University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Staff Changes

Sharon Downs took the helm as the new Director of Disability Resource Center on June 1st.  Prior to accepting this position, Sharon served as the Associate Director for the department.  She has been with the DRC in some capacity since 1996, when she started out here as a sign language interpreter.  After that she ran PEPNet at UALR for seven years, providing outreach and technical assistance to postsecondary institutions in the state who served deaf and hard of hearing students, before being promoted to Associate Director.  Sharon had the pleasure of working closely with Susan Queller for all of those years, and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the campus community to create usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments.

Melanie Thornton began as Associate Director in August.  She has served as the Director for Project PACE, a grant-funded DRC project, for nine years.  In that capacity, she collaborated with faculty, staff and administrators to create inclusive and equitable learning environments.  About her new role, Melanie says, “I am excited about collaborating more closely with students as we continue to work toward the vision of a campus that embraces disability as an aspect of diversity.”

Jan Chaparro will be in the office a couple of days a week for a while to ease the transition while Melanie finishes up the last year of the PACE grant.  You may know her from when she used to work full-time in our office as our Access Consultant.  We’re so grateful to her for helping us these next few months.

Email Usability

Email has become a primary method for communicating in the workplace and beyond.  It offers many advantages over other forms of communication and those advantages are maximized if email is prepared with principles of usability in mind.  Since most of us spend several hours a day reading and responding to email, we are becoming more judicious about how much time we will spend attempting to read an email message that is not well-designed.   In addition, email messages can be formatted in ways that make them inaccessible to those reading their mail with alternative devices, such as cell phones or screen reader technology.

HTML Versus Plain Text—the Great Debate

It is an irony that this tip sheet is being published in an HTML e-newsletter and that the flaws of sending email in HTML format will be pointed out here.   Email works best as plain text.  There is no doubt about that.  Sending messages in plain text is always the best option.  It can be easily read on any platform without the need for conversion.

On the other hand, there are clear advantages to sending email messages that include formatting.  Most of us have grown accustomed to reading formatted messages and find it easier on the eyes when headings are included and other forms of formatting break up the monotony of the page.  Formatting allows the reader to scan the message more easily for pertinent information.  And when an HTML formatted message is well-designed it grabs the reader’s attention and keeps them there longer.

If HTML worked predictably, it would be the preferred format, but email applications vary and what you send may not be what the reader sees.  What is sent in beautiful HTML on your end, may look like HTML code (a.k.a.  gobbledygook) on the reader’s end or if they are using an alternate device may simply be a blank message.

Example of HTML gobbledygook:
FONT face=Arial>Hi,
Bill!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Did you get the email message I sent yesterday?
Since you did not reply, I was wondering if you got it.  Please let me know
if you get this one!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Thanks!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=”Edwardian Script ITC” size=7>John</FONT></DIV>
</BODY></HTML>

Most email programs do send a plain text alternative that can be read by many applications.  The problem with this is that the success of the creation of this alternate format and the readability of the message created varies from software to software—both the software used to create it and the software used to read it.

So what is the answer to the debate?   Stick with plain text.  But, if you are going to send HTML-based email messages and newsletters, proceed with caution and follow these tips.

Email Messages

1. Keep formatting simple.
2. If you include images that are important to your message, describe them in the text.
3. Do not send your message as an image.  Some people create a document and convert it to an image and then simply paste it into the message.  This will be unreadable by many of your readers—including those who are blind and using screen readers.
4. Do not send your message as an attachment only.   You have probably received emails that say:  “See attached” and include a PDF or Word Document.  If you want to send a flier along with an email message, that’s great, but include the text from that message within the email itself.
5. Do not reply within the other person’s message.  Instead, cut and paste the comments you want to respond to within your own message.
6. Do not rely on color to distinguish between your comments and theirs.  Use some text indicator to differentiate between your comments and theirs.
7. Make sure subject headers are descriptive of the message contents.

If you use MS Outlook*:

8. Choose “include original message text” in your email options settings.  It is best if forwarded messages and messages to which you reply are included in the text below rather than created as an attachment.
9. Remove the “greater than” sign from the “prefix each line with” box.  By default, Outlook adds the “>” symbol to the beginning of each line in a forwarded message or the original message to which someone has replied.  Since the screen reader reads all of these as “greater than” it makes it less than enjoyable to read.

Email Newsletters

1. Include a web option.  The first sentence of your message should be “if you have trouble viewing this message, please go to…” with a URL where you have the newsletter posted.
2. Create the newsletter with a quality web design application.  This will allow you to include alternative text for images and format using inline CSS.
3. Test it out.  Check to see how your newsletter looks in a variety of email applications such as Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo.
4. Stay informed.  Good design for email applications is a moving target.  Read current articles about what works and doesn’t work in HTML email.  Good design of a web page does not necessarily translate to good design of an email newsletter.

A Final Word

As I was preparing this article, the Office of Communications sent out an announcement that provides an excellent example of a best practice in email usability.  They provided a nice graphic design and included all of the text from that image below the image.  They also provided a link at the very top of the email message that allows the user to view the message in a browser window.  To view this great example, go to:  http://ualr.edu/communications/assets/emails/picnic/picnic.html

For more information, contact:

Melanie Thornton
Director, Project PACE
Associate Director, Disability Resource Center
mpthornton@ualr.edu
501.650.2239 (voice)
501.569.3217 (voice/tty)
www.ualr.edu/pace

Suggested Resources

2008 Email Design Guidelines – Campaign Monitor Blog: http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/archives/2008/05/2008_email_design_guidelines.html

Text Email Newsletter Standard:
http://www.headstar.com/ten/

Jim Byrne:  How to Create Accessible Email
http://www.jimbyrne.co.uk/show.php?contentid=93

Welcome Students

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) staff at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock want to welcome new and returning students to the 2008-2009 school year. We hope that everyone had an enjoyable and fruitful summer. We look forward to working with you. Please email sadowns@ualr.edu if you’d like to reply to this message.

Staff Changes at the DRC

Sharon Downs took the helm as the new Director of Disability Resource Center on June 1st. Prior to accepting this position, Sharon served as the Associate Director for the department. She has been with the DRC in some capacity since 1996, when she started out here as a sign language interpreter. After that she ran PEPNet at UALR for seven years, providing outreach and technical assistance to postsecondary institutions in the state who served deaf and hard of hearing students, before being promoted to Associate Director. Sharon had the pleasure of working closely with Susan Queller for all of those years, and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with the campus community to create usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments.

Melanie Thornton began as Associate Director this month. She has served as the Director for Project PACE, a grant-funded DRC project, for nine years. In that capacity, she collaborated with faculty, staff and administrators to create inclusive and equitable learning environments. About her new role, Melanie says, “I am excited about collaborating more closely with students as we continue to work toward the vision of a campus that embraces disability as an aspect of diversity.”

Jan Chaparro will be in the office a couple of days a week for a while to ease the transition while Melanie finishes up the last year of the PACE grant. You may know her from when she used to work full-time in our office as our Access Consultant. We’re so grateful to her for helping us these next few months.

Got Gas?

In an effort to maximize time, energy, technology and gas, the DRC wants to take this opportunity to ensure that you are aware of our website and its virtual tools. Our homepage is: www.ualr.edu/disability. There you can learn more about our mission, contact information, perspective on disability and the elements of diversity we all bring to the UALR campus. Additionally, you can also virtually request your Faculty Notification Letters and submit Requests for Books in Alternate Format. Here’s how:

Request Books in Alternate Format:
• Go to: www.ualr.edu/disability
• On the left, select forms
• On this page, select Requests for Books in Alternate Format
Fill out the form completely and select SUBMIT at the bottom

Requests will be sent to a DRC staff member via email who will begin processing them right away.

REMINDER: Please request your books at least ten (10) weeks prior to the start of each semester.

Request Faculty Notification Letters:
• Go to: www.ualr.edu/disability
• On the left, select forms
• On this page, select Request for Faculty Notification Letters
• Fill out the form completely, and select SUBMIT at the bottom

Requests will be sent to a DRC staff member via email who will begin processing them right away.

REMINDER: Requests received from online students will be sent directly to faculty, via campus mail. All other requests should be picked up at the DRC.

New UALR email alternative

UALR has released a new alternative, web-based e-mail client for users of screen-readers, mobile devices or corporate networks that prevent use of the primary e-mail client (https://mail.ualr.edu/).

This replaces webmail.ualr.edu.

The new product is located at https://altmail.ualr.edu/.

If you need assistance with this system, please consult the e-mail support website (http://ualr.edu/computingservices/email/) or contact the Computing Services Help Desk at 501.569.8720.

Interested in Career Exploration Assistance?

If you are a student who lives in Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama or Georgia who is interested in career exploration and networking opportunities, including the possibility of attending a national conference, please visit the following website: http://www.cosdonline.org, to learn more.

Students, the DRC, UALR, and Universal Design!!

Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or special design, (AHEAD, date unknown). The DRC and the UALR community as a whole view disability as an aspect of diversity. Furthermore, the DRC collaborates with students, faculty, staff and community members alike to ensure to the greatest extent possible that campus facilities and programs are designed to be usable, equitable, inclusive and sustainable. Such designs would greatly reduce the need for disability-related accommodations because courses and buildings will have been designed to suit everyone’s needs.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN equals GOOD DESIGN!!

As new or returning students, if you encounter any physical, technological, environmental or educational barriers at UALR, please let us know. Also, if you would like to learn more about the concepts of Universal Design and the impact these concepts have had at UALR, please contact the DRC anytime, 501.569.3143 (voice/tty).

Check us out on Facebook!

The DRC just got set up on Facebook, so check us out and sign on as a fan!

DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER

Creative Solutions. Together.

Need Extra Money for College?
Tired of Loans to Pay Back?
Why not Apply for a Scholarship?

Stacy Willis Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: March 1, 2008

Amount of Award: Up to $2,500 for one year only (2008-2009)

Eligibility: Must have completed at least 30 hours at UALR or another accredited college or university (graduate students may apply); have a GPA of 2.50 or higher; and have organization/community involvement

Applications Available: Disability Resource Center, DSC 103, or call us at 501.569.3143 (v/tty) to request that one be e-mailed or faxed to you

A Good Strategy When Applying: Scholarship applications should be professional looking, checked for grammatical errors, and your responses to questions A—E must be typed (you may use a computer and attach the answers to the application). It is very important that applicants follow all of the instructions, and turn in everything by the deadline. The Stacy Willis Scholarship application process is not difficult or time consuming, so please consider applying if you are eligible!

Other Scholarships/Resources Available

Mary P. Oenslager Scholastic Achievement Award—blind/low vision
http://www.rfbd.org/applications_awards.htm

Bank of America ADA Abilities Scholarship
http://www.scholarshipprograms.org/bada/bada_2005_ins.htm

Ralph G. Norman Scholarship—learning disabilities
http://www.ldaarkansas.org/scholarships.html

Pfizer Epilepsy Scholarship Award
http://www.epilepsy-scholarship.com/

UALR Private Scholarships
http://www.ualr.edu/development/

Disability-related Scholarships and Grants (binder located in the DRC office, DSC 103)

New Staff Hired at the Disability Resource Center

The DRC welcomes John Barbuto, our new Access Consultant. He completed his Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling through UALR’s online program, and has a range of disability-related experiences, both professional and personal. He has moved here from Syracuse, NY for this position. We know you will enjoy meeting him. He has taken the place of Katy Evans, now the director of disability services at Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock.

Volunteers Needed at the Polls

If you are interested in the political process and in having volunteer experience for your resume, consider volunteering to work during elections. Contact Vincent McKinney at the Disability Rights Center in Little Rock, 501-296-1775, ext. 126, 800-482-1174, or vmckinney@arkdisability.org.

Job Opportunity

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic Regional Unit of the South Central States is seeking a State Director to provide leadership, management and coordination of the fund raising, program development, recruitment, public relations, outreach and communications for the State. To support the Regional Unit’s mission, policies, procedures and goals by implementing said policies on the state level and to work towards furthering RFB&D as One Organization. College Degree and related experience required including fundraising expertise, program management, and strong organizational and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to recruit and motivate volunteers.

The SD will work collaboratively with the Regional Executive Director, Regional Development Director, and the Regional Outreach Director on ensuring outcomes for the Unit’s goals and objectives. The Regional Unit serves Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Salary range is commensurate with educational and experience. Excellent benefits, retirement plan, and generous PTO program.

Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, Regional Unit of the South Central States, 1314 West 45th Street, Austin, TX 78756. Resumes can be faxed to (512) 323-9399 or via e-mail to lserafine@rfbdscs.org.

Welcome back to those of returning and welcome to you new folks! Please email slqueller@ualr.edu if you’d like to reply to this message.

ANNOUNCEMENT

We have changed our name to Disability Resource Center (from Disability Support Services). This is part of a major reorganization and shift in approach for our department.

OPEN HOUSE

Please come visit us on Thursday, September 13. Drop in at 103 DSC any time between 1:00 and 2:30 for refreshments, to discuss all the exciting changes we have going on, and check out some of our resources that are available to you.

Can’t wait to find out what we’ve been up to?! Keep reading…

BIG CHANGES

We have undergone quite a transformation since earlier this year. In addition to the name change, we have a new mission statement, new web site, restructured staff positions, revised faculty letter, new syllabus statement, and new tag line.

So what is this all about? Here’s a brief explanation:

The medical model of disability is widely seen in many settings, including universities. In that model, the student with a disability is the locus of the problem, and that problem needs to be fixed or mitigated in some way.

The basic idea of the social model of disability is that the ‘problem’ resides in the environment, and not in the individual. Under this model, we are all working toward creating more usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments. For DRC, this means outreach to the campus community, partnering with staff, and collaborating with students and faculty to create learning environments that work for everyone.

Universal Design in instruction focuses on designing learning environments in such a way that many accommodations for disabilities will be unnecessary. For instance, if a professor posts notes from lectures in their course management systems for all students to access, then recruiting a notetaker for a student for whom a disability interferes with taking notes would be unnecessary.

To give you one example of a change we made during this paradigm shift, consider our old tag line: “The education you want, the services you need.” This implies that the student can’t access the educational setting without seeking out the “disability experts” who would have all the answers. Consider our new tag line: “Creative Solutions. Together.” This is more collaborative and positive, and does not put the student in the position of feeling needy. Solutions can be found with any of the players: the student, faculty, staff, administration, our office, or any combination of these.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• www.ualr.edu/pace/newparadigm - to read more about our changes
• www.ualr.edu/disability - check out our new website
• www.ualr.edu/pace/ud/index.htm - learn more about universal design
• www.arkahead.org/events.htm - come to a presentation on these issues here at UALR on Wednesday October 24th

See you at the Open House!

Susan Queller, Director
UALR Disability Resource Center
103 Donaghey Student Center
Phone: 569-3143 (voice/tty)
Email: slqueller@ualr.edu
www.ualr.edu/disability

Welcome back to those of returning and welcome to you new folks! Please email sadowns@ualr.edu if you’d like to reply to this message.

ANNOUNCEMENT

We have changed our name to Disability Resource Center (from Disability Support Services). This is part of a major reorganization and shift in approach for our department.

BIG CHANGES

We have undergone quite a transformation since earlier this year. In addition to the name change, we have a new mission statement, new web site, restructured staff positions, revised faculty letter, new syllabus statement, and new tag line.

So what is this all about? Here’s a brief explanation:

The medical model of disability is widely seen in many settings, including universities. In that model, the student with a disability is the locus of the problem, and that problem needs to be fixed or mitigated in some way.

The basic idea of the social model of disability is that the ‘problem’ resides in the environment, and not in the individual. Under this model, we are all working toward creating more usable, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable learning environments. For DRC, this means outreach to the campus community, partnering with staff, and collaborating with students and faculty to create learning environments that work for everyone.

Universal Design in instruction focuses on designing learning environments in such a way that many accommodations for disabilities will be unnecessary. For instance, if a professor posts notes from lectures in their course management systems for all students to access, then recruiting a notetaker for a student for whom a disability interferes with taking notes would be unnecessary.

To give you one example of a change we made during this paradigm shift, consider our old tag line: “The education you want, the services you need.” This implies that the student can’t access the educational setting without seeking out the “disability experts” who would have all the answers. Consider our new tag line: “Creative Solutions. Together.” This is more collaborative and positive, and does not put the student in the position of feeling needy. Solutions can be found with any of the players: the student, faculty, staff, administration, our office, or any combination of these.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• www.ualr.edu/pace/newparadigm - to read more about our changes
• www.ualr.edu/disability - check out our new website
• www.ualr.edu/pace/ud/index.htm - learn more about universal design

Sharon Downs, Director
UALR Disability Resource Center
103 Donaghey Student Center
Phone: 569-3143 (voice/tty)
Email: sadowns@ualr.edu
www.ualr.edu/disability


Updated 6.10.2008