Clear Helper Project Status

Clear Helper is a project intended to develop a Web site using best practices of accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities. The Web site will contain tutorials about using particular Web sites and/or features of them. The Web site is under development.

The Clear Helper Web site will meet:

• the general accessibility standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium WCAG 2.0; and
• the guidelines suggested by WebAIM's Cognitive Web Accessibility Checklist.

Accessibility Features for People with Cognitive Disabilities

Initial design efforts will focus on:

• clear, simple language;
• a voice narration for every page;
• a consistent set of navigation icons; and
• presentation of tutorials in multiple formats (i.e., text, audio and video).

Technologies

In anticipation of incorporating accessible applications into the Clear Helper Web site, it will be designed using HTML 5 and CSS. WAI-ARIA will also be incorporated. It defines a way to make accessible advanced user-interface controls developed with such technologies as Ajax and JavaScript.

Participation by People with Cognitive Disabilities

Advice from and testing by people with cognitive disabilities have a very important role in the development of the Clear Helper Web site. They will be involved in every part. Interviews are being conducted to determine what they find easy and difficult about using the Web. This will inform the design of the future Clear Helper Web site, and the subject matter of its tutorials.

Project Developer

John Rochford is a Director of Technology for The University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Project Updates

The development project's progress is being tracked on:

The Clear Helper Blog