Usability and accessibility are integral parts of many reputable upper level media programs, not just per se human factors. Dedicated human factors programs branch from psychology as ergonomics or computer science as interface building. Here at the University at Buffalo most dedicated degree programs, focusing on web design and experimental media development, are offered interdisciplinary through the art and media studies departments in conjunction with the colleges of arts & sciences.
A good example of how human factors has intertwined with usability, accessibility, and media studies can be found at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Media Lab. It is a central interdisciplinary hub for related technologies on and off campus.
Leo
On Wednesday, March 17, 2004, at 11:25 AM, Susan R. Grossman wrote:
I've been reading a while but haven't written - but have a question that
I hope is a correct topic for this group.
Does anyone on the list have a Human Factors Degree? If so - do you
know if accessibility is being woven yet into the courses? I teach
Usability and Information Architecture at a state college continuing
education program. (certification programs) I have been including a
full night on accessibility separately from the 2 nights of usability
(which covers Human Factor Engineering concepts too) and feel that my
lack of knowledge on how the courses are structured currently and where
accessibility is fitting in is hurting the information I give my
students.
One of the things I tell my students is that I believe in the next 5
years Usability Experts and Human Factor Engineers are going to be an
upcoming "hot job" with so many dif aspects. I do not know what
they're really teaching in the HFE programs though and haven't been able
to get any concrete info from the few programs I've tried writing to -
they seem to be more interested in responding to me about whether I'm
interested in their Masters Programs.
Any help/links on how accessibility is impacting courses/degress like Human Facotr Engineering would be appreciated.
Thanks -
Susan Grossman http://www.finishingfirst.com
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