The Next Big Thing: Making library e-content accessible to people with disabilities
People with disabilities need access to e-content
RSSHow do I manage to stay up on the latest technology trends? A passion for the field and a reader filled with tech feeds help. But my secret sauce is participation in ALA’s Office of Information Technology Policy (OITP) advisory committee, which considers tech issues and provides guidance on how ALA should respond on libraries’ behalf.
One hot topic has been ebooks. But beyond the usual issues, OITP has delved into deeper policy. At last month’s Midwinter conference, the conversation turned to ensuring access to people with visual and print disabilities in the digital age.
| Photo by Kodomut (www.flickr.com/photos/kodomut) |
There are three major steps that libraries can take toward this goal. The first is enhancing awareness of what materials are provided by law and where those materials can be accessed. Second, we need to validate our websites for accessibility compliance so customers with special needs can access our resources. Finally, we must proactively engage vendors about adopting open publishing formats. Don’t despair, these steps are clear and achievable.
The key legislation at hand is the 1996 Chafee Amendment, which allows the translation of nondramatic printed works into an accessible format for those who are blind or who have physical limitations that prevent access to the printed work. This includes access for people with dyslexia or who are learning disabled in reading. Once a person has been certified as having a qualifying disability (in schools, this probably means an IEP [Individualized Education Plan]or 504 learning plan), then they’re cleared for access to Braille, digital text, or audio versions of books. This doesn’t require investing in a book scanner as this is mostly taken care of at the national level.
The U.S. Department of Education provides grant funding to organizations that facilitate access to those who qualify under the Chafee Amendment. Bookshare.org, for example, provides thousands of books in the DAISY format, an accessible ebook file type optimized for text-to-speech. Schools can sign up for a free account on Bookshare, which also provides free software for reading the books on a PC or Mac that includes decent text-to-speech.
Next to consider: your website. In this age of Flash and graphics, it’s easy to end up with a site that can’t be interpreted by a screen reader or graphical text whose font size can’t be increased. These restrictions to access are, in fact, illegal under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires that public information sites be accessible to people with disabilities. OITP reports that this law is receiving new scrutiny as more information goes online.
Finally, encouraging vendors to use the ePUB format for downloadable ebooks and HTML for online titles also enhances content accessibility.
In the end, the small steps we each take—signing qualifying students up for Bookshare, creating 508-compliant sites, and reminding vendors of the importance of accessibility—will keep libraries open for everyone. Next month: using the assistive technology you didn’t realize you already have in your library.
| Author Information |
| Christopher Harris (infomancy@gmail.com) is coordinator of the school library system of the Genesee Valley (NY) Educational Partnership. |
