Don’t make the blind kid play Dodge ball

Who are you?Angie: Librarian born with a visual impairmentDale: PhD in rehabilitation counseling, MLS and instructor at Emporia State University

Students with disabilities99% of public colleges enroll students with disabilities.Students are under no obligation to disclose disabilities unless they are requesting accommodations.Disabilities are often hidden….until they are forced into the open.

Why worry about it?Library Instruction is often about making students comfortable and familiar with the library. A student who is alienated cannot do that.Paying attention to the needs of students with disabilities also makes it easier to accommodate students with different learning styles.Think about your elementary/ high school gym experience….

Accommodations with benefits

Curb cuts are used by people with strollers or rolling bags.People who don’t “need” large print often find it easier to readClosed captions are used by people who don’t “need” them

We are all TABsAge, disease and accident will diminish most human’s physical and/or cognitive abilities.

Common problems with library instruction games

Require physical dexterityRequire navigating unfamiliar territoryRequire using ADA accessible routes that may not be readily apparentRequire students to use computers without adaptive technology

What to doWork to include students in the flow of things as much as possible.Consider whether or not a planned activity could exclude students with disabilitiesWhat accommodations can you make the the activity?Can you make accommodations on the fly?The following slides provide examples and solutions.

Online jigsaw puzzleRequires dexterity and visual acuityDoes not respond to magnification or screen readersUse only if you know your students do not require accommodations.

Scavenger HuntsPhysically orienting to a new space is difficult for students with visual or mobility impairments.Navigating new spaces can also present challenges to students on the Autism SpectrumHow accessible is your library?

Making scavenger hunts better

Offer a brief (5 minutes) physical tour of the libraryKnow the accessible route to all the destinations in the libraryMake sure any competition is all in fun and make the prizes minor.Take a critical look at your signage….could someone with a visual impairment make use of it?

Library’s best beach ballCatching a thrown object is difficult for students with visual or mobility impairmentsTo randomize the things students look at try a random list generator like http://www.random.org

Library QuestStudents answer questions using library resources.Answers are written on large sticky notes and posted in the front of the classroom with the rules being projected on a screenBe sure to read any rules aloud and have at least one copy that students with visual or print disabilities can hold and read during the game.Read the answers aloud, don’t just count on one student to mark them.

Youtube DetectiveStudents watch a youtube video, of their choice, and use it to find both scholarly and popular information about the contents of the video.Many youtube videos are not captioned and/or images are not of sufficient quality for visually impaired students to use.Allow students to dissect a meme, Facebook post, e-mail or other lore they are interested in.Help students find captioned videos.

Comic book storytellingStudents write a script and use an iPad (and ap!) to create a comic book exploring the library.The ap is not friendly to students with severe visual impairments. Ipads can be very awkward for people with mobility or dexterity issues.Students can instead be prompted to tell a story about the library in a way that works for them.

1 minute paperExit Pass

Writing on the fly present challenges for people with visual, print and mobility disabilities.Generally a low risk activity that can be modified by accepting verbal feedback or papers at a later time.

For more informationAngie Brunk abrunk@emporia.eduDale Monobe dmonobe@emporia.edu