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This paper reports the results of the examination of the homepages of Illinois public library websites for language, design, layout, and efficacy based on the recommendations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. The homepage of each public library website in Illinois was analyzed using the AInspector Sidebar online tool which inspected webpage landmarks, headings, content, images and links to determine which elements passed, violated or issued a warning or required a manual check to meet specific recommendations. A discussion of these results includes consideration of American Library Association website design standards as well as the standards of the Illinois Public Library Association. Since the library website provides virtual access to information, government forms, employment applications and resources for assistance, it is vital to consider the needs of those with disabilities when designing library websites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that programs and services be accessible to people with disabilities. While schools of library and information science (SLIS*) and university libraries should model accessible Web sites, this may not be the case. This article examines previous studies about the Web accessibility of SLIS Web sites and university library Web sites supporting SLIS and builds on these studies by providing current data about SLIS opportunities for learning about accessible products and services for individuals with disabilities. This study looks at the nation's 12 highest-ranked SLIS and at their disability-related curricula. A WebXACT-compliance check is used to determine World Wide Web (W3C) compliance for SLIS and the main libraries. A survey is distributed to the SLIS to determine disability curricular offerings. A Web search of SLIS course descriptions for these schools provides clarification about course offerings. The compliance check gives cause for concern. The survey results indicate that most SLIS programs offer disability instruction: Specifically most SLIS programs offer instruction of Web accessibility. The mixed results from the survey and the compliance check might indicate that the individuals that are responsible for Web design on these campuses are not knowledgeable about W3C standards. The fact that SLIS students are being taught appropriate accessibility standards should indicate that the future of Web accessibility is brighter. (*SLIS is used as a generic term throughout the article to refer to all library science, library and information science, information science, and other similar programs.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, it was estimated that 43 million Americans were living with a disability. This number continues to grow. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are now over 54 million Americans who have a disability. There also has been an increase is the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary education institutions. Assistive technologies are making postsecondary education a realized dream for many students with disabilities. They make simple tasks, such as taking class notes or doing library research, possible for such students. Postsecondary institutions have special legal obligations toward their students with disabilities. These obligations stem from various federal and state disability rights laws. This article examines the inextricable connections between assistive technologies, postsecondary institutions, and disability rights laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal issues have increasingly come to the forefront in academic libraries in recent years. Most of these issues involve The Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 (1973) or Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), complaints related to discriminatory practices with regard to accommodations or assistive technologies. This article provides a brief synopsis of the particular clauses within the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) (ADA) pertaining to academic libraries and explains these clauses in clear lay terms. Office of Civil Rights complaints and court cases to illustrate the legal ramifications of the ADA for libraries are discussed. This article focuses on some of the cases that are most pertinent to issues related to providing appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Problem resolution strategies for resolving 504 and ADA complaints are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]