Digital Publishing Benefits People with Disabilities

John Williams

Assistive Technology News

Howard McClintic

Concurrent Technologies Corporation Foundation

Historical Technology

Digital Access Areas

• Education

• Access to Libraries

• Employment

Digital Technology• Electronic publishing is electronic commerce in

digital goods and services that are intended for consumption by the human senses.

• Digital publishing can increase access to information, books and education for people with disabilities.

• Digital textbooks can have pictures, videos, captioning, and interactive features available through:

- Internet- CD ROM- DVD

Education• Teachers have more flexibility. - information online is usually current and easily downloadable - visuals, such as graphs and charts can be used to help illustrate points - digital text allow teachers to modify lessons to fit the individual needs of students

Education• Digital materials are more accessible than printed

publications for many students with disabilities.

- more options for children with visual or learning disabilities are offered - this allows them to participate in the general curriculum

- improve access for students with physical disabilities who cannot handle books or other tactile materials

Education

• Digital materials support a "Universal Design for Learning" approach to education.

- read aloud with a screen reader

- listened to using a portable player

- received through a computer

Library Usage

• Utilizing digital publishing for people with communication disabilities can have universal impact.

Library Usage

• The low costs associated with digital publishing increase the volume of accessible books available to more readers using digital media.

Library Usage

• It should be possible to deliver free talking book software to any library that has an Internet-connected PC.

Employment Opportunities

• Adults with disabilities appreciate the employment benefits of digital publishing among themselves. For example:

- captioned video

- audio

- screen magnification

- book marking

Employment Opportunities

• External forces are driving publishers to ensure their digital publishing services are accessible to online users with disabilities.

• Section 508 of the 1998 Rehabilitation Act is one of these forces.

Employment Opportunities

• Marketing programs must :

- have a product worth selling

- show the product’s features at a variety

of places

- demonstrate they know the disability

market’s needs

- cultivate their markets

Employment Opportunities

• “Employing people with disabilities and ensuring they have access to accessible digital technology is certainly sound business policy,” says Paul Cofoni.

Conclusion

Like Julius Caesar, they

must carpe diem!

History will record that they have taken one giant

leap forward!