NRCGSH@RITVAX.BITNET (Norm Coombs) (07/19/90)
Index Number: 9318
I am a blind user of Bitnet, Internet etc. I have found the
network systems opening up exciting potential for handicapped
persons in the areas of education and research. A close
acquaintance of mine has had talks with some funding agencies
which have expressed an abstract and theoretical interest in
helping to find ways that electronic networks could provide
better access and more equal access to educational and research
facilities for the physically disabled. Coming at the time when
Congress is passing ADA this avowed interest might be turned into
a reality.
There are already adequate discussion groups such as this
one where handicapped individuals can and do share all kinds of
personal feelings and often trade valuable bits of information.
What I have in mind would be something a bit more formal. I
would think of less expensive access to important databases which
are now often ecostly and in the hands of commercial companies.
For us disabled persons, the option of walking into our local
library and freely and readily using all kinds of reference works
and full text books, periodicals and newspapers is either
difficult or at least extremely inconvenient. Electronic
networks gives the technical opportunity of accessing such
information from home and without needing a reader or other
helper. If some of these electronic sources continue to be
controlled for profit, I would hope some exception could be made
for the disabled in the name of equal access.
I know that internet opens up hundreds of library catalogs.
I, myself, would like to see periodicals, newspapers and other
kinds of reference works like dictionaries and encyclopedias
available electronicly. I am involved in providing some on-line
college courses, and I'd like to see these made more readily
available on a national basis for physically disabled persons.
It also seems that most people can readily attend inexpensive
adult education learning connected with a variety of agencies
which would include courses on developing one's self image,
learning computer skills, book discussion, cooking, and almost
anything and everything you can imagine. Why not include dozens
of non-credit adult education topics on a network?
As you can see, my ideas are not clear or well formed. I do
hear that there might possibly be funding for network activities
to increase access to society for the handicapped. I am
pondering the idea of formalizing and developing such concepts
and going for the supposed funding and find out if it is realy
there. I am looking for ideas from others as to just what they
think might be really useful and possible. So, if you have
thoughts that may run in a similar direction concerning what
would be nice to see on networks like internet, please drop me
mail and outline your thinking. If two heads are better than
one, imagine what power we have via this network!
Here are two electronic addresses for me.
Bitnet: NRCGSH@RITVAX
INTERNET: NRCGSH@VAXE.ISC.RIT.EDU
It being summer, I don't promise to follow discussion here
regularly. Hence, please send me personal mail rather than just
posting to the system.
Norman Coombs
Professor of History
Rochester Institute of Technology