Tuesday, January 29, 2013


Why should libraries be accessible for someone with a Learning Disability?
• The right to information and lifelong learning
• To create the joy of reading in your Learning Disability population
• Remove the barriers of accessing and comprehending information. Create the access in
the ways that work for us.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ultimately wants libraries to be a more
accessible and inviting place for people with Learning Disabilities

There are many different ways that libraries can become more accessible for people with
Learning Disabilities. Many Universities and Colleges have libraries that are accessible to people
with Learning Disabilities. The University of Ottawa is a very good example of an accessible
library. They have an Adaptive Technology lab. This Adaptive Technology lab has a lot of the
software that people with you Learning Disabilities and other varying types of disabilities use.

The software that they offer is Kurzweil, Dragon Naturally Speaking, and Zoom Text to name a
few.
To look more into this library check out:
http://www.biblio.uottawa.ca/html/Page?node=accessibility-tech&lang=en

The AERO (Alternative Education Resources for Ontario) library is another example of an
accessible library for people with Learning Disabilities. This library is ran through the Ministry
of Education so that schools all throughout Ontario can access accessible format for their
students that use Assistive Technology and Accessible Format. Only teachers can access thislibrary and request Accessible Format.

Accessible resources need to be available to all individuals who have a disability not just for
when student attend academic institutions where this information is made available.

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