I am not sure of the basis of the problem with Webpacs but most of these
systems are built on an ORACLE base, and it is the interfaces into the
underlying database that are at the heart of the problem. They do not allow
for system level access to the information. We have contacted several of the
vendors and ORACLE, but at this point no clear solution has been identified.
Second issue is the JAVA front end of most of these products, I know a
software bridge for screen readers is in the alpha stage, so the solution to
this problem may not be far off.
Ron Stewart
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Fruchterman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 12:25 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accessibility of Webpacs
So, let's say a nonprofit technology group wanted to fix this problem.
What would we do that would be different than a screen reader vendor
tuning up their application-specific macros?
Jim
Jim Fruchterman [log in to unmask]
President Arkenstone, Inc.
NASA Ames Moffett Complex, Bldg 23 1-800-444-4443
P.O. Box 215 1-650-603-8880
Moffett Field, CA 94035-0215 USA Fax: 1-650-603-8887
http://www.arkenstone.org TDD: 1-800-833-2753
Arkenstone is a nonprofit organization with the motto:
"Information Access for Everyone!"
______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: Re: Accessibility of Webpacs
Author: <[log in to unmask]> at INTERNET
Date: 5/23/00 11:17 AM
This is not just a library issue, we are finding the same thing in all of
the database programs being used on campuses around the country. The
proposed changes to Section 508 of the Rehab act will help some, but until
there is a concerted collective action taken very little change is likely to
occur.
It would seem to me that the ALA would be a prime candidate to coordinate
such an effort from the library perspective.
Ron Stewart
-----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
Examples of Other Webpacs
Carroll Online <http://www.carr.org/>
http://www.carr.org/
Carroll County Public Library - Nice buttons, other locations/this
location
DeKalb County Public Library Catalog
<http://findit.dekalb.public.lib.ga.us/>
http://findit.dekalb.public.lib.ga.us/
Dynix WebPAC <http://www.sanjuan.lib.wa.us/webclient.html>
http://www.sanjuan.lib.wa.us/webclient.html
San Juan Island Library District
Kent District Library <http://www.kentlibrary.lib.mi.us/>
http://www.kentlibrary.lib.mi.us/
Nice buttons, interesting indexes
The New York Public Library <http://www.nypl.org/>
http://www.nypl.org/
Spawns new clean window
WebPAC J1.2 <http://pac.timberland.lib.wa.us/>
http://pac.timberland.lib.wa.us/
Timberland Regional Library - New books!
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
Check the URL below to register your institutions
Web page in EASI's Batteri-free Web contest.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi
|
