Georgia Tech Microsite Provides Accessible COVID-19 Info

COVID-19 microsite

A new resource from Georgia Tech's Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI), developed with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CDC Foundation, provides COVID-19 information in accessible formats for people with disabilities. Materials on the site include CDC guidance in the form of braille-ready files, documents compatible with screen readers, American Sign Language resources, simplified text for people with low literacy skills, and more. In addition, materials in embossed braille are available by request.

"CDC is a trusted source for COVID-19 information, but people must be able to access this information for it to be used," commented Judy Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, in a statement. "This project aims to further the reach of that critical information by amplifying and adapting existing content for individuals with disabilities."

In particular, the initiative has created new materials with "minimized text complexity," designed to communicate COVID-19 information at the easiest reading levels possible. "We drew upon several decades of research to create a new set of guidelines to further simplify the Plain English materials the CDC creates," said Karen Erickson, director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a partner institution on the project. "We are delighted by the response we've received as adults with low levels of literacy skills successfully read and understand these materials."

CIDI is also conducting trainings and webinars on COVID and accessibility topics. More content will be added to the microsite as materials are created.

Additional partners on the project include Deaf Link, UNC Chapel Hill's Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and Department of Allied Health Sciences, and the American Association on Health and Disability.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  •  floating digital interface with glowing icons, surrounded by faint geometric shapes

    Digital Education Council Defines 5 Dimensions of AI Literacy

    A recent report from the Digital Education Council, a global community devoted to "revolutionizing the world of education and work through technology and collaboration," provides an AI literacy framework to help higher education institutions equip their constituents with foundational AI competencies.

  • From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution

    Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. He was managing hundreds of devices on campus that were incompatible with digital signage requirements and needed a solution that was reliable and lowered labor costs. The Amazon Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, gave him the stability and design functionality the University of Utah needed, along with the assurance of long-term support.

  • lock with a glowing keyhole integrated with a transparent, layered server stack against a dark background with a subtle grid pattern

    Cohesity Integration Adds Protection for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization Workloads

    AI-powered data security company Cohesity has expanded its collaboration with Red Hat to enhance data protection and cyber resilience for Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization workloads.

  • computer screen displaying a landline phone being unplugged from a single cord, with a modern office desk, keyboard, and subtle lighting in the background

    Microsoft to Discontinue Skype Services

    Microsoft has announced that it is shutting down service for its Skype telecommunications and video calling services on May 5, 2025.