tzippy@dasys1.uucp (Tzipporah BenAvraham) (03/19/90)
Index Number: 7210
Computer Access for Disabled Users
A couple of years ago I put together a computing facility for
the visually handicapped at Carnegie Mellon (all two of them).
The best piece of advice I can offer to anyone involved with
adaptive computing (as we call it now) is to get in touch with
Carl Brown, Director
High-Tech Center for the Disabled
Calif. Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
1109 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 332-INFO
Carl has put together a terrific resource book,"Computer Access
in Higher Education for Students with Disabilities." He'll
probably send you one for free. This book discusses different kinds
of access problems for different disabilities (visual impairment,
motor-function problems, etc.) and includes a list of adaptive
hardware and software. He is also remarkably generous with his
time and advice. I couldn't have done what little bit we did
without him.
Various equipment vendors offer you advice, equipment, and in
some cases reduced prices (IBM, Digital, and Apple come first to
mind, not to mention the Kurzweil folks). And you pick up tidbits
along the way. For instance, if you're using screen-reading
software, it is pretty boring and useless for the user to hear same
standard screen features every time a screen changes. We didn't
attempt a CD-ROM hookup, since our basic purpose was to provide
access to Carnegie Mellon's much-vaunted computing facilities, not
necessarily library resources (although access to the online catalog
was made possible through the computing facility).
I'd be glad to share what I know via phone call, from anyone out there
who is interested (412-268-8896, until April 13). Starting April 23
I'll be working for ALA/LITA in Chicago and probably won't have much
time for non-LITA related stuff for a while.
Let me say, parenthetically, that working on the adaptive computing
stuff gave me as much personal satisfaction as anything I've done as
a librarian. Do call Carl Brown, if you haven't done so already.
Nancy Evans
Carnegie Mellon Univ. Libs. (for a little while longer)