April 16, 2004

Teleconference focuses on Internet accessibility

by Paula M. Davenport

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The public is welcome to attend a free teleconference at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on "Untangling the Web: Making Online Teaching and Learning Accessible" for people with disabilities.

The event will take place from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 22, in the Student Center's fourth-floor Video Lounge.

The presentation will promote awareness of the difficulties students with disabilities may have when navigating the Internet.

Topics will include: accessibility problems posed by courseware, course management systems, multimedia, use of audio and video in online courses, collaborative models that meet online accessibility challenges, developing coordinated institutional policies on a campus and strategies to enhance faculty and staff members' understanding of disabilities and technologies.

The SIUC Division of Continuing Education and the University's Disability Support Services department are co-sponsoring the event.

For more information, call Sandra Rhoads at the Division of Continuing Education at 618/536-7751 or check the department's Web site at http://www.dce.siu.edu.