Providing Services for Students with Disabilities in an Academic Library By Catherine J. Carter, DeVry University, Chicago Abstract Accessibi l ity issues are at the forefront of l ibrary services as the number of students with disabil ities attending colleges or universities continues to increase. Three areas where academic l ibrarians can concentrate efforts to better meet the needs of these students are: bibl iographic instruction , web page design, and staff training . While the suggestions presented here focus on providing enhanced service to students with disabil ities. all students can benefit from increased sensitivity and understanding of different learning styles, improved qual ity of l ibrary service to better enable students to conduct research independently, and easier access to information . Librarians and thei r affi l iated institutions have long been phi losoph ically proactive in providing equal access to information for everyone. In addition to a natural proclivity for this attitude, there are num­ ber of laws that require this posture. The Ameri­ can with Disabil ities Act (ADA) guarantees that people with d isabilities are given "equal opportu­ nity for employment (Title 1 ), equal access to pub­ l ic services (Title I I ), and public accommodations and services provided by private entities (Title I l l) . Tit le I I particu larly impacts l ibraries and l ibrarians. Equal access to publ ic services requ ires that l i­ braries not only become physically accessible to all d isabled users, but that al l services are ade­ quately adapted to meet the special needs of these individuals" (Appl in , 1999, 1 39). Prior to the adoption of the ADA, most college and un iversity l ibraries had "at least some rudimentary access programs and initiatives in place . . . because most colleges and universities are recipients of federal fund ing and, as such, have been subject to the provisions outl ined in Section 504 of the Rehabi l itation Act since 1 973" (McNulty, 1999, p. 9). However, accessibi l ity is­ sues continue to be at the forefront of l ibrary ser­ vice as the number of Americans with disabil ities, i ncluding those attending colleges or universities, i ncreases . In 1 978, 2.6 % of full-time college or university freshmen were labeled as having a dis­ abi l ity compared to 7.8 % in 1 985 and one of eleven fi rst year students in 1 996 (Wilhelmus, 1 996). McNulty (1 999) notes "disability in the 1 970s meant, for the most part, physical disabi l ity" Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 (p. 7). Since that time, many colleges and univer­ sities have experienced an increase in the number of students with learning d isabil ities. A 1 979 study reported that only 3. 1 % of col lege freshmen iden­ tified themselves as having a learning d isabi lity. It is estimated that the percentage of freshman col­ lege student with learn ing d isabil ities has tripled since that time; however, an accurate number is difficult to determine as some students do not identify themselves as having learning d isabilities (McNulty, 1 999). Providing equal access to l ibrary services is a continuous process that must be evaluated peri­ odically as new technologies become available and impact how we access and util ize information resources. This paper will focus on three areas where academic l ibrarians can focus thei r efforts to continue to meet the needs of students with disabil ities: a) bibl iographic instruction; b) web pages; and , c) staff training. Bibl iographic Instruction One of the key services that academic l ibrarians provide to students is bibl iographic instruction, or l ibrary instruction, in how to access and evaluate information resources available through the l i­ brary. The goals of l ibrary instruction are "the same for l ibrary users with d isabil ities as they are for other l ibrary users: to assist the patron to use the library resources effectively and to support present and future learning" (Mi l ler-Gatenby & Chittenden , 2000, 320). Oftentimes, however, in- 1 3 structional sessions are not designed with the needs of special population students in mind. " It is only when an individual with a d isabi l ity requests such services that l ibrarians mobil ize to try to gather the necessary background information, tools, and/or appropriate equipment to provide adequate learning experiences" (Appl in , 1 999, 1 39). There are many reasons why this situation may occur. In large colleges and university l ibraries, a l ibrary l iaison works with the institution's office for students with d isabilities. DeCandido (1 999) observes, The university office is the source for most of the information about whom the liaisons serve, for the kinds of equipment the library needs to purchase, and, in some cases, is the source of funding for assistive technol­ ogy. Students with disabilities register with the university office and attend orientations and other programs sponsored by that office, at which librarians usually give presentation and provide written materials in various forms. (p. 8) This is not always the case in small academic l i­ braries where l ittle advance notice is received that· there are students with d isabilities enrolled that may need special ized services, or in many cases where the d isabil ity is not readily identified as with learning disabil ities. Even so, l ibrarians must take a proactive approach rather than a reactive one in reaching those students with disabil ities as well as those students without d isabil ities. Specialized instruction sessions can be developed for those who request them. These can be espe­ cially effective with students who have physical disabil ities and need to use assistive technologies such as "software that reads text aloud , responds to verbal commands, makes web pages audible, puts voice output on d isk, enlarges computer screen images, etc." (DeCandido, 1 999, 7). Many students, however, do not wish to disclose their d isabil ities even tough it may mean they must struggle harder with their studies. Librarians must recogn ize this fact and use teach ing methods to assist students with disabil ities that can also benefit those students without disabil ities. By in­ corporating these teach ing methods into their presentations, l ibrary instructors avoid cal l ing un­ necessary attention to the patron with the disabil­ ity which may make her or him feel self-conscious and uncomfortable (Appl in , 1 999). Appl in ( 1 999) suggests developing a multi­ sensory teaching style that " includes appropriate visual , aural , and tactile techniques to meet the Education Libraries Volume 27, No.2 Winter 2004 needs of every kind of learner'' (p . 1 40). The basic strategy for this type of instruction is to " include short, specific, verbal instructions or explanations; simple, large, visual representations; and immedi­ ate, hands-on experience. No matter what the learning style of the patron, a primary strategy is provided with secondary reinforcement given through the use of the other two techniques" (p. 1 40). Some additional considerations in adapting bibl io­ graphic instruction to meet the needs of all stu­ dents are l isted below: • Provide oral and written instructions and re­ peat key points. Rephrase your sentences or questions if a person does not understand you . This is especial ly important for students who are deaf or persons with a learning dis­ abi l ity or attention deficit d isorder (Mil ler­ Gatenby & Chittenden, 2000, 322). • Use easily understandable language. Explain unfamil iar or technical words but use "plain, understandable language in explanations and handouts. Patrons with perceptual and neuro­ logical disorders . . . have a hard time following innuendos, inferences and underlying mes­ sages we use in the English language. Their use should be avoided" (Appl in , 1 999, 1 4 1 ). • Follow a concise, sequential lesson plan . "Pa­ trons with neurological disorders (e.g . , atten­ tion deficit disorders or traumatic brain inju­ ries) have a hard time following lectures or di­ rections which are not concise and sequential" (Appl in , 1 999, p. 1 4 1 ) . Focus on the most es­ sential items necessary for a student to know and avoid "long, unnecessary explanations or i rrelevant stories. An outl ine at the beginning or class and a summary at the conclusion of the class is helpful" (p. 1 41 ). Web Pages Libraries are continuously increasing their use of electronic resources such as online catalogs, ful l­ text newspaper, journal and periodical articles, CO-ROMs, and multi-media reference publ ica­ tions such as encyclopedias and d ictionaries. Ad­ ditionally, l ibraries are also designing their own web pages that provide l inks to these electronic resources, promote and encourage the use of the l ibrary's services and collections, and provide tu­ torials on util izing these resources. Accessing these resources can be difficult for us­ ers with disabil ities. Accord ing .to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (2004 ), three general categories of l imitations that create diffi- 14 culties for those accessing web pages can be identified : • Sensory Limitations. Screen readers, large type or high contrast text and background combinations can accommodate blindness or low vision. Web designers can use descriptive tags to explain images and tables. • Physical Limitations. People who are unable to use a standard keyboard can use on­ screen keyboards or other assistive technolo­ gies. People who are unable to use a stan­ dard mouse can use keyboard shortcuts or other assistive technologies. • Cognitive Limitations. People who have diffi­ culty processing visually can use screen mag­ nification tools. Pages with simple color schemes and l imited animation also help peo­ ple with cogn itive disabil ities. Library webmasters are continuously trying to make l ibrary web sites more user-friendly to indi­ viduals with disabil ities. However, there is a con­ stant demand for multimedia presentations, inter­ active appl ications, and information-rich web sites that confl ict with this goal. A set of United States federal standards known as Section 508 provides clear gu idel ines for creating more user-friendly web sites. Hudson (2002) notes: Section 508 falls under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which requires that federal agencies make adjustments for those with visual, audio, mobility, and cognitive impairments . . . the 1 998 law specifically applies to electronic information technology. Its main purpose is to create gov­ ernment-wide accessibility standards for any­ one who uses the web or owns software, desk­ top computers, video and telecommunications products, and other information technology. (p. 1 9) Section 508 standards are not the first set of gu idelines developed for web site accessibi l ity. The most well known of these are those put for­ ward by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibi l ity I n itiative (WAI). The Section 508 guidelines add to the WAI guidelines by providing a "clear, concise, and codified set of standards and a commitment by the federal government to not only comply with these standards but require that vendors do so as wel l" (Hudson , 2002, 2 1 ). While Section 508 standards apply to federal agencies, they may also apply to university l ibrar­ ies that receive state funding . Conflicting interpre­ tations of the law exists with the legal counsel for the Cal ifornia Community Colleges Chancel lor's Office (CCCCO) and the California State U niver- Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 sity Chancel lor's Office stating that "without Con­ gressional legislation, the Department of Educa­ tion lacks authority to compel states to comply with section 508," (Hudson, 2002, 22) while on the other hand, the CCCCO states, "these regulations are applicable to the states by virtue of the Assis­ tive Technology Act of 1 998 memo" (Hudson, 2002, 22). Hudson observes that no one wil l know definitively if Section 508 applies to states until it has been determined through case law. This may not happen for years, as many of these cases are settled out of court; however, "since universities and public l ibraries can be sued under the Ameri­ cans with Disabil ities Act, conformity with Section 508 standards for web sites demonstrates our effort to serve al l of our patrons equally" (Hudson, 2002, 22). Section 508 criteria for web-based technology and information are based on access guidelines de­ veloped by the Web Accessibi l ity I n itiative of the World Wide Web Consortium" (U . S . General Ser­ vices Administrators' Office of Government-wide Policy, 2002, 2). These guidelines, containing 1 4 primary areas, and 64 specific checkpoints within those areas, are exhaustive and can be viewed in their entirety at the W3C website. Sample World Wide Web Consortium (2004) recommended guidel ines fol low: • Provide a text equivalent for ever non-text element, i .e . , images, graphical representa­ tions of text ( including symbols), sound, and audio fi les • Ensure that al l information conveyed with color is also available without color • Use captions and headings to group text logi­ cally • Organize documents so they may be read without style sheets • Use the clearest and simplest language ap­ propriate for a site's content • Identify row and column headers of tables • Provide a textual description of a multimedia presentation • Allow users to control flickering, avoid causing screens to fl icker. Existing web pages can be checked with an ac­ cessibi l ity evaluator such as "Bobby". Bobby was created by the Center for Applied Special Tech­ nology and is available free of charge. Bobby is simple to use: merely type in the URL of the web page you want to check on the Bobby form. Bobby evaluates the page using W3C gu idelines, l ists problems that affect a user's accessibi l ity, and ranks them in order of priority. Many prob- 1 5 lems can· be easily modified or adjusted to make the web site more accessible to users with d is­ abi l ities. Blake (2000) used Bobby to evaluate web sites of 1 3 public university l ibraries, 7 private college and university l ibraries, and 1 2 community and techni­ cal college l ibraries located in Arkansas. She found that 43% of private universities and colleges were compliant with W3C guidel ines, public uni­ versities had a compliance rate of 38%, and community and technical colleges had a compli­ ance rate of 25%. Clearly, if results of the Arkan­ sas l ibraries tested are any indication , the majority of college and university l ibrary web pages need improvement to comply with W3C guidel ines. Staff Training A critical component to providing equitable access service is the interaction between students with disabil ities and l ibrary staff. A survey of students with disabil ities at Northern I l l inois Un iversity was conducted to "find out what elements of the l i­ brary's Services for Student with Disabil ities were most useful to them; what the students really wanted and needed; and, how the program should be changed or developed" (Curry, 1 991 , 4 79). Eighty-five percent of the respondents "felt that the people who help them at the l ibrary were more useful to them than any other part of the program" (Curry, 1 991 , 480). One student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City noted, "the attitudes of those [ l ibrary staff] interacting with them [students with d isabil ities] were often more important than their actual words" (Graubart, 1 996, 39). DeCan­ dido ( 1 999) reported that one student at another university, who is bl ind, said, "staff attitudes 'to­ tally make al l the d ifference' in ease of l ibrary use . . . she would often spend more than 1 2 hours a day in the l ibrary, scanning material she needed. She stressed that one bad experience in the l ibrary can turn a person with disabil ities away permanently" (p. 27). Library staff may feel uncomfortable and self­ conscious when assisting those with d isabilities. They may have "preconceptions and misconcep­ tions about persons with certain disabil ities and may be unaware that some disabil ities are invisi­ ble and not readily apparent to others" (Mil ler­ Gatenby & Chittendon, 2000, 31 9). It is only through adequate training that staff can be "sensi­ tized to the special needs of people with disabil i­ ties and help them feel more comfortable interact­ ing with them" (Appl in, 1 999, 1 40). Education Libraries Volume 27, No.2 Winter 2004 The first step when implementing such a training program is to assess the need for and the scope of the sessions. According to Deines-Janes ( 1 999), "training needs often are determined with­ out consulting staff members or patrons to find out not only what staff members do not [italics added] know, but also what they should [italics added] know. When training needs are defined and staff members know why the training is important, they wil l be more wi l l ing participants and more l ikely to retain and use information" (p. 148). Question­ naires are useful in obtaining information neces­ sary to prioritize the types of training needed. For example, if most staff members are comfortable assisting patrons in using adaptive technology, this type of training cou ld become a lower priority than the training needed to improve awareness and sensitivity in assisting those with learning dis­ abil ities. Deines-Janes ( 1 999) classified training into four general categories: • Attitud inal training designed to improve awareness of and sensitivity to disabil ity­ related issues; • Facil ity training: people are trained to use equipment or make physical faci l ities accessi­ ble; • Service training a imed at teaching staff to de­ sign programs and services which are acces­ sible to al l ; • Legal training that explains the letter and re­ quirements of the law, whether the ADA or other legislation. (p. 1 53). Attitudinal Training Attitud inal, ·or sensitivity, training is the most diffi­ cult type of barrier to equ itable service to over­ come. The most effective way to improve attitudes toward people with disabil ities is through "ex­ panded on-the-job exposure to people with dis- - abi l ities. Unfortunately, attitudinal barriers prevent many potential l ibrary users from visiting the l i ­ brary frequently," (Deines-Janes, 1 999, 1 53) thus formalized training sessions become necessary. Information sharing is an effective way to address attitudinal barriers. In this activity, persons with d isabi l ities are invited to speak about their experi­ ences, both positive and negative, in the l ibrary and relate how staff members' attitudes affect them. Graubart ( 1 996) found the fol lowing: Participants reported that listening to and speaking with the panelists definitely increased their sensitivity and promoted insights for inter­ acting with people with disabilities . . . several people commented on a blind student remark- 1 6 ing that people sometimes raised their voices or did not identify themselves when speaking to him . . . he also noticed when people seemed to be scurrying away to avoid him when he ap­ proached. Several respondents also stated that they heard a similar reaction from a student who used a wheelchair who said that he no­ ticed when people seemed to try to avoid him (p. 39). Role playing is a device frequently used in sensi­ tivity training sessions. Having participants wear dark g lasses to simulate being blind and "reading" information on a web site through a speech simu­ lation device or being i n a wheelchair to experi­ ence difficulties encountered when simply trying to obtain a book on an upper shelf is an effective way to promote insights into difficulties patrons with disabil ities encounter when using the l ibrary. Deines-Janes ( 1999) notes "role playing can re­ veal interesting prejud ices about people with dis­ abi l ities. In awareness sessions demonstrating how cred ible l ibrarians find people with d isabi l i­ t ies, students and practicing l ibrarians al ike tend to extend more sympathy to and are more l ikely to bel ieve people who have obvious disabilities" (p . 1 54) than those who do not. She uses two exam­ ple of role playing to demonstrate this. . In the first role-play, a female l ibrary page is aware of a male student in a wheelchair who keeps staring at her. H is hands keep making a jerking motion and something about him is very unsettl ing to her. She is busy shelving books, not paying attention to her surroundings, when she is suddenly startled by the student in the wheelchair appearing next to her. As she turns towards h im, h is hand suddenly jerks and clutches at her breast. The page goes to her supervisor to report the incident. The student explains that he was simply reaching for a book and was unable to con­ trol his movements because of his disabil ity and how dare the page make an accusation that he did something wrong . This role-play centers on how this incident should be resolved. (In real ity, the student is a pervert who discovered that if he fakes muscular spasms, he can get away with groping young women.) In the second role-play, a student with a learning disabil ity needs to use a computer in the computer lab. It is Sunday n ight and the lab is jammed; al l computers are in use and there is a waiting l ine. The only available computer is reserved for per­ sons with d isabi lities. The student has a learning disability and received an ID with a special access sticker on it, al lowing her to use the reserved com- Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 computer. Unfortunately, she lost her ID and her wal let. She cannot get a new ID until tomorrow but her paper is due then as wel l . She approaches the information desk to explain her situation and get permission to use the computer. The role play centers on how this incident is resolved-should the student be al lowed to use the special access computer without proper authorization? Deines-Jones ( 1 999) found that "with very few exceptions, people do not even consider the pos­ sibil ity that the man who uses a wheelchair might be a pervert, but they tend to be extremely d is­ trustfu l of the young woman who claims to have a learning d isabi l ity" (p. 154 ). These exercises demonstrate that "people with disabilities are not al l saintly people to be alternately pitied and ad­ mired but, rather, are l ibrary patrons l ike all oth­ ers , with potentially different information access strategies" (Deines-Janes, 1 999, 1 54 ) . Facil ity Training Faci l ity training focuses on the accessibil ity of li­ braries and the operation of adaptive equipment. Role-playing and simulation exercises can be ef­ fective training tools. Simulating a l ibrary patron in a wheelchair navigating the physical area of the l ibrary including using the elevator, accessing washrooms, moving through the stacks, attempt­ ing to reach books on upper and lower shelves are effective ways of making staff members aware of the difficulties patrons with physical disabilities encounter. Exercises can be developed to simu­ late patrons with vision and hearing impairments and learning d isabi l it ies. Staff need to know how to operate various equipment that are available. "Facil ity training also g ives staff members the tools they need to evaluate what facilities or equ ipment may not be fully accessible so that they can either design measures to increase ac­ cessibi l i ty or devise work-around strateg ies" (Deines-Janes, 1 999, 1 57). Service and Legal Training Service training is closely al igned with attitud inal training and facil ity training. Service training is used to focus on how to overcome attitudinal and facility barriers to un iversal access for al l l ibrary patrons. The goal of the l ibrary is not how to make the l ibrary accessible to those with d isabil ities but how to ensure that "all l ibrary services are acces­ sible to its entire user base" (Deines-Jones, 1 999, p. 158). Service training enables staff members to identify creative solutions to accommodate those with special needs without "compromising ser- 1 7 vices to students who do not have disabilities" (Deines-Janes, 1 999, 158). Additionally, professionals with proper credentials should provide legal tra in ing. It is important for all staff members to understand the basics of the ADA and the history of disabil ity rights. Staff members act as representatives of the l ibrary and must be aware that their actions, or inactions, can result in legal ramifications against the l ibrary. Conclusion Academic l ibrarians have implemented policies and procedures to ensure equitable access to in­ formation resources for student with d isabilities as a result of legislation such as the Rehabil itation Act of 1 973, the Americans with Disabi l ities Act of 1 990, and Section 508 federal standards, and a phi losophical bel ief in access for a l l . The purpose of the legislation enacted that affects l ibrary ser­ vice for people with disabilities is to ensure that they have equal rights to information services and not special rights that continue to keep them dis­ enfranchised and excluded from the rest of the student body. Students with d isabil ities do not want to be singled out as being different or need­ ing special services. This is made clear through the increasing number of students with " invisible" d isabil ities such as learning d isabil ities in our. col­ leges and universities today who do not wish to register with an institution's office for students with disabil ities. Equ itable access is a concept that benefits not only those students with disabil ities but those without d isabil ities as wel l . Adapting a multi­ sensory teaching style that uses a variety of .vis­ ual , aural , and tactile techniques meets the needs of every kind of learner. Creating web sites that make information more accessible not only bene­ fits individuals with disabil ities, but aids users in a variety of contexts whether they are using a desk­ top browser, a mobile phone, or working in a hands-free environment. Focusing on clarity of information and easier access al lows al l users to access information on the web more quickly. Fi­ nally, staff training issues benefit all users through increased sensitivity and understanding of users' needs, improved quality of l ibrary service to better enable students to conduct research independ­ ently, and improved access to information . As methodologies and technologies change, it is necessary that these issues are constantly re­ viewed and new processes implemented to con­ tinue to meet the concepts of equitable access. Education Libraries Volume 27, No. 2 Winter 2004 References Applin , M. ( 1 999). Instructional Services for Stu­ dents with Disabil ities. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25, 1 39-142. Blake, S . E. (2000). Universal Access, the ADA, and Your Library Web Page. Arkansas Librar­ ies, 57, 1 9-24. Curry, E. ( 1 991 ) . Ask So You Can Give: Refer­ ence/research Service for the Disabled in an Academic Library. RQ, Summer, 479-485. DeCandido, G. ( 1 999). Service to Users with Dis­ abilities. Washington, DC: Association of Re­ search Libraries. Deines-Janes, C. ( 1 999). Training Professional and Support Staff Members. In T. McNulty (Ed.) , Accessible Libraries on Campus. Chi­ cago: ACRL. Graubart, M. ( 1 996). Serving the Library Needs of Students with Physical Disabil ities. Library Hi Tech, 14, 37-40. Hudson , L. (2002). A New Age of Accessibil ity. Library Journal, 127, 1 9-22. McNulty, T. (Ed . ) . ( 1 999). Accessible Libraries on Campus: A Practical Guide for the Creation of Disability-friendly Libraries. Chicago: ACRL. Mi l ler-Gatenby, K. J . , & Chittenden, M. (2000) . Reference Services for Al l : How to Support Reference Service to Cl ients with Disabil ities . The Reference Librarian, 69170, 3 1 3-336. Texas State Library and Archives Commission. (2005). Creating ADA-compliant Web Sites. Retrieved Feb. 21 , 2005, from http://www.tsl. state.tx.us/ld/pubs/ada. United States. General Services Administration's Office of Governmentwide Pol icy (n .d . ) . Sec­ tion 508. Retrieved February 2 1 , 2005, from http://www. section508.gov. Wilhelmus, D. W. (1 996). Perspectives on the Americans with Disabi l ities Act. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 22, 366-371 . Watchfire Corporation . (2005). Welcome to Bobby. Retrieved February 2 1 , 2005, from http://bobby.watchfire. com/ bobby/html/en/ index.jsp. World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). (2005). Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Ac­ cessibi l ity Guidel ines 1 .0 . Retrieved February 2 1 , 2005, from http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI­ WEBCONTENT/fu l l-checklist.html Catherine J. Carter, DeVry University, Chicago. Emai l : cjcarter@chi .devry.edu 18