Hope this does not ruin anyone's day, but Mike asked for the information.
Just for full disclosure our web based system is not accessible, but we
provide a telnet alternative that is. We are working on the problems.
None of the vendors responded as far as I know. The decrease in
accessibility was due to more of the databases going to only web based. Here
are the highlights. These evaluations were done using Lynx and PwWebSpeak
for baseline access. We have standardized on PwWebSpeak and Lynx as the
minimum standard for accessibility. If you have a resource that is not
listed, send me the URL and access information and we will take a look at
it:
ABI-Inform - Requires cookies, not supported by screen readers
Academic Index - Basic search works, advanced does not
Very difficult interface to use, will required direct assistance
until the user is familiar with interface
Compendex - Requires Frames
Very complex interface, users are easily lost in database
CSA - Very Difficult to Navigate
No decent context clues are provided to assist user in navigation in
database section
Encyclopedia Britannica - Inaccessible due to Java front end
Pages are also not coded for accessibility.
First Search - Unusable
Java based authorization
Full Text Electronic Journals - Varies
Any in Adobe Acrobat format are inaccessible for all practical
purposes.
Accessibility depends on the journal you are trying to use.
Most inaccessible due to Java front end, or Java based query tools.
Gov. Info Project - Text version very good
Standard version almost unusable
Infotrac - Inaccessible due to Java front end
All of the lists are accessible, but that is as far as you can get.
Query tools Java based.
Lexis-Nexus - Very Poorly designed interface, but usable
Will require hands on training to explain data entry fields, and to
give context clues
Medline - Unusable
Access is through an inaccessible image
Math Science Net - Acceptable, but could use some work.
Silver Platter - Unable to Login
Screen reader returns unfiltered text, unusable
SPIN - Accessible but unusable
Can not use without the graphics, and no alt test provided.
TGIF - Acceptable, but could use some work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron Stewart, Director
Technology Access Program
Information Services
Oregon State University
109 Kidder Hall
Corvallis, Oregon 97331
Phone: 1.541.737.7307
Fax: 1.541.737.2159
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
WWW: http://tap.orst.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Arnold,Mike [NCR] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2000 7:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accessibility of Webpacs
I am comforted to see so many others involved in with these issues. We
continue to search for opinions and/or experience with CD-ROM index
accessibility (post made 2000 05 10). It seems Webpacs has its own set of
access issues. Our non-library ORACLE experience is similar to other posts.
Audrey - Does the ALA have a formal position on accessibility? Are there
any ALA procurement checklists, guidelines, requirements, standards, or
policies? If so perhaps they can be easily referenced (ie website). If
not, I suggest that an ALA position statement be drafted. This way
individual library concerns (ie arguments with vendors, what to purchase,
etc) can be draped in the context of larger library policy.
Ron - You quoted some accessibility stats in your 2000 05 23 post (ie 80% to
95% degrade). Could you please reference this? Perhaps you have on hand a
list of vendors who were contacted, who responded, who is accessible etc.
This may provide Audrey (and the rest of us) some help in getting going.
Kelly - Thanks for raising this. Accessibility work-arounds in java land
are not straight-forward. On something so fundamental to inclusion, I think
it appropriate to demand accessibility in the original software design ( ie
not a work-around). I had truly thought there would be many accessible
software catalog alternatives but Ron's post makes me think otherwise. May
I respectfully suggest you make your own accessibility clause in your
procurement efforts. You could request for example that the vendor
successfully demonstrate and/or guarantee accessibility parameters as
defined by Section 508. Recently, I have seen a few examples where
accessibility was mentioned in the tendering documents.
Anyone had to make CD-ROM Indexes accessible?
Mike Arnold
e-mail/courriel: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Tel: (819) 997-2903
Fax: (819) 953-5995
-----Original Message-----
From: Jenny Levine [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 2:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accessibility of Webpacs
At my Library System, we talked to Innovative last year and
they actually tried to tell us that their frames-based out-of-the-box
interface was ADA-compliant. They don't seem to grasp the scope of
the issue, so at the very least, we plan to add accesskey and tabindex
tags into the HTML we can control as the browsers begin to implement
HTML 4. This will be a small step though, as we can't control 95% of
the results screens.
I'd love to see ALA address this, but I'm not optimistic (about
impact on the vendors, not ALA!). Until it comes down to dollars for
the vendors, they won't devote resources to this. Especially for
catalogs like DRA's that are built on client-side Java.
Jenny Levine
[log in to unmask]
Internet Development Specialist
Suburban Library System
http://www.sls.lib.il.us/
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Audrey Gorman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 9:40 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Accessibility of Webpacs
>
> Does anyone know what's been done to approach vendors of these products?
> Has anyone raised this issue to anyone else at ALA (just so I know, since
> that's where I am!)? What suggestions do people have for an approach to
> this issue?
>
> Audrey
> [log in to unmask]
>
> <<< [log in to unmask] 5/22 12:02p >>>
> Through some pretty intensive investigations we have not found any web
based
> library packages, and have contacted almost all of the library software
> vendors, with no response.
>
> Two years ago about 80% of the library systems were inaccessible, six
months
> ago it had climbed to 95%, primarily due to the issues you found with the
> Webpacs system.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Ron Stewart, Director
> Technology Access Program
> Information Services
> Oregon State University
> 109 Kidder Hall
> Corvallis, Oregon 97331
> Phone: 1.541.737.7307
> Fax: 1.541.737.2159
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> WWW: http://tap.orst.edu
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kelly Ford [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, May 22, 2000 9:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Accessibility of Webpacs
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I was recently talking with officials at the Multnomah County Library in
> Portland, Oregon and learned that they are soon going too be using a
> graphical (web-based) library catalog system called Webpacs. Apparently
it
> comes from the vendor of their existing catalog system.
>
> The person I was talking with gave me URLs of some other libraries that
are
> already using this system. From my preliminary explorations it would
> appear that Webpacs is both a Java application and virtually inaccessible
> to screen readers. Does anyone know if the accessibility option is
correct
> and if so anything about efforts to address it?
>
> Below are the examples the person I spoke with provided to me.
>
> Kelly
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Barrier-free Web Design Online Workshop
Workshop starts June 7, 2000
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/workshops/easiweb.htm
Barrier-free Web Design Online Workshop
Workshop starts June 7, 2000
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/workshops/easiweb.htm
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