Report

Design and Development - How we developed the web page.

Design Phase

We took the Solution and Rationale section from the Needs Assessment and analyzed the elements pertinent to the design and development of the prototype. We designed the overall guidelines for the prototype: the prototype would give the impression of being simple, easy, and friendly to the user. We would not use the frames feature because it could cause problems for users using assistive visual technology. All software for the students to download would be available free of charge.

We designed a list of components including discussions, chat, and email. We researched a variety of software for presenting each of the Internet and media components, including:

We looked at Interwork web pages and exemplary web pages for ideas, including SDSU EDTEC 544, 650, EdWeb’s T3, Pacific Bell Knowledge Network, and Diversity Web.

We researched pertinent references including ones on computers for the disabled and designing web sites for accessibility.

We put up descriptions and links to these software products, web sites, and references for the client to see and give us feedback.

Development Phase

Using the findings of the needs assessment and our design components, we developed specifications for the web prototype. First, we developed a home page and the linked pages in a navigation mockup version which included a brief help page and a generic page for the other pages. As this mockup was developed, we posted it to our web site for each of the development team and the client to view and give feedback. Revisions were made to the specifications and the prototype based on the feedback. We used existing icon graphics from the T3 site and created original header graphics for each of our pages.

We met with the client to finetune the specifications, assuring total understanding of what was specified, using printouts of the mockup pages to make corrections and additions. We reiterated that we would be constructing a prototype which would not be perfect, but would show what the web site would look like and what the components and navigation were like.

For the software page, Mari asked us to add more information to explain some of the software. She specified the software choices of Eudora Light for email, Interaction for discussions, and ICQ for chat. New linked pages were added for the glossary and instructor guide. It was soon decided that the instructor guide would be available to students as hard copy, rather than on the web site.

Then we refined the home page and generic page, and constructed the other linked pages, adding text, tools, guides, curriculum, and the header graphics. The design team posted the pages and gave feedback to each other. The text and graphics pages were refined.

In researching for the final version of the prototype, we decided that the Internet Explorer browser would cause too many problems for the students, so we linked to Netscape Navigator only, and gave a link to an article explaining the problems.

The prototype was presented to Interwork with the recommendation that specific feedback be given for further refinement by the development team in 1998.

References (in addition to ones on my web)

Diversity Web. University of Maryland. Available:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/diversityweb/

McWilliams, P. A. (1984). Personal computers and the disabled. Garden City, NY: Quantum Press Doubleday.