Adaptive and Assistive Technology in the Library

In response to Janet Hopkin's "10 ideas for addressing library accessibility issues for students with disabilities:"

  1. The library at my school is underused, and I think it would be interesting for our librarian to research why this is the case. We have a wide range of students; 68.5% of our population are English Language Learners and 24.5% are students with disabilities. I'm wondering how the library could better suit their needs. Something to remember when I become a librarian is to consider why some students may not visit the library and to brainstorm how to address this issue.
  2. Our librarian has been working in the district for a long time in several different capacities, so I'm sure she knows who to contact for assistive technology needs. As I found this week, it's pretty easy to find someone in the district to talk to about assistive technology.
  3. Our library is physically accessible. There are ramps leading into all entrances, and the space is easy to navigate, with shelves spaced far enough apart for someone in a wheelchair or on crutches to get through. Some books are shelved rather high, making it difficult for even a shorter person to access them. I don't think I've ever seen any large print books in our library, but I've also never really looked for them. Our students do have access to digital audiobooks. In the future, I'd like to research more about how to make the space more accessible and useful for all students.
  4. I definitely want to remember to take Project ENABLE's course on creating an inclusive library program!
  5. I'm not sure how much our librarian works with other colleagues regarding library accessibility issues, but I think that forming a focus group would be beneficial for students and staff alike.
  6. I already have a decent list of accessibility features available on my own computer, and I want to continue exploring other options. It's important to be familiar with these tools so that I can recommend them for students and help them navigate the features.
  7. I know that this year our librarian used part of her budget to order more texts in various languages to support our language learners. I'm not sure if any part of the budget was used to address other accessibility needs. This is where having a focus group, as previously mentioned, and maybe interviewing students would help with purchasing appropriate resources.
  8. Luckily, I work with a very responsive administration, so I'm confident that any urgent accessibility issues would be addressed.
  9. It's great to know that vendors will provide trial products. It would be nice to allow students to trial some of the products as well. Sometimes I really like a platform or an app, but students don't always feel the same way, so it's important to get their input.
  10. Our library does not currently have anything publicized, but our other module has really demonstrated the power of social media. I do plan to create some kind of public account or website for our school community.

Image created using Nightcafe with the prompt
"an accessible school library with students"


Works Cited

Hopkins, Janet. "School Library Accessibility: The Role of Assistive Technology." Teacher Librarian, vol. 31, no. 3, Feb. 2004, pp. 16-18.



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