Accessibility of
Electronic
Resources
a) Can students navigate these electronic resources independently and locate and select articles for their research?
b) Are students who use screen readers using enhanced features in online databases to help them select relevant and scholarly articles?
c) What kinds of accessibility barriers, if any, are encountered during the research process?
Presentations
These are selected videos of actual students with print disabilities (either visual or learning impairment) searching various databases using their screen readers. Students were instructed to search for academic articles in 3 databases on the topic of "women with disabilities in Canada", select 2 appropriate academic articles and then read the first paragraph of the article.
a) Can students navigate these electronic resources independently and locate and select articles for their research?
b) Are students who use screen readers using enhanced features in online databases to help them select relevant and scholarly articles?
c) What kinds of accessibility barriers, if any, are encountered during the research process?
Presentations
- 2010 Dermody, Kelly and Norda Majekodunmi. "Are They Finding What They Need? Do Screen Readers Help?" Ontario Library Association Super Conference, Toronto, Ontario February 2010
- 2009 Dermody, Kelly and Norda Majekodunmi. “Are they Finding What They Need?: Library Databases and Users with Print/Learning Disabilities”, Canadian Library Association 2009 National Conference and Tradeshow, Montreal, Quebec, May 2009.
These are selected videos of actual students with print disabilities (either visual or learning impairment) searching various databases using their screen readers. Students were instructed to search for academic articles in 3 databases on the topic of "women with disabilities in Canada", select 2 appropriate academic articles and then read the first paragraph of the article.
- Basic Search in CBCA using JAWS screen reader; note the search strategy
- Reading PDF in CBCA: the screen reader JAWS can not read the scanned PDF
- Problems with SFX: student can not find the SFX (Find It) button to access the article online in CBCA