Finding accessible maps is often a challenge for individuals with visual impairments. See what other people are doing.
Instructional Methods and Media & Materials links will provide tips to help you create universally designed materials.
Font Size for Accessible Media in the Classroom
These two Power Point slides provide a guideline to insure that the font size within print media are accessible when projected.
ACCESS-ed Project
How to Determine Font Size for Accessible Media
No Manual Formatting
In word processed documents (that are not RTF files), formatting with the use of "B" or "I" or by manually organizing content with tabs, underlines, etc. provides structure and organization that is only available to sighted readers. Using the "styles" features of word processing software is essential to creating documents that are universally designed.
No Manual Formatting
Procurement for Accessible Goods & Materials
This posterette describes recommended steps to ensure maximum accessibility when acquiring goods and materials - custom or "off the shelf".
R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee
Good and Materials Procurement
Procurement Tips
Thesis/Project and Dissertation Accessibility Protocol
Graduate students in the Occupational Therapy Department at UWM are required to provide an accessible copy of their thesis, project or dissertation. This protocol explains the required "why" and "how". It is distributed in conjunction with a formatted template that includes all of the requirements of the graduate school at UWM.
R2D2 Center at UW-Milwaukee
Thesis/Project & Dissertation Protocol
Explains, and gives an example for making web-based maps more accessible.
Duffy, S - "A List Apart"
While written primarily for hard of hearing students, provides important perspective that is actually universally designed.
Class Act: a project of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), Rochester, New York
This public discussion from 2004, courtesy of W3C World Wide Web Consortium has several discussions about web based maps and road maps.
In depth discussion/"how-to" with sources - books, conference proceedings, and web links.
Campin, B et al., SVG Conference July, 2003
"This section describes the role of an interpreter and provides strategies to make the most effective use of interpreting resources in your classroom."
ClassAct-a project of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), Rochester, New York
Provides frequently asked questions and strategies for successful implementation of this support system in your class.
ClassAct-a project of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology (NTID/RIT), Rochester, New York
Graduate student draws on personal experience, faculty support in comprehensive project to create tactile diagrams of campus.
Maines, S; Lawrence Journal-World & News
Example of a web based campus map. It is interactive, includes a turtorial, has text pages of specific building access information and allows you to print a pdf document.
University of Kentucky
Reprinted from: Handbook for Itinerant and Resource Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired, 1989. There is very little information on the web about accessible maps. While this is written for elementary school education, many of the suggestions are appropriate to develop an accessible campus map or any post-secondary courses where maps are an essential part of the learning experience.
Willoughby, DM & Duffy, SL
Basics of GIS as background to accessible maps.
GIS Lounge
