Providing an Inclusive Library Service Emma Millard 26 October 2009

The JISC TechDis Service JISC TechDis is the leading educational advisory service providing advice and guidance on technology and disability to promote an accessible and inclusive experience for students and staff. We are a JISC Advance service, based in York, that: Advises funding bodies and policy makers. Provides guidance to strategic partners and intermediaries. Provides advice for management, front line and specialist staff. Provides effective resources for practitioners.

JISC TechDis is the leading educational advisory service providing advice and guidance on technology and disability to promote an accessible and inclusive experience for students and staff.

We are a JISC Advance service, based in York, that:

Advises funding bodies and policy makers.

Provides guidance to strategic partners and intermediaries.

Provides advice for management, front line and specialist staff.

Provides effective resources for practitioners.

JISC TechDis covers Higher, Further and Specialist Education, across the UK. Our remit is neither focused mainly around technology nor around disability but around good practice in teaching and learning that inherently broadens and enhances the student experience for all students. Help staff understand that inclusive practice is not hard – just common sense. The JISC TechDis Advisory Service

JISC TechDis covers Higher, Further and Specialist Education, across the UK.

Our remit is neither focused mainly around technology nor around disability but around good practice in teaching and learning that inherently broadens and enhances the student experience for all students.

Help staff understand that inclusive practice is not hard – just common sense.

Resources Adding Value to Libraries publication In delegate packs Online Library Guides www.techdis.ac.uk/getlibraryguides Accessibility issues for library staff www.techdis.ac.uk/getlibrary Guide to Obtaining Textbooks in Alternative Formats www.techdis.ac.uk/getaltformat Publisher Lookup UK www.publisherlookup.org.uk

Adding Value to Libraries publication

In delegate packs

Online Library Guides

www.techdis.ac.uk/getlibraryguides

Accessibility issues for library staff

www.techdis.ac.uk/getlibrary

Guide to Obtaining Textbooks in Alternative Formats

www.techdis.ac.uk/getaltformat

Publisher Lookup UK

www.publisherlookup.org.uk

Resources Accessibility Essentials www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials Upwardly Mobile www.techdis.ac.uk/upwardlymobile Online Accessibility Self Evaluations www.techdis.ac.uk/getevaluated HEAT Case Studies www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme Helpdesk service [email_address]

Accessibility Essentials

www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials

Upwardly Mobile

www.techdis.ac.uk/upwardlymobile

Online Accessibility Self Evaluations

www.techdis.ac.uk/getevaluated

HEAT Case Studies

www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme

Helpdesk service

[email_address]

JISC TechDis HEAT Scheme Invited staff in higher education to bid for specific items of technology to run small projects. Open to libraries, student support and staff development as well as teaching staff. Around 80 case studies now online at www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme .

Invited staff in higher education to bid for specific items of technology to run small projects.

Open to libraries, student support and staff development as well as teaching staff.

Around 80 case studies now online at www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme .

Tools for you…

Why create alternative formats? Users with disabilities may choose not to declare them. Some users may not be aware that they have a disability. Some users may find it useful to access information on the move. Creating alternative formats needn’t be difficult or time-consuming – the next few slides outline some free tools you could use.

Users with disabilities may choose not to declare them.

Some users may not be aware that they have a disability.

Some users may find it useful to access information on the move.

Creating alternative formats needn’t be difficult or time-consuming – the next few slides outline some free tools you could use.

Audacity Simple route into making podcasts Can add introductory music etc simply to make a professional sounding podcast. Could be used to produce audio guides to library services, for example. Portable Audacity runs from memory stick so doesn’t need to be installed.

Simple route into making podcasts

Can add introductory music etc simply to make a professional sounding podcast.

Could be used to produce audio guides to library services, for example.

Portable Audacity runs from memory stick so doesn’t need to be installed.

Camstudio Choose images to be used. Open Camstudio, define ‘recordable’ area, move cursor, add commentary. Save avi file. Use Windows MovieMaker to add subtitles. Full demo at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware Excellent alternatives: JING ( www.jingproject.com ) Screentoaster ( www.screentoaster.com )

Choose images to be used.

Open Camstudio, define ‘recordable’ area, move cursor, add commentary.

Save avi file.

Use Windows MovieMaker to add subtitles.

Full demo at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Excellent alternatives:

JING ( www.jingproject.com )

Screentoaster ( www.screentoaster.com )

DSpeech Allows electronic text to be converted into ‘automatic’ podcasts using a computerised voice. Computerised voices aren’t for everyone! But they do add a degree of flexibility for those who do not like or have difficulty with reading, or who want to listen whilst doing other things. Portable version for memory stick if install not possible. Demo available at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Allows electronic text to be converted into ‘automatic’ podcasts using a computerised voice.

Computerised voices aren’t for everyone!

But they do add a degree of flexibility for those who do not like or have difficulty with reading, or who want to listen whilst doing other things.

Portable version for memory stick if install not possible.

Demo available at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Robobraille / ReadTheWords Send Word file attachment (blank email and subject line) to [email_address] Within a few minutes you get back an audio version of your file. www.readthewords.com – set up a $15 account and get a choice of 15 voices (there is a free trial) Paste in text or convert a whole Word, PDF, web page or RSS

Send Word file attachment (blank email and subject line) to [email_address]

Within a few minutes you get back an audio version of your file.

www.readthewords.com – set up a $15 account and get a choice of 15 voices (there is a free trial)

Paste in text or convert a whole Word, PDF, web page or RSS

WINK Produces more flexible presentations, with image selection, flexible audio and captioning, subtitling and so on. Demo on www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware under Visualisation Tools

Produces more flexible presentations, with image selection, flexible audio and captioning, subtitling and so on.

Demo on www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware under Visualisation Tools

QR Codes Generate a QR code freely on the web eg. http://qrcode.kaywa.com - print and stick anywhere Download and install free QR reading software to your phone www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/ Two example uses: National Star College and Heriot-Watt University

Generate a QR code freely on the web eg. http://qrcode.kaywa.com - print and stick anywhere

Download and install free QR reading software to your phone

www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/

Two example uses: National Star College and Heriot-Watt University

Travel text is read out by a text to speech application running on the phone

HEAT2 mLearning Case Study – Heriot-Watt University Alasdair Thin – used mobile phone to stream context specific audio information to students with visual impairment Used camera phone QR codes to push text files to students’ mobiles, used TextAloud to convert this to audio. Moved on to using QR codes to access web url to download audio.

Alasdair Thin – used mobile phone to stream context specific audio information to students with visual impairment

Used camera phone QR codes to push text files to students’ mobiles, used TextAloud to convert this to audio. Moved on to using QR codes to access web url to download audio.

Xerte Free learning object creator that produces accessible learning objects. Online version at www.techdisplayxerte.info Example learning objects: http://xerte.techdis.palepurple.co.uk/play_6 http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~cczjrt/menuDemo/

Free learning object creator that produces accessible learning objects.

Online version at www.techdisplayxerte.info

Example learning objects:

http://xerte.techdis.palepurple.co.uk/play_6

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~cczjrt/menuDemo/

Tools for your users…

Why make these tools available? These tools potentially benefit all learners, not just disabled learners – mind mapping could be useful for everyone. They are free, so the number of licences isn’t restricted by cost. Disabled learners not restricted to specific PCs, which therefore advertise their disability. All users can potentially benefit as they can be made widely available. More at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware Here is a small selection…

These tools potentially benefit all learners, not just disabled learners – mind mapping could be useful for everyone.

They are free, so the number of licences isn’t restricted by cost.

Disabled learners not restricted to specific PCs, which therefore advertise their disability.

All users can potentially benefit as they can be made widely available.

More at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware

Here is a small selection…

What Microsoft ® Does for Accessibility There are a number of features built into to Microsoft ® Windows and Office. On-screen keyboard. Magnifier. Customise desktop appearance (enlarge icons and screen tips, change colour scheme etc). Document map in Microsoft® Word. See Accessibility Essentials and Staff Packs for more details. ( www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials and www.techdis.ac.uk/staffpacks ).

There are a number of features built into to Microsoft ® Windows and Office.

On-screen keyboard.

Magnifier.

Customise desktop appearance (enlarge icons and screen tips, change colour scheme etc).

Document map in Microsoft® Word.

See Accessibility Essentials and Staff Packs for more details.

( www.techdis.ac.uk/accessibilityessentials and www.techdis.ac.uk/staffpacks ).

Screen Tinter LITE

FreeMind

Dasher

Let-me-type

AccessApps Free download. Collection of over 60 free and Open Source applications, grouped by task. Portable applications so run from a memory stick – no need to install. Includes reading, writing and planning support as well as resource creation. Now extended into further collections, LearnApps and TeachApps. www.techdis.ac.uk/getaccessapps

Free download.

Collection of over 60 free and Open Source applications, grouped by task.

Portable applications so run from a memory stick – no need to install.

Includes reading, writing and planning support as well as resource creation.

Now extended into further collections, LearnApps and TeachApps.

www.techdis.ac.uk/getaccessapps

Contact Details JISC TechDis Service Higher Education Academy Building Innovation Way York Science Park York YO10 5BR [email_address] www.techdis.ac.uk

JISC TechDis Service

Higher Education Academy Building

Innovation Way

York Science Park

York

YO10 5BR

[email_address]

www.techdis.ac.uk