DOCUMENT RESUME ED 437 743 EC 306 752 AUTHOR McNulty, Tom, Ed. TITLE Information Technology and Disabilities, 1994. INSTITUTION TLT Group, Washington, DC. PUB DATE 1994-00-00 NOTE 190p.; This is an electronic journal, published only in electronic form by Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI), a project of the TLT group (an affiliate of the American Association for Higher Education). These pages have been downloaded from the EASI Web site at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). AVAILABLE FROM For full text: http://www.isc.rit.edu/-easi/itd.html. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Information Technology and Disabilities; vl n1-4 1994 EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Accessibility (for Disabled); *Assistive Devices (for Disabled); Computer Uses in Education; *Disabilities; Educational Technology; Hearing Impairments; Higher Education; *Information Technology; Rehabilitation; Science Education; *Technological Advancement; Visual Impairments ABSTRACT Four issues of this newsletter on information technology and disabilities (ITD) contain the following articles: "Building an Accessible CD-ROM Reference Station" (Rochelle Wyatt and Charles Hamilton); "Development of an Accessible User Interface for People Who Are Blind or Vision Impaired as Part of the Re-Computerisation of Royal Blind Society (Australia)" (Tim Noonan); "The Electronic Rehabilitation Resource Center at St. John's University (New York)" (Bob Zenhausern and Mike Holtzman); "The Clearinghouse on Computer Accommodation (COCA)" (Susan Brummel and Doug Wakefield); "ITD Technotes: Speech Synthesis" (Alistair D. N. Edwards); "Project Link: Consumer Information for Persons with Disabilities" (William C. Mann); "C-Note: A Computerized Notetaking System for Hearing Impaired Students in Mainstream Post-Secondary Education" (Andrew Cuddihy and others); "What's Next in Adaptive Technology: MagNum--A Digital Recording Personal Assistant" (Dick Banks); "Ten Years of Computer Use by Visually Impaired People in Hungary" (Terez Vaspori and Andras Arato); "Rehabilitation and Remediation in Educational Disability: The Use of the Direct Access Reading Technique" (Sheila Rosenberg and Robert Zenhausern); "ITD Technotes: Braille Displays" (Gerhard Weber); "Math and Science Symposium at Recording for the Blind" (Richard Jones); "AsTeR: Audio System for Technical Readings"(T. V. Raman); "A Graphical Calculus Course for Blind Students" (Albert A. Blank and others); "Ensuring Usability in Interface Design: A Workstation To Provide Usable Access to Mathematics for Visually Disabled Users" (Helen Cahill and John McCarthy); "Mathtalk: Usable Access to Mathematics" (Robert D. Stevens and Alistair D. N. Edwards); "The Use of Laser Stereolithography To Produce Three-Dimensional Tactile Molecular Models for Blind and Visually Impaired Scientists and Students" (William J. Skawinski and others); "Computer Based Science Assessment: Implications for Learning Disabled Students" (David D. Kumar); "Books for Blind Students: The Technological Requirements of Accessibility" (William A. Barry and others); and "Increasing the Representation of People with Disabilities in Science, Engineering and Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Mathematics" (Sheryl Burgstahler). Individual issues also contain new items, reviews, and calls for papers. (DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Information Technology and Disabilities U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATI AL RESOURCES INFORMATION 1:1 (January 1994) DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY is document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Copyright Statement WV.V Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. Articles 1 Introducing Information Technology and Disabilities Tom McNulty, Editor Building an Accessible CD-ROM Reference Station Rochelle Wyatt and Charles Hamilton This case study describes the development of an accessible CD-ROM workstation at the Washington Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Included are descriptions of hard Abstract: ware and software, as well as selected CD-ROM reference sources. Information is provided on compatibility of individual CD-ROM products with adaptive technology hardware and software. Development of an Accessible User Intervace for People Who are Blind or Vision Impaired as Part of the Re-Computerisation of Royal Blind Society (Australia) Tim Noonan Abstract: In 1991, Royal Blind Society (Australia) and Deen Systems, a Sydney-based software development company, undertook a major overhaul of RBS information systems intended to enhance access to RBS client services as well as employment opportunities for blind and vision impaired RBS staff. This case study outlines the steps taken and principles followed in the development of a computer user interface intended for efficient use by blind and vision impaired individuals. The Electronic Rehabilitation Resource Center at St. John's University (New York) Bob Zenhausern and Mike Holtzman Abstract: St. John's University in Jamaica, New York, is host to a number of disability-related network information sources and services. This article identifies and describes key sources and services, including Bitnet listservs, or discussion groups, the UNIBASE system which includes real-time online conferencing, and other valuable educational and rehabilitation-related network information sources. The Clearinghouse on Computer Accommodation (COCA) Susan Brummel and Doug Wakefield Abstract: Since 1985, COCA has been pioneering information policies and computer support practices that benefit Federal employees with disabilities and members of the public with disabilities. Today, COCA provides a variety of services to people within and outside Government employment. The ultimate goal of all COCA's activities is to advance equitable information environments consistent with non-discriminatory employment and service delivery goals. 2 BEST COPY AV i Departments Job Accomodations Joe Lazzaro, Department Editor [email protected] K-12 Education Anne Pemberton, Department Editor [email protected] Libraries Ann Neville, Department Editor [email protected] Online Information and Networking Steve Noble, Department Editor [email protected] Campus Computing Daniel Hilton-Chalfen, Ph.D., Department Editor [email protected] (c 1994 Tom McNulty) INTRODUCING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DISABILITIES Tom McNulty [email protected] Editor-in-Chief _Information Technology and Disabilities INTRODUCTION Late last summer, several members of EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information), began discussing the possibility of creating an electronic journal devoted to applications of information technology by individuals with disabilities. EASI already had a number of information-disseminating activities underway, including two electronic discussion lists and a directory on the St. John's University gopher (see Zenhausern and Holtzman's article, this issue, _ITD_). In addition, EASI has a regular column in Library Hi Tech Newsletter published by Pierian Press. With general guidance from Norman Coombs, EASI Chair, and technical support from Dick Banks, adaptive technologist at the University of Wisconsin, Stout, and Dr. Bob Zenhausern, professor of psychology at St. John's University, a core group of EASI members began "meeting" on a private listsery established to coordinate all aspects of this fledgling journal. The first order of business was to select an editorial board, composed of experts in education, librarianship, campus computing, as well as rehabilitation and job accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Assembling the editorial board was easy enough; virtually everyone asked to participate accepted the invitation. Once the private listserv, EASIPUB, became operational, members of the editorial board were able to work out details through meetings held via e-mail. In this article, I will describe the goals of _Information Technology and Disabilities, at various points asking for your participation and input for future issues; if _ITD_ is to achieve its goals, we need your help in the form of news items, notices of meetings and new or forthcoming publications, research-based and case study articles, as well as ideas for articles or theme-based issues. The first issues addressed by the editorial board included title, frequency of publication, intended audience and scope of coverage. After considerable debate over several alternatives, _Information Technology and Disabilities_ was chosen as the title and work began on designing this international, multidisciplinary electronic journal. It was decided early on that the journal would appear quarterly, and that our target audience would include users of adaptive technology as well as the many service professionals who are interested in applying new and emerging technologies in their various fields; the latter group includes librarians, educators at all levels, rehabilitation professionals, campus computing and disabled students' service personnel, and others who wish to realize the potential of information sources and technologies by