Hi Lynne,
In 2001, Gale announced a web accessibility policy, according to which the company is working towards compliance with Section 508. New products are tested using Cast's accessibility assessment tool ("Bobby") and the JAWS screen reader (so the announcement stated). At the time, Gale admitted that several Section-508 compliance points (such as the provision of skip-navigation links) were not yet met, but that these were being worked on.
On its website, Ebsco states that, with the recent re-design of its interface, the previously accessible text-only interface alternative is no longer necessary. Ebsco's new interface is designed to make all its features accessible to everyone, including people with various physical and visual disabilities. The company quotes several accessibility researchers/advocates, among them Jon Gunderson, Director of IT Accessibility Services (CITES) and Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology (DRES), University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign: "EBSCO stands out as a company that has rejected the minimalist accessible repair approach used by many companies that may allow websites to pass automated accessibility tests; but are still unusable by many people with disabilities. EBSCO stands as a model of how collaboration on accessibility leads to benefits for everyone, especially people with disabilities."
A 2007 database vendor survey conducted by Byerley, Chambers and Thohira (s. Library Hi Tech, Vol. 25, Issue 4, 2007, 509-527) showed continued concern for accessibility by both Gale and Ebsco. The company representatives of both Gale and Ebsco stated that their graphical interfaces were quite accessible (4 on a scale of 1 to 5), that they evaluated their products using both accessibility validating software and screen readers, and that they planned to offer a new release with more accessibility features. However, only Ebsco positively stated that they involved people with disabilities in their usability studies. (Gale reps responded to this question with "don't know," and unlike Ebsco, they did not respond to the question asking them to specify the groups of people with disabilities involved in their company's usability studies.)
I heard some vague rumors, via the internet grapevine, that Ebsco's new interface is not quite as free of accessibility problems as the company claims. However, these were just some vague rumblings that I haven't had the chance to follow up on.
To the best of my knowledge, no independent research has been published that would provide a current, comparative picture about database accessibility. The study by Stewart, Narendra and Schmetzke (Library Hi Tech, 2004, Vol. 23, No. 2, 265-286) did not include the Gale interface (and its findings are likely to be outdated by now, anyway).
Lynne, if I were you, I would contact Gale and inquire about the improvements that this company may have been made since 2001. For example, does their current interface now include skip-navigation links? This would also be a good opportunity to ask the Gale reps when they are planning to post up-to-date accessibility information on their website? And please, do share their answers with this group.
For links to the vendor accessibility statements referred to above see http://library.uwsp.edu/aschmetz/Accessible/websurveys.htm#vendor_info. If you know of other statements, please let me know.
Good luck,
Axel
*******************************
Axel Schmetzke, Ph.D.
Professor
Library
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
715-346-4658
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: EASI's Library Accessibility Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cutler, Lynne
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: accessibility of Gale versus Ebsco databases?
Could anyone speak to this? (Comparing the accessibility of Gale databases
versus that of Ebsco databases?) Thanks very much if so!
Lynne Cutler
Services for Persons with Disabilities and for Older Adults
Access Services Unit
Oakland Public Library
238-4974
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
---------------------------
Check out EASI New Synchronous Clinics:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI Home Page http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Online courses and Clinics http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Check the EASI Library Web http://www.rit.edu/~easi/lib.htm
>>> Error in line 8 of AXSLIB-L.MAILTPL: unknown formatting command <<<
-> . . . . . . . . . <-
---------------------------
Check out EASI New Synchronous Clinics:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm
EASI Home Page http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Online courses and Clinics http://easi.cc/workshop.htm
Check the EASI Library Web http://www.rit.edu/~easi/lib.htm
>>> Error in line 8 of AXSLIB-L.MAILTPL: unknown formatting command <<<
-> . . . . . . . . . <-
|
