What Internet-based communication methods are accessible to people with disabilities?
Printable Version Text-based, asynchronous resources, such as electronic mail, bulletin boards, and electronic discussion lists, generally do not erect barriers for students with disabilities. For example, if a prerequisite to a course or program is for students to have access to electronic mail, the instructor or program leader can assume that participants with disabilities already have an accessible email program to use. A participant who requires assistive technology to access email will have resolved any basic system access issues before enrolling in the course. His own computer system will provide whatever accommodations he needs. Email communication between individual students, course administration staff, the instructor, guest speakers, and other program participants is accessible to all parties, regardless of disability. Real-time chat, however, is not accessible to everyone. In this communication method, participants communicate synchronously (at the same time), as compared to
