Accessibility in Online Distance Education Courses

A while back I ranted about Google's CAPTCHA human detection implementation, and how it is practically impossible sometimes to sign up for a Google Account.  But the moment of truth arrived when I listened to the accessibility recording of the CAPTCHA.  In case you forgot, I can summarize it with one word -- psychotropic.  (Usual disclaimers against drug use apply.  Seriously, kids, don't do drugs.)

So, this experience made me start thinking.  I've done my fair share of web development.  So, it's not like I was completely unfamiliar with accessibility issues.  I know that images need to have alternate text, I know that it's good practice to put a "Skip to the Content" link at the top of the page to skip over navigational links, etc., etc.  However, I didn't really begin to understand what it was all about until finally having an experience on the web were I was prevented from doing something I wanted to do because my senses were unable to decode the information being presented to me.

Accessibility Issues are No Laughing Matter

Except this one really made me laugh quite loudly.  I was trying to create a new Google account so there would be a webmaster email address for the BYU PSST research group's website.  As I went about happily filling out information for this new account, I suddenly hit a wall when Google wanted me to type in some letters that looked all swirly and mashed together like a trick one's eyes might be playing when one has been smoking peyote.  (I would, at this point, like to disclose that I have never actually smoked peyote and don't know if the preceding comparison is a good one or not.  I would also like to discourage anyone from smoking peyote to find out.  Moving on.)