Vol. 7, No. 1: September 15, 2000
Anticipate or Accommodate:
Library Assistive Technology
by Lelah Lugo
Electronic Resource Access/Reference Librarian, Library Learning Center, UW-Stout
Today's libraries have become not only places where books and audiovisual materials may be used or borrowed, but also places where access to online resources abounds. Academic libraries in particular have connectivity to the World Wide Web and to other materials that a few years ago would have been impossible to obtain except through library services such as interlibrary loan. University of Wisconsin libraries can access full-text periodical articles, online books, encyclopedias and other resources.
Students with disabilities also need this type of access. Through various laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1993, public institutions -- including academic libraries -- are required to provide assistive technology and services so that library materials are equitably accessible. The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has ruled that it is not adequate for institutions to merely respond to disabled individuals' requests for accommodation as they occur, but that those institutions must try to anticipate the needs of individuals for auxiliary aids prior to a request.
Anticipate or Accommodate
Assistive technology provides the student who has sight, hearing, verbal or other physical disabilities the opportunity to explore the Internet and its resources. Libraries are responsible for providing information to all users, with or without disabilities. At UW-Stout's Library Learning Center, the assistive station that has been developed anticipates the needs of both visually- and hearing-impaired students in approximately 80% to 90% of cases. However, not all technology can be anticipated due to the uniqueness of a disability. In one instance, a student was unable to use a regular CRT monitor because his mind could not process the information he was seeing quickly enough. The solution was to purchase a flat-panel monitor that uses an Active-Matrix LCD. His need could not be anticipated at the time, but could be accommodated in a timely fashion. He was able to successfully use the voice-recognition software Naturally Speaking (produced by Dragon Systems, Inc.) and complete his assignments.
Training
The provision of assistive facilities, however, is only part of the service that a library needs to provide. Training in using assistive technology and instructing students how to find resources is crucial for a successful research-gathering outcome. Libraries need to provide students with a library liaison or coordinator who can help them overcome feeling overwhelmed or intimidated by an academic library. Providing the hardware and software is only the first step in providing access.
Students with disabilities have various training needs:
Basic Hardware/Software Needs
In the past decade assistive technology has developed so that off-the-shelf personal computers with special peripheral devices and software are available. A library no longer needs to purchase a fully self-contained unit, but has numerous options for software and hardware that will allow libraries to adapt the station as needed. Hardware for a basic accessible library workstation includes, but is not limited to:
Software includes:
Outreach
One of the first steps for libraries in the UW System is to provide the hardware/software to anticipate the information needs of students with disabilities. However, the technology is only useful if students are trained in its use and if there are library personnel who can assist and offer support to students with disabilities. Librarians need to provide outreach to those students and to make contacts with other departments on campus that provide services to students with disabilities. Referrals and partnerships can be developed with the local campus Office for Students with Disabilities. Other departments such as campus computing or student services offices may also affect how the library will provide services to students with disabilities.
Future Directions
The UW System has created an ongoing committee, Access to Technology for Individuals with Disabilities, to provide guidance and support to UW institutions in order to provide equal access to information technology. Committee members include librarians, administrators, campus disability coordinators, and information technology personnel. It is hoped that through this committee information technology efforts on behalf of students with disabilities will be enhanced and broadened so that equitable accessibility for all students will be a reality.
Suggested Resources
I. Websites
Bobby: A tool designed to
analyze web pages according to accessibility criteria; developed by the Center
for Applied Special Technology.
http://www.cast.org/bobby/
CAST, The Center for Applied Special
Technology: A nationally-recognized leader founded in 1984 addressing technology
and usability issues for disabled and non-disabled users.
http://www.cast.org/
Closing the Gap: Offers hardware
and software reviews with particular attention paid to the requirements of users
with special needs.
http://www.closingthegap.com
Resources List for Accessible
Libraries: Prepared by a college library director, this is a collection
of links related to library accessibility. Includes sections on accessible web
pages, government web sites, specific products and services, and more.
http://libwww.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/html/about/caped98resources.html
U.S. Department of Education,
Office for Civil Rights. (1998) Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary
Students With Disabilities. Washington, DC: Outlines higher education's
obligations under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA. Includes a useful FAQ
section.
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/auxaids.html
World Wide Web Consortium or "W3C":
an international organization setting HTML standards for the Web. This link
goes to the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative and includes valuable information
on designing content that is accessible to users with disabilities.
http://www.w3c.org/WAI/
II. Articles
Applin, Mary Beth. (1999). Instructional Services for Students With Disabilities. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25, (2), 139-41.
Casey, Carol. (1999). Accessibility in the virtual library: Creating equal opportunity Web Sites. Information Technology and Libraries, 18, (1), 22-25.
Klauber, Julie. (1998). Living Well with a Disability: How Libraries Can Help. American Libraries, 29, (10), 52-56.
Mates, Barbara. (2000). Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Making Electronic Resources Accessible to All. Chicago: American Library Association.
Shea, Pamela. (2000). With Access for All; Technology that Really Works for Disabled Students. School Library Journal, 46, (1), 35.