Local

Use in a specific computer lab only

• Browser - known
• Helper programs - known
• Other software - known
• Network response - known
• Hardware - known
• Peripherals - known

• Can use appropriate HTML vendor extensions (frames, Java, etc.)
• Can require specific helper programs (Acrobat, etc.)
• Can assume student has specific programs (Word, Excel, SysStat, etc.)
• Can choose appropriate amount of graphics
• Only have to explain procedures one way.
• Can include use of peripherals in activities (printing, scanning, etc.)
• Can rely on the availablity of specific hardware and software to meet the needs of the handicapped

Campus Labs & Campus Dial-IP

A mix of departmental labs, general campus labs, and connections from home (dial-ip)

A mix of standard configurations and many variants. For example, your campus may have standardized on Netscape as the supported browser, but people connecting from home may be using other browsers.

World

World Wide Distance Learning

• Browser - Might be using any of many different browsers
• Helper programs - unknown
• Other software - unknown
• Network response - unknown, probably slower
• Hardware - unknown
• Peripherals - unknown

• Stick to HTML standards, HTML 3.2 is the current standard, HTML 2.0 is the older, more conservative choice. Aggressively apply principles of content-based markup to achieve platform independence.
• Avoid requiring specific helper programs or provide alternatives (i.e., PDF and PostScript versions of a document)
• Be more flexible in expectations that students will have access to specific programs.
• Avoid exclusive use of graphics to convey content. Instead use them to supplement text. Minimize use of large graphics.
• Take into consideration that pages might run slow or display differently because of hardware.
• Make exercises requiring peripherals optional.
• To insure access by handicapped stick to standard HTML, avoid presenting essential content only in graphics, and test pages with text-only browsers.