[Sigia-l] UPA-MN Event: Accessibility: Beyond Checklists & Stds (May 12th)

[Lyle_Kantrovich at cargill.com]

I thought some SIG-IA members might be interested in this event on 
Accessibility.  Details below.  

Regards,

Lyle Kantrovich
President, Minnesota Chapter 
Usability Professionals' Association
http://www.upamn.org/


-----Original Message-----
Subject: May 12th UPA Minnesota Topic: Accessibility: Beyond Checklists 
and Standards

You know the accessibility standards forwards and backwards, so why are 
your users still complaining?  Join us May 12th at the University of 
Minnesota for some answers.  Nicole Tollefson and Phil Kragnes are 
recognized as experts in the field of accessibility.  They will be 
sharing some of the highlights from a day-long tutorial they'll be 
conducting at the Montreal UPA International Conference in July.  For 
the chapter meeting we'll only be able to scratch the surface of the 
topic, but the information is sure to be valuable.  You'll gain insight 
on how to provide truly accessible Web design through demonstrations of 
adaptive technology, references to case studies, and a short discussion 
of how disabled users approach the Web.  Nicole and Phil will also 
highlight some issues to consider around designing for users with 
disabilities; such as balancing accessibility with team needs, 
usability, and project timelines.  They'll also briefly discuss what 
lessons can be transferred to other types of interface design projects.

Intrigued by accessibility?  Learn more!  Over the past months, a number 
of individuals have expressed a desire for more focused discussions on 
the topic.  UPA Minnesota would like to gauge overall interest, and if 
people are willing to participate, we'll investigate the creation an 
accessibility special interest group.  John Neenan from US Bank is 
committed to the idea, and will be available during the networking 
portion of the meeting to answer your questions.  If you're interested 
in the idea of an accessibility SIG but can't attend the May meeting, 
please send an email to ProgramDirector at upamn.org and we'll forward the 
information to John.

If you, or someone you know, would like to attend this event, please 
register by emailing events at upamn.org.  See the information below for 
more details.


Meeting Details
------------------------------------------
Date/Time:	May 12, 2005, 6:00 p.m.
Place:	Room 402, Walter Library
Address:	117 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Host:		University of Minnesota
Speakers:	Nicole Tollefson and Philip M. Kragnes
Topic:	Accessibility: Beyond Checklists and Standards
Agenda:
  6:00 pm  Networking, cookies and beverages 
  6:30 pm  Welcome and brief chapter meeting
  7:00 pm  Presentation
  8:00 pm  Adjourn to optional after-meeting food, suds and networking
Special Notes:  
  1) The College of Education is hosting commencement exercises at 7:00 
pm in Northrop Auditorium that evening.  Please be aware that there may 
be some competition for parking space in the Church Street Garage if you 
arrive later in the evening.
  2) To access the 4th floor of Walter Library, you must use the 
elevator in the long hallway of the ground floor.  The elevator in the 
lobby does not stop at the 4th floor.  Look for the UPA signs we'll 
post.
  3) Food and beverages are not allowed in the room where we will be 
holding the presentation.  However, we will have light refreshments 
available in the lobby right outside of the room.


About Our Speakers
------------------------------------------
Nicole Tollefson is a usability consultant and Web designer in the Web 
Development department at the University of Minnesota, where she has 
worked for five years.  She has worked with the Web for over eight years 
and wrote her department's accessibility testing methodology and trains 
the designers and quality assurance professionals in designing and 
evaluating for accessible Web sites and applications. The department 
creates some of the most widely used applications at the University, 
including online registration (which is available to the over 30,000 
enrolled students) and online pay statements (available to the over 
15,000 staff).  It is critical for the applications and sites from her 
department to be accessible because they are so widely used.  If they 
are not accessible, the University cannot be an equal opportunity 
employer or provide equal education opportunities to its students.


Philip M. Kragnes has served as the Adaptive Technology Specialist for 
the University of Minnesota since October 1998.  He directs the Computer 
Accommodations Program (CAP) -- a partnership of Academic & Distributed 
Computing Services (ADCS) and Disability Services (DS). The program 
exists to assist university students, staff and faculty with 
disabilities in accessing computers and information through the use of 
adaptive technology.

Mr. Kragnes received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Cognitive Psychology 
from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1987.  He developed Carnegie-Mellon 
University's first disability services program and served as its 
director for a year and a half, while pursuing his studies at the 
institution.  In 1995, he received his Master of Science degree in 
Experimental Psychology: Human Cognition, Memory and Learning from the 
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.  Please see his on-line resume 
for further information:  http://members.tcq.net/pkragnes/resume.html


RSVP & Dues
------------------------------------------
RSVP by sending your name and company name or business affiliation to: 
mailto:events at upamn.org.  

Non-member visitors are welcome, but are asked to pay $10.00 to attend 
each meeting.

Haven't joined our chapter yet? It's only $40 for the calendar year, and 
you may sign up at our monthly meetings.  More information is found at: 
http://www.upamn.org/join.shtml


For maps, driving directions & parking information, see our web site: 
http://www.upamn.org/
_______________________________________________
Usability Professionals' Association Minnesota
http://www.upamn.org/