Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities

Internet Access for People With Disabilities in Australian Libraries

Dr Kirsty Williamson, Director, Information and Telecommunications Needs Research (ITNR), Monash University and Charles Sturt University), for the Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities, March 2002

This paper is based on projects undertaken by Information and Telecommunications Needs Research (ITNR), a joint venture of Monash University’s School of Information Studies and Charles Sturt University’s School of Information Studies. The studies were/are funded by the AccessAbility Program of the Commonwealth Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. The following describes the contribution of these projects to an understanding of how libraries can assist people with disabilities to use the Internet. The emphasis is on the first project which focussed very specifically on opening up the Internet to people with disabilities in public libraries:

(1) Online Services for People with Disabilities in Australian Public Libraries (September 1998 – September 2000)

This project was undertaken in partnership with State Library of Victoria/VICNET and sponsored by AAPT Ltd.. Key objectives were:

  • the selection of a core set of adaptive equipment, suited to people with a range of different disabilities for use in public settings;
  • the development of related training packages; and
  • the development of standards and policies to achieve appropriate levels of online public access for disability groups.

The aim of the project was to include the full range of disabilities in the project: sight, motor, intellectual and hearing, and any combination of these. The key focus was on breaking down barriers and increasing participation in public libraries, but some aspects of the project are also relevant to other library sectors.

Method

Involved a sample of 85 participants with a range of disabilities and age groups in one-to one interviews and trials of equipment, plus 17 librarians in focus groups which focussed on training. Nine public libraries (8 in Victoria, plus the Wagga Wagga Headquarters of the Riverina Regional Library) were involved and participants were found mainly through community organisations, particularly those which work with people with disabilities.

Qualitative data collection methods were used to capture the perspectives of the participants. Action research, which enables fieldwork to be adjusted so that the best possible solutions to problems can be obtained, was also used where this was appropriate - for example, in the testing of equipment with people with a great range of disabilities, and in trialling appropriate training for the equipment.

There were two major stages to the data collection. The first stage involved the evaluation of a range of different equipment considered suitable for public settings; the second saw the development of training focusing on the equipment which had been recommended as a result of the first stage.

Project recommendations

The following is a summary of the recommendations related to each of the project objectives.

A core set of equipment and software

Adaptive equipment and software need to be selected with great care for a public library setting, not only to be suited to a range of different disabilities, but also to be practical and easy for librarians to support. The project has produced guidelines for this process, as well as recommendations for state-of-the-art equipment and software which was available at the time the project was undertaken. Recommended equipment:

  • Intellikeys- a large keyboard with a selection of overlays (including an ABC overlay) suited to different disabilities.
  • A good quality trackball - a solid, stable substitute for a mouse which is very helpful for people with mild to moderate dexterity problems.
  • Opera browser - highly recommended as a simplified browser which offers many useful options for people with disabilities, including sight and physical difficulties which make use of a mouse difficult.
  • Enhancing Internet Access (EIA) – an Australian product which provides a touch screen and a simplified browser, and includes an on-screen keyboard. It is very useful for a range of disabilities and allows the user to avoid the problems of mouse control
  • pwWebSpeak (possibly – but later removed from the market)

Training

  • One-on-one training is usually best for persons with disabilities.
  • Libraries should develop partnerships with local disability organizations, with a view to facilitating peer, one-on-one training for library patrons.
  • Library staff will require training, preferably of the ‘hands-on’ variety, as well as follow-up access to online and print materials for complex browsers and equipment.
  • Libraries should attempt to set up a rolling, continuous process of peer training amongst staff, so that skills do not become out-of-date.
  • Disability awareness kits can play a valuable role in providing library staff with increased insight and confidence when working with people with disabilities. Disability Awareness Kit (1998) produced by the RVIB is a fine example of such materials.
  • Library policies should cover all aspects of training, including evaluation.

Strategies and policies for improving access

  • Marketing of library services for people with disabilities is a key strategy which needs to be pursued on a broad, State- and Australia-wide basis as well as at the local level. The involvement of local disability groups is crucial.
  • Library policies are needed to improve and regulate access to online services for people with disabilities in public libraries and to ensure the availability of staff to assist with computer and other special requirements. They should be integrated with other ‘access’ policies.
  • Policies should also take general accessibility issues into account, e.g., the provision of adjustable computer desks to accommodate wheel chairs of various sizes, and location of computers to allow enough space for the movement of wheel chairs.
  • The effectiveness of library policies, with regard to disability access, should be the subject of a simple but regular evaluation process.

(2) Literacy Online for Deaf People: through sports, arts and recreation; Literacy Online for People with Physical and Intellectual Disabilities: through sports, art and recreation (March 2000 – March 2002)

Although separate projects, in one sense, these projects have been undertaken in parallel. ITNR’s partner is Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE. Consultants for the project are ELR Software Pty Ltd (Rob and Toni Seiler).

The ideas for these projects emerged from the first study. When we were conducting the equipment trials, we had problems identifying suitable web sites for people with low or non-existent literacy skills, and often resorted to the few children’s sites which are less text dependent, but which often contained content that was not interesting. The result was disappointment as many of these participants were excited about trying the Internet and had much to gain from its use. The solution to this problem does not lie in adaptive equipment, but in the development of some web sites which cater for low literacy levels or for visual literacy where that is appropriate. It is also important to provide the content of interest to these particular groups. We found that it was mainly recreational interests that participants wanted to pursue during the trials.

The Literacy Online projects are also relevant to public libraries in particular. Web accessibility for clients with low literacy is dependent on suitable web sites such as the three being developed by the project at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE. The first group involves people with mild to moderate physical and intellectual disabilities; the second, people with severe multiple physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities. A third website has been developed to assist the Deaf who predominately use English as a second language. The research has used qualitative research methods and action research to understand the needs and abilities of these three different groups and, after the prototypes were developed, to obtain feedback to improve and refine the web sites. The final products will provide a variety of designs and models of best practice.

References

Disability Awareness Kit (1998) A training resource for public library customer service staff. Melbourne: Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind/Arts Victoria.

Williamson, Kirsty, Stillman, Larry, Bow, Amanda and Schauder, Don.(1999a) ‘Guidelines for a flexible public online workstation for people with disabilities’. Paper presented at OzCHI ’99. Interfaces for the Global Community. Held at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, 28-30 November, 1999. Wagga Wagga, NSW: Charles Sturt University, pp.92-97.

Williamson, Kirsty, Stillman, Larry, Bow, Amanda and Schauder, Don.(1999b) ‘Online services for people with disabilities in Australian public libraries’. A refereed occasional paper documenting a paper presented at the AccessAbility Conference for Online Services for People with Disabilities, held at Monash University on 11 June, 1999.

Williamson, Kirsty, Stillman, Larry, Bow, Amanda and Schauder, Don.(1999c) ‘Online services in public settings for persons with disabilities’. Key note paper presented at Telecom 99/Interactive 99, International Telecommunication Union Conference, held in Geneva, 10-17 October 1999. (Published on CD-ROM and on the Web site. www.itu.int/TELECOM)

Williamson, Kirsty, Stillman, Larry, Bow, Amanda and Schauder, Don.(1999d) ‘Public online access for people with disabilities’. Paper presented at ARATA 1999. Technology for Life: Education, Work and Leisure. Fourth Australian Conference of ARATA (Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association) on Technology for People with Disabilities, held 28-30 September 1999 at the Masonic Centre, Sydney. Sydney: ARATA, Internet Access Section, pp.13-15.

Williamson, Kirsty, Wright, Steve, Schauder, Don, Stillman, Larry and Jenkins, Louise (2000a) ‘Flexible work stations in community settings for people with disabilities’. Paper presented at Communications Research Forum 2000. Annual conference hosted by the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, held at Old Parliament House, Canberra, 3-4 October, 2000. On DoCITA website: http://www.dcita.gov.au

Williamson, Kirsty, Wright, Steve, Schauder, Don, Stillman, Larry and Jenkins, Louise. (2000b) ‘Levelling the playing field: The role of libraries in providing online services for people with disabilities’. Paper presented at ALIA 2000, Capitalising on Knowledge, held at the National Convention Centre Canberra, 23-27 October, 2000. http://wwwalia.org.au/conferences/alia2000/

Williamson, Kirsty, Stockfeld, Louise, Wright, Steve, Schauder, Don and Bow, Amanda.(2001) ‘The role of the Internet for people with disabilities: Issues of access and equity for public libraries’. The Australian Library Journal. Vol. 50, No.2, 2001, pp. 157-174.

Williamson, Kirsty, Wright, Steve, Jenkins, Louise, Schauder, Don and Stillman, Larry (2001) ‘Online fairways for people with disabilities: achieving par in public libraries’. In AccessAbility Workshop 2001. Proceedings of the Conference for the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts’ AccessAbility Program, held at the National Convention Centre, Canberra, 14-15 May, 2001. Canberra: DoCITA, pp. 139-151.

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