Distance Learning: The Library's Role in Ensuring Access to Everyone.

Federal legislation and increasing support for the full inclusion of all students in precollege education have resulted in higher expectations and increased participation of students with disabilities in academic programs that have prepared them for college studies. As a result, greater numbers of people with disabilities are attending postsecondary academic institutions and participating in distance learning offerings. This article focuses on the role that libraries can play in assuring that all distance learning students and instructors have access to the electronic resources they offer. It can be used to help libraries develop policies, guidelines, and procedures for making their electronic resources accessible to people with disabilities.

[1]  Jenny Craven Electronic access for all: awareness in creating accessible websites for the university library , 2002 .

[2]  Axel Schmetzke Web accessibility at university libraries and library schools: 2002 follow-up study , 2003 .

[3]  S. Goldsmith Universal Design , 2001 .

[4]  Sheryl Burgstahler,et al.  Universal Design of Instruction. , 2001 .

[5]  Cathy Henderson,et al.  College Freshmen with Disabilities, 2001: A Biennial Statistical Profile. , 1995 .

[6]  D J Smith,et al.  Faculty Willingness to Accommodate Students with Learning Disabilities , 1990, Journal of learning disabilities.

[7]  David H. Rose Universal Design for Learning , 2000 .

[8]  Gregg C. Vanderheiden,et al.  Web content accessibility guidelines 1.0 , 2001, INTR.

[9]  J. Turner,et al.  Faculty Knowledge of Disability Laws in Higher Education: A Survey. , 1997 .

[10]  Frank Bowe,et al.  Universal Design in Education , 2000 .

[11]  Connie Van Fleet,et al.  Wired But Not Connected , 2000 .

[12]  Laurel Bar,et al.  The Accessible School: Universal Design for Educational Settings , 1996 .

[13]  Axel Schmetzke,et al.  Web accessibility at university libraries and library schools , 2001 .

[14]  Marsha Woodbury Defining web ethics , 1998 .

[15]  E. Yelin,et al.  Labor Force Trends of Persons with and without Disabilities. , 1994 .

[16]  Sally A. Guthrie Making the World Wide Web Accessible to All Students , 2000 .

[17]  An Examination of Community College Faculty Members' Knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 at the Fifteen Community Colleges in Mississippi. , 2001 .

[18]  Marty Bray,et al.  Accessibility of Special Education Program Home Pages , 1999 .

[19]  Jennifer Berktold,et al.  Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education: A Profile of Preparation, Participation, and Outcomes. , 1999 .

[20]  Adult Learners With Special Needs: Strategies and Resources for Postsecondary Education and Workplace Training (Professional Practices in Adult Education and Human Resource Development Series) , 1997 .

[21]  Mary Wagner,et al.  Longitudinal Postschool Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities: Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study , 1996 .

[22]  L. Allen Phelps,et al.  School-to-Work Transitions for Youth With Disabilities: A Review of Outcomes and Practices , 1997 .

[23]  Sheryl Burgstahler Distance Learning: Universal Design, Universal Access , 2002 .