Best Practices for Publishers & Software Developers
Be sure to refer to the sub-pages in this section for additional information about best practices for publishers and software developers as well as the links to outside resources, listed below.
Useful Accessibility Guidance & Support
Additional resources that may prove useful to publishers, developers, educators and others who create content to support the education of children and adults.
- Section 508 Standards
- GSA Government-wide Section 508 Accessibility Program
- About the Section 508 ICT Refresh
- GSA 508 Tutorials, Guidance, Checklists
- Accessible Publishing Best Practice Guidelines for Publishers
- STEM Content Description within Digital Talking Books
- Accessible Assessments: Item Writer Guidelines
- National Center on Education Outcomes Policy and Practice Guidance
- Adobe Flash Accessibility
- Adobe Accessibility
- Accessible Digital Learning Materials—Publisher/Developer Best Practices Guidelines (5/16/13 draft)
Ed Tech Developers Guide
The demand for high-quality educational apps is increasing as communities become more connected, devices become more affordable, and teachers and parents are looking for new ways to use technology to engage students.
Richard Culatta
This recent guide was developed by the Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education to support software developers, startups and entrepreneurs. In the section “Choosing the Best Opportunity”, Opportunity 8 provides a brief introduction to making learning accessible to all students.
The report is in the public domain. Authorization to use, modify, or reproduce the report in whole or in part is granted. The citation to use when reproducing this document is: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, Ed Tech Developer’s Guide, Washington, D.C., 2015.
Download the report from the Office of Educational Technology's website
Technology
Equipment or system where principal function is creation, conversion, duplication, control, display, interchange, transmission, reception, or broadcast of data.
View in glossaryAccessible
Content, activity, or technology that is usable by everyone with equivalent ease of use.
View in glossaryIndividuals with Cognitive Disabilities: Barriers to and Solutions for Accessible Information and Communication Technologies
This FCC white paper dated October 6, 2016 provides best practices for equipment manufacturers and service providers looking to comply with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act and the FCC’s accessibility rules. The work demonstrates a strong focus of the FCC on making sure communications equipment and services are accessible to people with all kinds of disabilities. The paper defines various categories of cognitive disability and discusses prevalence in America.
View the white paper announcement which includes a link to download the paper.
Download the white paper from the FCC website.
Video
Recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images, made digitally or on videotape.
View in glossaryAccessibility
Access for all people, including people with disabilities, to web environments.
View in glossaryBISG Quick Start Guide to Accessible Publishing
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Quick Start Guide to Accessible Publishing is now available for download. The groundbreaking document serves as the model for best practices in creating accessible digital content for those who live with disabilities. It offers both a succinct introduction to the basics of accessibility and the market advantages to publishers of adopting best practices for those who need to quickly come up to speed.