Search

We are now 34 years out from the initial enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990), a landmark piece of federal legislation that made education at every level from preschool to graduate school and meaningful employment accessible to people with apparent and non-apparent disabilities. In higher education, and specifically in the academic library, disability accommodations are now an integral part of the life of both students and staff. During my professional internship as part of my MLIS degree at Kent State University, I developed and delivered a tour of the primary academic library, its in-person and online services, and its website for incoming first-year and transfer students with disabilities at Colorado State University, a large, public, land- and space-grant university. The considerations used to develop this programming and its broad impact are discussed here, along with ideas for ongoing support of students with disabilities, and particularly students with non-apparent and executive function disabilities and neurodiversity such as Autism spectrum conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column article discusses the state of people with disabilities who work in libraries in conjunction with the Covid pandemic, and the return to working on site. Also discussed is how accessibility changed in libraries because of the pandemic and the shut downs that occurred before vaccination. This article asks administrators to consider several issues including the difference between compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessibility, compassionate care for library employees and patrons, boundary setting, and embracing change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The law library plays a role in the lives of people with disabilities by facilitating their full participation in society. Providing equitable access for persons with disabilities to library facilities and services is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), applicable state and local statutes, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA was created to eliminate discrimination in many areas, and most libraries are covered by the ADA's Title I (Employment), Title II (Government Programs and Services), and Title III (Public Accommodations). Section 504 is another federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education. Recipients of this federal financial assistance include institutions of higher education. This article provides a brief overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and why law libraries must comply with these laws to provide equitable access for persons with disabilities. Although the traditional view of access is defined as physical access to the library or the building it resides in, this article asserts that equitable and inclusive access to the law library should be aligned with the expectations of the ADA and Section 504. Law libraries should employ a more holistic approach and reexamine how they define and apply accessibility to their collections, programs, and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility to information for disabled human users has increasingly become a legal and ethical concern for public education institutions. The Americans with Disabilities Act guarantees freedom from discrimination for disabled Americans, and recent lawsuits and formal complaints about inaccessible website content have propelled enforcement from an historically reactive stance to one that is proactive. Librarians pride themselves on providing information to all users, and the profession has long understood the need to structure data for other applications. However, many of us fail to use even the simple features built into software packages that can ensure accessible documents and presentations from the point of creation. This failure sets up a paradigm of perpetual effort required to remediate content for accessibility. Effective use of accessibility tools in document creation solves two accessibility problems for two audiences at once: humans and machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on technology tools for expanding accessibility in instructional media and digital content. Topics include remote work posing certain ergonomic challenges offering needed opportunities for accommodating workers with disabilities; and number of workers living with permanent physical or intellectual disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation for successfully maintaining employment.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) mandates the inclusion of individuals with disabilities to a broad range of facilities and public buildings. One overlooked area is access to conferences. Conferences are held in a range of buildings, including purpose-built venues, hotels, and stadia. Often, the focus is on access for people with mobility limitations, but access for people with other disabilities, such as vision or hearing loss, or mental ill-health, can be overlooked. This is a significant oversight since around 19% of the population experience a disability (Brault, 2012): it makes sound business sense, as well as a sense of social justice, to ensure more people can access conferences. This article uses a literature review methodology to highlight key considerations to make conferences more accessible to a broad range of people with disabilities. A theoretical framework of Universal Design is proposed to support the ideas. A holistic approach is taken to inclusion, including online booking, transport, and parking, since, without these being accessible, the event becomes inaccessible. Other aspects considered include registration, seating, restrooms, catering, and communication aids. Creating accessible conferences can help promote equity and inclusion and bring people with diverse perspectives together to enrich a conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the percentage of the population with disabilities is growing, little research has been reported to date on documenting disability accommodations at meetings and events. By using a combined analysis, consisting of text mining and document analysis, this study analyzes industry magazine articles published from 1991 to 2020 that address disability accommodations and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements. Findings provide key concepts, relevant topics regarding ADA compliance, the evolution of content over time, and ADA-related practices and implications for planners. This study also discusses the legislation and guidelines applicable to both physical and digital accessibility. The findings will be of interest to venue managers and meeting planners, as well as event organizers. Research contributions and future directions for research on disability accommodations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per the 2019 NASIG Core Competencies for electronic resources librarians (ERL), ERLs "work with concepts and methods that are very much in flux ... [they are] knowledgeable about the legal framework within which libraries and information agencies operate... [including] laws relating to... equal rights (e.g., the Americans with Disabilities Act)". However, the Core Competencies do not define the level to which an ERL is responsible for determining the accessibility of an electronic resource. This article aims to create a better understanding of the steps an ERL can take to develop an accessibility statement pertaining to procuring accessible content. This article synthesizes key laws and policies that ERLs should be aware of in order to draft an accessibility procurement statement for their institution. It will also discuss licensing strategies, documentation collection, and conducting potential audits of electronic purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Americans with Disabilities Act created regulations for the accessibility of buildings and services for individuals with disabilities, but libraries still have a deficit in information highlighting disability and accessibility. Using LibGuides 2.0 software, the authors created 22 accessible guides on disabilities, disability theory, and assistive technology. The initial response from users was positive and included feedback as the guides continue to be improved and built upon. This article is a case study on the creation of the guides from a disability and accessibility standpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The slopes of fixed-route bus ramps deployed for wheeled mobility device (WhMD) users during boarding and alighting were assessed. Measured slopes were compared to the proposed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) maximum allowable ramp slope.Methods: A ramp-embedded inclinometer measured ramp slope during WhMD user boarding and alighting on a fixed-route transit bus. The extent of bus kneeling was determined for each ramp deployment. In-vehicle video surveillance cameras captured ramp deployment level (street versus sidewalk) and WhMD type.Results: Ramp slopes ranged from −4° to 15.5° with means of 4.3° during boarding (n = 406) and 4.2° during alighting (n = 405). Ramp slope was significantly greater when deployed to street level. During boarding, the proposed ADA maximum allowable ramp slope (9.5°) was exceeded in 66.7% of instances when the ramp was deployed to street level, and in 1.9% of instances when the ramp was deployed to sidewalk level. During alighting, the proposed ADA maximum allowable slope was exceeded in 56.8% of instances when the ramp was deployed to street level and in 1.4% of instances when the ramp was deployed to sidewalk level.Conclusions: Deployment level, built environment and extent of bus kneeling can affect slope of ramps ascended/descended by WhMD users when accessing transit buses.Implications for RehabilitationSince public transportation services are critical for integration of wheeled mobility device (WhMD) users into the community and society, it is important that they, as well as their therapists, are aware of conditions that may be encountered when accessing transit buses.Knowledge of real world ramp slope conditions that may be encountered when accessing transit buses will allow therapists to better access capabilities of WhMD users in a controlled clinical setting.Real world ramp slope conditions can be recreated in a clinical setting to allow WhMD users to develop and practice necessary skills to safely navigate this environment.Knowing that extent of bus kneeling and ramp deployment level can influence ramp slope, therapists can educate WhMD users to request bus operators further kneel the bus floor and/or redeploy the ramp to a sidewalk level when appropriate, so that the least practicable slope will be presented for ingress/egress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The increased development and use of electronic and information technology in higher education raises questions about accessibility for individuals with disabilities. In academic libraries, providing accessible electronic information resources ensures equal access and opportunity to information. This article provides a contextual understanding of accessibility in higher education as well as strategies for evaluating, negotiating, and procuring accessible electronic resources licensed through third party vendors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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]

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires those offering public accommodations to make these equally available to all persons equally regardless of disabilities. The Circuit Courts of Appeals are split on whether Title III extends to non-physical spaces such as insurance policies, but no court has directly addressed the application of Title III to Internet Web sites. Under recently adopted Federal regulations, Section 508, the Federal Government must design all Federal Web sites to provide equal access to those with disabilities. This article explains that Web sites will probably eventually be required to be ADA compliant because they are public accommodations under Title III of the ADA. This article discusses the features that must be included in a Web site for it to be ADA compliant. For example, text labels must be provided for all graphics and all site functions must be keyboard activated. These features will permit the site to be used by persons with disabilities such as blindness who rely on screen-readers to permit access to the Internet. The article also discusses some of the drawbacks to ADA compliance such as expense and limitations on features normally included in Web sites. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]