Another free webcast -- on Electronic Accessibility in Library and Information Services

There's another free webcast next week, this one on the topic of electronic library accessibility for individuals with disabilities involved in distance education. Sponsored by the National Center on Disability and Access to Education, it takes place Wednesday, September 14th, 2005, 3 PM EDT. For more info and a link to register, visit http://www.ncdae.org/webcasts.

Free Web conference on universal design principles

EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is sponsoring a free hour-long Web conference (live with interactive voice chat) September 13 titled, "Designing Multimedia Using Universal Design Principles" at 2 PM EDT. The presenter is Richard Banks, Electronic Resource Manager for EASI.

The workshop will "demonstrate the need to make such multimedia accessible by adding synchronized captions and sometimes also audio descriptions" and will "focus on free and inexpensive software tools and demonstrate that anyone can make streaming multimedia using audio, PowerPoint and video."

For more info on how to register, visit easi.cc/clinic.htm

Macular degeneration

After a summer hiatus, we're back! Feel free to post interesting stuff on the topic of accommodations in libraries.

I recently read a good article on info sources for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), published in the latest issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ). Written by Tony Stankus, a librarian recently diagnosed with AMD, and Jennifer Lanouette, it provides very practical advice to the newly diagosed and also recommends specific library accommodations -- for example, low vision technology such as magnifiers, text enlargers, and text-to-voice machines.

In case you're unfamiliar with the condition, AMD results in the inability to see fine details at the center of the field of vision. Peripheral vision is not affected, so the disease may affect a person's ability read and drive but does not lead to complete blindness. AMD becomes more common among people past the age of 50. By age 75, almost 15% of people have the condition.

The article is titled, "Bullseye: Targeting the Greatest Challenge to the Vision of Our Adult Library Readers Today, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, with Helpful Information," published in RUSQ, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Summer 05), pp. 279-83, 285-8.