Featured Articles
Paul T. Jaeger, J.D., M.Ed.
Information Use Management and Policy Institute
School of Information Studies
Florida State University
Whether or not Section 508 regulations apply to your library, there are immensely important ethical reasons for libraries to comply with Section 508
standards. The legal standards that are established by Section 508 provide straightforward guidelines that libraries can follow to ensure that electronic
and information technologies are accessible to patrons with disabilities.
Ronald E. Milliman, Ph.D.
Department of Economics and Marketing
Western Kentucky University
Among website designers, the issue of website accessibility has become a very controversial topic. Because of poor design, it is estimated that up to 40%
of the potential market is not able to fully access most websites, taking into consideration various disabilities and wireless devices that have limited
web browsing capabilities. While the needs of wireless devices are being addressed quite rapidly, in sharp contrast, designers are accused of continuing
to ignore the needs of various disabilities.
by Joseph J. Lazzaro
American Library Association
Chicago and London
2001
Reviewed by Jean Balutanski, M.A., CRC
Ramapo College of New Jersey
As the instructor of a graduate level course on assistive technology, I am always searching for new professional and student resources that are current,
comprehensive, and readable. Published materials on the topic in book format are scarce, and new entries into the pool are viewed with hopeful anticipation.
I am pleased to report that the second edition of Adaptive Technologies for Learning and Work Environments by Joseph J. Lazzaro will not disappoint readers
seeking a comprehensive, reliable source of information about the current status of adaptive technology and its applications in academic and employment
settings.
by Pernice Coyne and Jakob Nielsen
Fremont, California: Nielsen-Norman Group, 2001. PDF document.
Reviewed by John M. Slatin, Director
Institute for Technology and Learning
University of Texas at Austin
Beyond ALT Text is a 140-page report that details the results of Web usability testing that involved subjects with disabilities. Conducted by the leading
Web usability firm in the U.S., the tests involved a total of 104 subjects and 19 Web sites. The subjects included people who are totally blind, people
with low vision, and people with impaired mobility. There was also a control group of 20 individuals without disabilities.
by Karen Gourgey, Mark Leeds, Tom McNulty, and Dawn M. Suvino
New York: Computer Center for Visually Impaired People
Baruch College, CUNY, 2002
Reviewed by Steve Noble
Kentucky Assistive Technology Service Network
Countless studies have highlighted the comparatively low rate of employment among people with disabilities over the past several decades, despite advances
in assistive technology and the passage of landmark civil rights laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. The full explanation of this phenomenon
may be elusive, but one fundamental aspect of solving this problem can be found in changing the attitudes of employers. In A Practical Guide to Accommodating
People with Visual Impairments in the Workplace, the authors not only help to bridge the employer "attitude gap" but also go much further by explaining
in easily digestible terms the means by which employers can integrate employees with visual disabilities into the workforce.
EASI has unveiled a periodic e-zine based on the archives of back issues of Information Technology and Disabilities. Titled Replay, this theme-based topical
reprint will include provide a brief abstract of the articles with links to the full content.