Group. One of the main concentrations of NCAM is the continued enhancement of accessibility to media for people with disabilities. In order to boost their mission, they have recently published a series of guidelines that provide systematic solutions for making a variety of electronic media accessible to users with sensory disabilities. This publication offers a collection of various guidelines ranging from the creation of image access points for people with visual impairments, to providing access to scientific and mathematical expressions for all users with disabilities. To view all guidelines, please visit NCAM’s website..

One Minute Challenge - Test your ADA knowledge:

Three True or False Questions about the ADA and Hearing Impairments.

Title I of the ADA covers employment by private employers with 15 or more employees and state and local government employers of the same size. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act provides the same protections for federal employees and applicants for federal employment. Click here to take the test – relax, we can’t see your answers.

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Hearing loss is a common problem in modern society due to the combined effects of noise, aging, disease, and heredity. Hearing is a complex sense involving both the sensitivity of the ear as well as the ability to understand speech. For information and statistics about hearing loss, click here for a summary prepared by National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders. MS Word - 34 K

What do these icons mean about web standards and accessibility? Eliot Spindel, accessible web designer explains – click here to learn more about web standards and accessibility.

Fiore Files Archives

A new technology horizon emerges-some call it VISTA
Insurance Portability
ADA Building Standards
Web Accessibility-Major News

A new technology horizon emerges – some call it VISTA

As Vista starts to populate the vast computer landscape in offices and classrooms across America, you should know that Microsoft works with assistive technology manufacturers in the Microsoft Assistive Technology Vendor Program (MATvp). Members of this program have a proven record of accomplishment of designing, building, and supporting assistive technology products that help individuals who need accommodation successfully use computers within the Windows operating environment.

Despite this partnership, Vista does herald a new era of how we use our displays to organize and view data. More ‘stuff’ on our monitors is what Rehabilitation Engineer Michael Fiore discusses in a paper just published by the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals Journal, RehabPRO. The paper discusses how the line between rehabilitation and technological advancement continues to blur.

Click on the citation to view the article - Fiore, Michael. (2006). Computer Display Enhancements. Rehab Pro: the Rehabilitation Professional, 15(1), 28-29. PDF - 24 K

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Insurance Portability

If you've had "creditable" health insurance for 12 months, with no lapse in coverage of 63 days or more, a new group plan cannot invoke the pre-existing condition exclusion. It must cover your medical needs as soon as you enroll.

Click here for more information on insurance portability.

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ADA Building Standards

A PDF version of the ADA Standards, as published in the Code of Federal Regulations, complete with links to figures, graphics and cross-referenced sections, can make designing building modifications easier by helping you understand related accommodation requirements.

Click here for more information on the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

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Web Accessibility: Major News!

On September 6 of this year, a federal judge ruled that a lawsuit filed against Target Corporation by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) concerning the accessibility of the company's Web site can move forward. This reinforces the need for businesses to reconsider accessibility when creating and promoting a web presence. According to the NFB, the ruling sets a precedent establishing that retailers must make their Web sites accessible to the blind under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Click here to see the story that appeared in Computerworld.

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