Customizing with UD Features: Arthur Web Site

Index

Overview

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1. Multiple Representations of Information

Presentation of information throughout the site is, where possible, adjustable, or else alternate forms of presentation are given.

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The Arthur Web site offers access instructions for users who wish to adjust the color of the screen and the text, who wish to view alt-text tags instead of graphics, or who want to read about images via image descriptions, or D-links. Printable versions of many of the pages are offered as an alternative, and links located within image maps are also available as text links. The Arthur theme song is offered as RealAudio or as text.

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2. Multiple Options for Expression and Control

The Arthur Web site includes text-only versions for each Web page.

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The Web site includes stories written and illustrated by children. Users who prefer not to navigate page by page through a story's graphics version can easily access a text-only version instead.

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3. Multiple Options for Engagement

In the Story Writing section, Arthur offers three different story-starter activities that provide students with forms and charts to help them structure a story (or to identify the elements of a story they've read). All story writing supports include computer tips and tips for parents and teachers.

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The Question Game is one example of a story-starter activity on the Arthur Web site. Students can print out a spinner with "Who? What if? When? Why? How? Where?" on it, and follow the instructions on how to use it to write a story.

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Customizing Tips

• For users who are blind and visually impaired, read the access instructions to find out how best to take advantage of the access features built into the Web site. Arthur also offers tips on how to customize your browser.
  
• For students needing a lot of structure in writing a story, start them on a story starter in the "Story Writing" section.
  
• For students needing more structure in understanding what they read in a story, use the same tools in the "Story Writing" section to answer questions about a story they just read.
  
• For students who are have difficulty reading the text against the multicolored background of the Web site, use the "Printable version of this page" link which replaces the background graphic with a grey background.

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Universal Design Wish List

• Add audio to some of the text, especially the stories. This can be done via digital speech (which may present bandwidth problems) or synthesized speech (which may require a special browser or plug-in).
  
• Offer some computer-based activities as alternatives to the pencil-and-paper ones. Printable black-and-white line drawings of some of the characters are available for coloring from this site. As an alternative, offer an on-line coloring book, where the user (who may have difficulty coloring with conventional crayons or pencils) can color on the computer, and print out the result.
  

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Feedback

How do you customize your students' learning with the Arthur Web site? We would like to add your ideas to our Web site, space permitting. (If we use your submission, we will give you credit.) Submit your Customizing Tips and UD Wish List items via e-mail to udfeedback@cast.org.

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Disclaimer

CAST does not necessarily endorse this Web site or consider it fully universally designed. CAST applauds the inclusion of universally designed features in this Web site and wishes to illustrate some of those features for educational purposes.

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