Date: 25 January 2017

To: Melissa Helquist

From: Lindsey Hannibal

Subject: Accessibility Intervention

I chose to create an image description for a biology diagram, which I ran into when

studying. Its a diagram of the cellular respiration process as a whole. It was helpful because it

showed the processes in a concise manner, but it also showed a good representation of the

locations of each step of the process, which can sometimes be difficult to visualize when strictly

reading. It was on a page that had a lot of information on the process of the Electron Transport

Chain, a specific step in the process, but the image itself did not have any description. I realized

that this image would not be accessible to visually impaired people, especially with how small

some of the text on the image is. The diagram was on a site that is geared toward science

teachers creating lesson plans. Because the site has a very niche audience, students like myself,

were probably not considered when writing it. However, if I came across the image in a study

session, Im sure that a student who is visually impaired has come across it as well.

If I were able to change the image I would try to improve the bubble of the electron chain

transport. I felt like it was hard for me to read it let alone if someone was visually impaired. To

improve that part I think one of two things needs to be done. Either simplify the image or enlarge

it, or even both. Details such as like the lipid tails (brown squiggles) in the membrane are not

necessary to depict for understanding the process, and make the words harder to read. The other

option would be to enlarge the image or redistribute how the space is used. The majority of the

space is used to depict hydrogen atoms in the intermembrane space. I also think the font they
used made it particularly hard to read, they should use something that has more contrast, bigger

and better letter definition. In addition, creating a box around the words on the purple complexes

of the Electron Transport Chain would help increase readability.

For the description of the image, I tried to keep the description short yet leave in the basis

of what helped me in understanding the process relative to locations within the cell. I wanted to

include each process and the location. I also thought it was helpful to briefly list some of the

products and the reactants of each process. The process starts with glucose and ends with water,

so I simply included what happens to the glucose throughout the process. I decided to leave out

the intermediary products as a general understanding of the process doesnt require knowledge of

each subset. At the end I also decided to include a quip sentence about how the whole process

creates ATP, as that is the purpose of the process.

The description explains the diagram well enough that the same information is relayed.

However, someone would most likely need additional information about the cellular respiration

process as a whole to fully understand the concept.

The process of Glycolysis converts glucose to pyruvate and takes place in the cytoplasm.

Pyruvate then goes into the mitochondrial matrix and the Krebs Cycle converts it to oxygen. The

oxygen is then converted into water by the electron transport chain in the inner mitochondrial

membrane. This whole process provides the majority of energy in the form of ATP for the cell.

Source: http://www.scienceprofonline.com/metabolism/electron-transport-chain-cellular-

respiration.html