Knowledge & Advocacy
At the University of Denver, we believe that diversity enriches the lives of everyone on campus and creates a more inclusive community for all. As a part of diversity and inclusiveness efforts, there are several ways for you to advocate for a culture of accessibility at DU.
The Knowledge Base will provide you with valuable information from this website, campus resources or other accessibility-focused entities. We want you to become familiar with this information and challenge yourself to help make a more accessible and accommodating campus for everyone.
Knowledge Base
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Tools for Checking for Accessibility
- Zoom
- Microsoft Office
- Websites
- WebAim
WebAIM offers complete web accessibility services including the Wave Web Accessibility Tool - W3C Markup Validation Service
This checks the markup validity of Web documents in HTML, XHTML, SMIL, MathML, etc. If you wish to validate specific content such as RSS/Atom feeds or CSS stylesheets, MobileOK content, or to find broken links, there are other validators and tools available. - JAWS Screen Reader Demo
Installing this software will allow you to explore how your pages sound to someone without sight (a very valuable education) - W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
Their web accessibility tools help to evaluate and test accessibility - Vischeck
This tool shows you what your page looks like to the colorblind
- WebAim
- PDFs
- Color Contrast
- Presentation Guide (fonts, text, graphics, etc.)
- Large Print
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Books in Alternate Format
Students who need and have an approved accommodation for alternate format text can request books through the Disability Services Program (DSP). The resources below are also beneficial for independence-building and for personal and post-college reading.
Be sure to verify that your purchase will work with your specific software as there are many variables and restrictions on files from certain vendors.
- Closed Captioning
- Dictation Software
- Note-taking Technology
- Text-to-Speech and Literacy Software
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Professional Development
- Etiquette
- Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
- Ableism
- Service Animals
- Training
- Request training on compliance, disability etiquette and other topics
- Rocky Mountain ADA Center
- Digital Accessibility Basics (approximately 90 minutes)
- Office for Civil Rights
- Outside Resources
Advocacy
Accept and Adopt
If accessibility is new to you, start small! And then keep practicing what you learn. You can gather valuable information from this website, campus resources or other accessibility-focused entities.
Build and Encourage Community Awareness
Learn more about accessibility principles and organize trainings for your colleagues. When you find something especially helpful in accessibility or providing accommodations, share this with others.
Know Laws and Policies
There are certain rules and regulations DU must adhere to for accessibility. Become familiar with these and challenge yourself to help make a more accessible and accommodating campus for everyone.
Practice
Make accessibility part of your workflow. For example, run any PDFs you plan to share through text-recognition software so that students using assistive technologies can still access the information.
Reach Out With Questions
Feel free to ask questions as you "accessify" your courses, programs or other campus activities. If you've not found the answer or resource your looking for here contact one of the offices below, they will be happy to assist you.