Ditch the Fancy Vocabulary for Accessible Language When building a website, many designers and developers adhere to the principle of keeping everything as simple as possible, only as complex as it needs to be. This is usually a good practice for web design itself — but what about the text on your web pages? According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 6.6 million people in the U.S. have a cognitive disability that affects their memory, concentration, or decision-making. Making the language of your website more accessible is a valuable step in improving the experience for people with disabilities.
National Literacy Directory (NLD) is a national database of literacy programs available on the Internet and at the Operator-Assisted Search Hotline: 1-877-389-6874. NLD provides listings for Early Childhood, Family Literacy, High School Equivalency/Adult Basic Education, English Language Learning, and Citizenship Classes. The NLD is managed by the National Center for Families Learning.
Daisy Consortium The DAISY standard is now an official NISO standard and is also recognized by the Library of Congress and the W3C. "The DAISY Consortium's mission is to develop the International Standard and implementation strategies for the production, exchange, and use of Digital Talking Books in both developed and developing countries, with special attention to integration with mainstream technology, to ensure access to information for people with print disabilities."
English Empowerment Center Learn English. Change Your Life. (Formerly the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia.) Teaches adults the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English so they can access employment and educational opportunities and more fully and equitably participate in the community.
International Literacy Association (ILA) is a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy. The Association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism, and professional development activities. Our members promote high levels of literacy for all
Learning Ally While Learning Ally remains a leading provider of audiobooks – including the world's largest library of audio textbooks – our organization has blossomed to become a critical resource to not only students in need, but also their parents, families, and educators. From delivering parent services, webinars and tools for managing a learning difference to providing links to support networks, certifiers and professionals in the field of learning disabilities, our goal is provide a community of support – online, on the phone and in person. We help parents manage the challenges that come with supporting a child with a reading and learning disability.
Sundance Literactive "Teaching Children to Read" Literactive is the leading provider of reading material for pre-school, kindergarten, and grade 1 students available online. The program is comprised of carefully leveled guided readers, comprehensive phonic activities, and a wealth of supplemental reading material which gradually develop a child's reading skills in a sequential and enjoyable manner. Developed and approved by teachers and parents across the United States, Literactive is the acknowledged leader in early learning online. It also provides an ESL version in Spanish for every Guided Readers, e-Poetry, e-picture books, and learning activities. Updated
Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) This site offer an array of new, final publications from the old National Institute for Literacy (NIFL); the LINCS Resource Collections (online subject-oriented collections of high-quality instructional resources); archives of all NIFL webcasts; and a continuation of popular resources such as the news items and discussion lists.
Maryland Adult Education and Literacy Services Program Adult Education and Literacy Services is housed within the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation as part of the Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. Adults may prepare to earn a high school diploma through the GED® tests or the National External Diploma Program (NEDP).
DAISY Consortium The DAISY Consortium was founded in 1996 and consists of organizations around the world who are committed to developing the Digital Accessible Information SYstem (DAISY). DAISY is a digital standard for producing accessible and navigable multimedia documents. These documents are Digital Talking Books, digital text books, or a combination of synchronised audio and text books that permit everyone, but especially people who are blind, visually impaired, or have another print disability, to experience a better way to read.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) from the Library of Congress. Through a national network of cooperating libraries, NLS administers a free library program of braille and audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the United States by postage-free mail.
What is Web-Braille? Web-Braille is a service that provides electronic files of braille books, magazines, and music materials to individuals registered with cooperating libraries. After registering with the library eligible braille readers may download the electronic files or use them online with braille output devices. Updated
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