IMS GLC: Accessibility Specifications

Accessibility

IMS Access For All Digital Resource Description Information Model Specification

In July 2003, IMS released IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP v1.0 and in August 2004 'Access For All Metadata v1.0' . Under agreement, these documents were adopted by ISO/IEC SC36 resulting in the publication, in 2008, of:

ISO/IEC 24751-1 Access For All Framework and Reference Model;
ISO/IEC 24751-2 Access For All Digital Resource Description;
ISO/IEC 24751-3 Access For All Personal Needs and Preferences for Digital Delivery.

Users must purchase these documents from ISO/IEC. The ISO/IEC standard changed the original work to such an extent that there are significant changes in the information model. Also, ISO/IEC did not publish an XSD binding.

As a result, IMS has decided to publish a new set of Access For All documents that are consistent with the ISO/IEC ones (They will be technically identical but combine the IMS and ISO/IEC documentation styles). The IMS approach means that it is also possible for us to easily generate and supply the corresponding XSD binding files. This document set is Access For All v2.0.

The new Access For All v2.0 document set from IMS will consist of two documents:

1) Access For All Digital Resource Description (which is taken from Access For All Metadata v1.0 );
2) Access For All Personal Needs and Preferences for Digital Delivery (which is taken from IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP v1.).

IMS AccessForAll Digital Resource Description Specification - Version 2 Final Specification - HTML

IMS Access For All Digital Resource Description Information Model

IMS AccessForAll Digital Resource Description Specification - Version 2 Final Specification - XML Examples and Schemas

IMS AccessForAll Digital Resource Description Specification - Version 2 Final Specification - PDF

Download all the pdf documents and schemas

IMS AccessForAll Meta-data Specification
The AccessForAll Meta-data specification is intended to make it possible to identify resources that match a user's stated preferences or needs. These preferences or needs would be declared using the IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP specification. The needs and preferences addressed include the need or preference for alternative presentations of resources, alternative methods of controlling resources, alternative equivalents to the resources themselves and enhancements or supports required by the user. The specification provides a common language for identifying and describing the primary or default resource and equivalent alternatives for that resource.

This work represents open collaboration between working group members from IMS, Dublin Core, IEEE, CEN-ISSS, Eduspecs as well as other groups. The AccessForAll Meta-data specification is a proposed unified approach to matching user needs and preferences with the resources that address those needs and preferences across the participating specifications bodies.

IMS AccessForAll Meta-data Specification - Version 1 Final Specification - HTML

IMS AccessForAll Meta-data Specification - Version 1 Final Specification - XML Examples and Schemas

IMS AccessForAll Meta-data Specification - Version 1 Final - PDF or Content Package

Download the PDF documents or the Content Package

IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP

The Accessibility for LIP defines two new sub-schemas for the IMS Learning Information Package that define a means to specify accessibility preferences and learner accommodations. These preferences go beyond support for disabled people to include kinds of accessibility needs such as mobile computing, noisy environments, etc. The <accessForAll> element defines accessibility preferences that were left for future work in the IMS Learner Information Package (LIP) specification version 1.0. The "accessibility" data structure includes the following elements: <language>, <preference>, <eligibility>, and <disability> in the LIP. This specification adds the <accessForAll> element under <accessibility> because it is intended to address the needs of learners beyond those with disabilities. The <disability> element is deprecated henceforth.

The Accessibility for Learner Information Package v1 Final Specification was approved by the IMS Technical Advisory Board in July 2003. Comments and Questions on the final specification should be posted in the Accessibility forum at http://www.imsglobal.org/developers/ims/imsforum/categories.cfm?catid=16

IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP - Version 1 Final Specification - HTML

IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP Best Practice Guide
IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP XML Binding
IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP Information Model
IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP Conformance Specification
IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP Use Cases
***Note: The documents above contain refererences to a incorrect schemas and examples. The correct schema and examples are below. The changes to the documentation will be corrected during maintenance for Learner Information Package v1.1***

IMS Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP - Version 1 Final Specification - XML Examples and Schemas

Learner Information Package Accessibility for LIP - Version 1 - PDF or Content Package

Download the PDF documents or all the documents as an IMS Content Package

IMS Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications

The following set of guidelines developed by the IMS Accessibility Working Group will provide a framework for the distributed learning community. This framework will set the stage for what solutions currently exist, what the opportunities and possibilities are for implementing them, and the areas where more development and innovation are still needed in educational technologies to ensure education that is truly accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere.