Accessibility in FCPS
FCPS staff collaborate to provide accessibility resources, professional development, and guidance across the division. Keep C.A.L.M and Choose Accessible Learning Materials is a way to support the FCPS commitment to Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
FCPS is committed to providing an excellent education that meets the needs of all students, keeping equity at the center of all we do to ensure their academic and social emotional success. Part of that commitment means delivering accessible resources to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. FCPS staff collaborate to provide accessibility resources, professional development, and guidance across the division.
What Does Accessibility Mean?
What is Accessibility?
from cast.org
Accessibility is shaped by what we need to do, our interactions with the environment, and our personal preferences.
Diversity of Abilities and Barriers
from w3.org
This page explores the wide diversity of people and abilities. It highlights some web accessibility barriers that people commonly experience because of inaccessible websites and web tools.
How People With Disabilities Use the Web
from w3.org
Stories of people with disabilities using the Web to highlight the effect of accessibility barriers and the broader benefits of accessible websites and web tools.
Video: How Some People with Disabilities Use Technology
from ADA National Network
Meet some students and parents with disabilities and learn how they interact with and use technology.
FCPS Keep C.A.L.M. and Choose Accessible Learning Materials
Choosing accessible learning materials (C.A.L.M.) is a way to support the FCPS commitment to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Throughout the school year, simple insights, tips, and tricks will be shared to help FCPS Keep C.A.L.M. and include all students, staff, and families in the teaching and learning process.
For additional information on FCPS Keep C.A.L.M and to see how FCPS teachers and staff are providing universal access through accessible text, follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @accessible_fcps.
Accessibility Resources
Create Accessible Documents and Presentations
- Microsoft lists 10 habits to create accessible content and has information on how to make accessible word documents.
- Google provides information on how to make accessible Google Docs and accessible Google Slides.
- Adobe provides information on how to create accessible PDF documents, which allow people to read, view, and interact with the documents using a variety of technology.
Accessibility Checkers
Accessibility Checkers can be used with documents and presentations to identify possible issues for people who have disabilities.
- Google's Grackle can be used with Google Docs and Google Slides.
- Microsoft has its own Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker.
- Check to ensure that your color contrast is high enough by using this Contrast Checker from WebAIM.
Readability: Need to adjust the reading level of your content?
- Rewordify helps simplify vocabulary.
- Text Compactor provides automatic text summarization.
- The Hemingway Editor App judges the “grade level” of your text.
Captions
Captions support people who are deaf and hard of hearing, English language learners, viewers in a loud room, and many others. They can be used on videos, live presentations, and video calls. For resources on using captions, visit the Captioning Resources section of our Technology Tools to Support All Learners page.
Magnifiers and Screen Readers
Magnifiers allow you to change your screen resolution, zoom in, or magnify your whole screen. Both the Microsoft Windows Magnifier and the Google Chromebook Magnifier make things on the screen easier to see.
Screen Readers are assistive technology tools, primarily used by people with vision impairments, that convert text, buttons, images and other screen elements into speech or braille.
- Windows Narrator is screen reader built into Windows.
- NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a free and open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system. View the NVDA User Guide or NVDA Keyboard Commands.
- JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is for computer users whose vision loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse.
- The JAWS Training page provides free training materials, in a variety of formats, and on a range of topics.
- Surfing the Internet with JAWS teaches you to use JAWS to read and work with all types of HTML pages, such as web sites, Help systems, web-based applications, and more.
- ZoomText is a fully integrated magnification and reading program tailored for low-vision users. View ZoomText Training.
- Chromebooks: Chromevox is a screen reader built into Chromebooks which enables people with visual impairments to use the Chrome operating system.
- iOS: VoiceOver is a a gesture-based screen reader.
Translation Tools
FCPS uses tools that translate information using "machine translation," which may not fully convert text into its intended meaning. FCPS cannot guarantee the accuracy of the converted text nor are we liable for any resulting issues.
- TalkingPoints is used in FCPS. It is an easy and safe way families can communicate in their home languages with their child’s teachers for free.
- Google Translate translates text, documents and websites from one language into another.
- Microsoft Translator provides speech and text translation.
Accessibility Features in FCPS Tools
Learn about the accessibility features of technology tools that are commonly used within FCPS.
- Chromebooks - You can make your Chromebook easier to use by turning on accessibility features that work best for your needs.
- Google: Using Accessibility Tools
- FCPS Website: Text to Speech Feature
- Schoology: Ally provides accessibility support by providing alternate file formats for uploaded files. Some examples of alternative formats include OCRed PDF, Immersive Reader, and ePub.
- Zoom Accessibility
Inclusive Technology for Accessible Classrooms
- Technology Tools to Support All Learners
Information on inclusive and assistive technology tools that can facilitate learning in FCPSOn, Strategies for Success and other classrooms for diverse students. - CAST: Accessibility and Inclusive Technology
CAST is a nonprofit education research and development organization that created the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and UDL Guidelines. The framework and guidelines are used globally to make learning more inclusive. - National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)
Based at CAST, the AEM Center is funded by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education. They work with states and districts to build capacity for developing and sustaining robust systems for providing accessible materials and technologies for all learners who need them.
Web Accessibility Resources
Below are resources to ensure that FCPS web pages are accessible.
- The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) promotes strategies, standards, and supporting resources to help make the Web more accessible to people with disabilities.
- Accessibility Tutorial from W3Schools
- Web Accessibility in Mind from WebAIM
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