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Reading and understanding information presented in tabular format have posed specific challenges for blind individuals who use screen readers to access computers. In this article the results of a study of the types of problems blind individuals using screen readers experienced, when reading tables on the World Wide Web, have been summarized. Nine blind participants were asked to extract information from tables with varying levels of complexity. The participants used combinations of commonly used screen readers and Web browsers. The presentation of information in the tables was systematically varied through use of several HTML coding methods. The participants in the study found tasks that required them to extract information from tables challenging and often frustrating. Suggestions for making tables accessible to users of screen readers are provided.

Three aggregator databases, EBSCOhost, InfoTrac, and First Search Electronic Collections Online (ECO), were analyzed for compliance with the Web accessibility guidelines published by the Web Access Initiative section of the World Wide Web Consortium. A sighted librarian then used each database with JAWS for Windows 3.7, OpenBook 5.0, ZoomText 7.0, and the L&H Kurzweil 1000 and 3000. Results indicate that JAWS for Windows 3.7 works best for the blind, and that ZoomText 7.0 is acceptable for those needing screen magnification. None of the databases tested offers a perfect accessibility option for clients with visual impairment. Conclusions suggest that aggregator databases do not follow the accessibility guidelines and consequently are not supplying accessible products.

Electronic reserves help registered campus users who need anytime‐access to documents. Electronic reserves comprise digital files, mostly HTML or PDF formats. In some circumstances the HTML or PDF file is “readable” to the sighted individual, but are sometimes either partially or completely unreadable to the visually impaired using assistive technology. Creating “accessible” PDF files poses more challenges than creating “accessible” HTML files. Several options are suggested to help solve this problem.

The purpose of this paper is to identify important principles which should be applied to electronic library websites to make them usable for all people.

The goal of this paper was to make the simplified user interface of Hungarian Electronic Library (VMEK) more accessible and usable by leveraging the latest technologies, standards and recommendations. Vision-impaired and motor-disabled people were also involved in brainstorming and collecting ideas during the design phase and in testing the implemented website.

This paper showed that the perspicuity of the Web page is greatly improved by semantically correct HTML codes, clearly defined links and alt attributes, hotkeys and typographic principles.

The paper presents the design principles of electronic library Web pages which can be applied by Web developers and content managers. The paper identifies design principles, which improve the perspicuity of user interfaces to a great extent (especially in the case of blind users); draws attention to the typographic principles, which promote reading and understanding documents; and recommends guidelines for developing electronic library home pages and managing the content of these home pages.

This paper bridges the gap between the information and library science field and the Web accessibility and usability field. Based on brainstorming results where people with various kinds of disabilities were involved, the paper gives 11 recommendations which should be taken into account while designing and developing electronic library websites to ensure equal access to their services and documents.

The authors evaluate the accessibility for persons with visual disabilities of WebVoyage 2000, the online public access catalog from Endeavor. They briefly review the assistive technologies used by persons with visual disabilities and the major Web accessibility guidelines and requirements; then, using specific provisions from Federal Web accessibility regulations, they examine several Voyager implementations, reviewing introductory pages, search pages, limit pages, list and record displays, and help pages noting areas where particular elements of page design or construction cause the content to be confusing or unusable to a person using a screen reader. The evaluation is concluded with specific recommendations for Endeavor and the implementing libraries for necessary modifications to make WebVoyage usable by persons with visual disabilities.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the challenges faced by blind/vision-impaired users during the web access in the leading academic and special libraries of Delhi, India.

Survey methodology has been used as the basic research tool for data collection with the help of questionnaire. A total of 125 users surveyed in all the five libraries are selected randomly on the basis of willingness of the users to participate in the survey with the experience of working in digital environment. The survey results were tabulated and analysed with descriptive statistics methods using Excel software and “Stata version 11”.

There are various barriers faced by blind/vision-impaired users in the libraries of Delhi (India) during the “web access” with the help of assistive technologies as assistive technology like “Screen Readers” available today are “somewhat compatible” with the web. The facility of “web-based catalogue” is generally lacking in Delhi libraries.

The paper does not offer a comprehensive set of web accessibility issues, concentrating instead on the most common problems as epitome of this study.

The paper raises awareness of web accessibility issues in libraries of Delhi, India.

The paper highlights the web accessibility issues faced by blind/vision-impaired users of leading academic and special libraries of India including the users’ recommendations for the accessible web page/website design for the first time.

Digital distraction is a common phenomenon in e-reading contexts, and it is worth exploring in depth from the perspectives of information (digital content), users (readers) and technology (digital reading medium). Since screen reading has close links with multitasking and potential distraction, any investigation of reading in the digital environment must factor in this reality. This paper aims to investigate the extent and effects of digital distraction while reading on screens. Special emphases go to exploring multitasking while reading.

Survey and analysis methods are employed.

The extent of digital distraction among college students it found is alarming. All the top four sources of distraction are communication-based activities. Female students tend to concentrate more than males when they read on screens. An overwhelming majority of participants choose to read in print to reduce distractions and to concentrate effectively. Screen reading is inherently distracting, primarily due to multitasking. It appears that repeated multitasking during academic endeavors carries substantial costs.

Implications of digital distraction are discussed, and directions of future research are suggested.

This paper aims to investigate accessibility and usage of mobile smartphones by Arabic-speaking visually impaired people in Saudi Arabia.

In total, 104 participants with visual impairments were interviewed about their use of mobile phones with the following questions: What is the most commonly used mobile phone? What is the popular domain for which they use mobile phones? What are their favorite applications? What accessibility challenges do they usually face while using mobile phones? How often do they use the Internet via mobile phones and what are the reasons behind that?

This research is the first study with such magnitude to investigate smartphone usage by Arabic-speaking visually impaired people. The survey has revealed that Arabic-speaking visually impaired people utilize mobile phones in different ways and strategies. Getting assistance in performing daily tasks and navigating independently are two of the most common uses for mobile phones.

Based on the findings, the authors are going to propose some guidelines to developers to improve smartphone accessibility, application design and Internet usage to improve accessibility for visually impaired people.

WindowEyes Version 4.1 for Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and ME, was used in conjunction with three full‐text databases frequently accessed by undergraduate students at academic libraries: EBSCO Academic Search Premier, ProQuest Research Library and Lexis‐Nexis Academic Universe. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accessibility of three widely used academic databases in conjunction with a screen reader, WindowEyes. In addition, this article also discusses general considerations for evaluating and selecting accessibility hardware and software.

Technology is present in classrooms today in many ways that it never has been before. Technology, and more specifically assistive technology, can be used to provide students with visual impairments with equal access and engagement in learning. Best practices for using technology to enhance learning for students with visual impairments includes, but is not limited to, collaboration among all stakeholders involved, individualized instruction, and specialized training on behalf of students with visual impairments and their teachers. The heterogeneity of the population of learners with visual impairments must be explicitly addressed by educational teams taking into account the high prevalence of additional disabilities among students with visual impairments and other unique characteristics of this population. Stakeholders (i.e., students, families, caregivers, educators, administrators, and policymakers) need to work together and continue working together as education evolves to make this access and engagement a reality for all learners including those who are blind or have low vision.