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ERIC Number: EJ755111
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Feb
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0362-8930
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Everyone's Invited: Ways to Make Your Library More Welcoming to Children with Special Needs
Wojahn, Rebecca Hogue
School Library Journal, v52 n2 p46 Feb 2006
While the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have made it easier for those with impairments to use public facilities, there's still much that can be done to help students with special needs access their own schools, including the library. That doesn't necessarily mean having to purchase expensive, high-tech equipment to serve one child out of 500. In many cases, there are small, no-cost changes that can make a world of difference to those with disabilities and benefit the greater student population, as well. Students with disabilities are just another point in the spectrum in trying to meet students' individual needs. By starting with some simple changes, you can assure that every child in your library feels welcomed. In this article, the author offers several suggestions on how to make your library more accessible and user-friendly to children with special needs. Some of these suggestions include: (1) maintaining an uncluttered environment so students can move about safely; (2) eliminating stairs and similar barriers; (3) providing slanted worktops, which are easier for visually impaired students to read from; (4) optimizing acoustics so students can hear directions and provide headphones; and (5) incorporating visual and audio signals into your teaching lessons.
Reed Business Information. 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010. Tel: 800-446-6551; Tel: 646-746-6400; e-mail: subsmail@reedbusiness.com; Web site: http://www.reedbusiness.com/us.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A