[UACCESS-L] EASI: Planning a 4-part Webinar series on social media and accessibility(fwd)

[Jennison Mark Asuncion <asuncion@alcor.concordia.ca>]

Hello,

Thought some here might find this of interest.

Jennison

Jennison Asuncion
Co-Director, Adaptech Research Network http://www.adaptech.org
LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennison

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:56:51 -0700
From: Prof Norm Coombs <norm.coombs@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen@athenpro.org>
To: easi@listserv.icors.org, itd-jnl@listserv.icors.org
Cc: athen-athenpro.org <athen@athenpro.org>
Subject: [Athen] EASI: Planning a 4-part Webinar series on social media and
    accessibility

I am looking for helpers and for ideas.  EASI provides Webinars on a variety of 
topics.  Social media is so popular that we need to address it
........ ..... ....... ......

First I need to confess that I have deliberately tried to avoid social media 
and therefore am more ignorant than I should be.  I still doubt that I'll ever 
become a fan.  However, EASI (Equal Access to software and information) is 
dedicated to helping people, especially those who are not technical wizards 
about technology and accessibility.  I admit that I have been proven wrong as I 
thought these things would be a short-lived fad and quickly fade away.  I feel 
it is our responsibility to gather information on social media, what it is and 
how it works and especially how it can function for people with disabilities. 
So, here I am eating my words and planning to sponsor a 4-part series of 
Webinars.

Being more or less ignorant, I am looking for people who know something and who 
are somewhat fans of these media.

I approached Jennison Asuncion, Co-Director with the Adaptech Research Network, 
to take the lead in planning a series and in locating people who would be 
willing to help put on these Webinars.

I am asking him to disseminate this plea for help and to take the helm in 
getting the project planned and started.  I am picturing 4 hour-long Webinars 
starting about mid October and going into mid November ending before the US 
Thanksgiving.

Next is which social media should we cover?
Fortunately, I have a good friend, Dr. Denise Wood, from the University of 
Southern Australia who has jumped into Second Life working with various people 
and exploring ways to make this advanced technology more accessible for people 
with all disabilities.  She has volunteered to do one of these Webinars which 
leaves us 3 others to decide on and plan.

I assume we want to cover Twitter, Myspace, facebook, maybe Linkedin and blogs. 
I need advice.  Can some of these be merged into a single presentation?  Which 
ones would best fit together if we do that?  Would we want to include youtube 
in the series or is it different enough to leave out?  Would it merit a single 
Webinar of its own?

Please interact with Jennison at jennison@adaptech.org Suggest format ideas. 
Volunteer for some part of the series.  Norm Coombs
CEO EASI
Professor Emeritus RIT.