Keep It Simple: A Guide to Assistive Technologies

162 Pages·2011·3.416 MB·English

by  Ravonne A. Green, Vera Blair

KEEP IT SIMPLE

KEEP IT SIMPLE
A Guide to Assistive Technologies
Ravonne A. Green and Vera Blair
Copyright2011byABC-CLIO,LLC
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrieval
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only,withoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Green,RavonneA.
KeepItSimple:AGuidetoAssistiveTechnologies/RavonneA.GreenandVeraBlair.
p.cm
Summary:“Thisbookofferssimple,straightforwardguidanceforthepractitionerwho
wantstouseassistivetechnologiestoextendlibraryaccess”—Providedbypublisher.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–1–59158–866–5(pbk.:acid-freepaper)ISBN978–1–59158–867–2(e-book)
1. Librariesandpeoplewithdisabilities.2. Self-helpdevicesforpeoplewithdisabilities
3. Librariesandpeoplewithvisualdisabilities.4. Librariesandthehearingimpaired.
I.Blair,Vera.II.Title.
Z711.92.H3G74 2011
027.6063—dc22 2010051785
ISBN:978–1–59158–866–5
EISBN:978–1–59158–867–2
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Iwouldliketodedicatethisbooktomymother,YvonneGreen.Mymother
readmanybookstomeandinstilledinmealoveforreading.Iwouldliketo
dedicatethisbooktomyaunt,MargaretRogerswhotaughtmetooperate
audiovisualequipmentasatoddler.NowmymotherandmyAuntMargaret
sufferwithmaculardegenerationandaredependentonassistivetechnolo-
gies and large print. They are both determined to conquer this disability
and continue to enjoy reading and listening to books. This book is for all
of those we love that can live more productive, useful lives with the help
of assistive technology and understanding family members, friends, and
colleagues.
RavonneA.Green
I would like to dedicate this book first to my husband Dr. Wally Koehler
who encouraged me to apply to graduate school and get an MLIS degree.
SpecialthankstoDr.RavonneGreenwhosuggestedcollaboratingonthis
book and who did all the footwork of finding a publisher. Thanks to my
mother Dorothee, who was nearly blind and deaf at her death and who
wasalargepartofthereasonformyearlyinterestinassistivetechnology.
ThankstomysonHeathwhowasalwaystheretohelpwhentheWordProc-
essortriedtogetthebetterofme;andthankstomychildrenStephanieand
Ericwhoarealwaysinmyheart.
VeraBlair

CONTENTS
Preface ix
SectionI:Background 1
1. AssistiveTechnologyBackground 3
SectionII:Equipment 17
2. PrintDisabilities 19
3. MobilityDisabilities 41
4. HearingImpairments 59
5. SpeechDisabilities 75
SectionIII:AccessibilityIssues 91
6. ProvidingAccessibleBuildingsandLearningSpaces 93
SectionIV:UniversalAccess 105
7. UniversalAccess:PromotingBetterLibraryServicesforAll 107
SectionV:StaffTraining 119
8. LibraryDisabilityTraining 121
SectionVI:AssistiveTechnologyandDisabilityServicesMarketing 129
9. MarketingTipsforServingIndividualswithDisabilities 131
Index 145

PREFACE
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ISSUES AND GUIDELINES
Green(1999)conductedanationalDelphiprofessionalpanelconsistingof
12 librarians,assistivetechnology,anddisabilityservicesexpertstodeter-
mineappropriateguidelinesforimplementingATservicesinacademiclibra-
ries.1Thisstudy predictedthatiflibrariansplanATservicesandtraining,
andmarketATservicesusingacollaborativeapproachthatwouldinclude
librarians,faculty,staff,andstudentswithdisabilitiesthatATservicescould
bebetterprovidedforstudentswithprintdisabilities.Thepanelsuggested
that funding issues should be resolved in some cases by working co-
operatively with other departments and community agencies. The panel
madethefollowingspecificrecommendations.
Equipment
The main problems indicated from the above study were: identifying
appropriateequipment;incompatibilitybetweenATandlibraryelectronic
systemssuchasonlinepublicaccesscatalogs(OPAC);screenreadingnavi-
gation tools for the OPAC; and real time print captioning. Making the
OPACaccessible to all users shouldbea priority itembecause thiswould
beconsideredareasonableaccommodationundertheADA.
Funding
AdequatefundingforAT,ATpersonnel,ATtraining,andfundingforAT
upgradesweretheprimaryissuesinthefundingcategory.Thepanelistsrec-
ommended incorporating AT training into other staff trainings and