The Census Bureau's 1999 Survey of Income and Program Participation found that Internet access and computer use by people with visual impairments is substantially (30 percent) less than that for people with no disabilities. Age, employment, and the presence of additional impairments also affected computer use. Results suggest over a million…

This article discusses strategies for including students with visual impairments in general education settings. It explains categories of visual impairments and how students with visual impairments learn. Auditory learning and visual learning accommodations are addressed, and checklists for orientation and mobility adaptations, and for classroom…

Discussion of learning disabled (LD) law students looks at what constitutes a learning disability and explains circumstances leading to increasing numbers of LD students in law schools. Manifestations of learning disabilities in writing are examined, problems with this in the law school setting are noted, and early identification and interventions…

Discusses how librarians in scientific and technical libraries can contribute to an accessible electronic library environment for users with disabilities to ensure independent access to information. Topics include relevant assistive technologies; creating accessible Web pages; monitoring accessibility of electronic databases; preparing accessible…

Reports on study designed to determine students' and instructors' comfort with asking for and providing accommodations for community college students with learning disabilities. Finds that students and faculty indicated neutral levels of comfort, but that further analyses of responses showed wide variability in the types of accommodations with…

Describes methods used by the South Carolina State Library to make its library, both the workstations and the Web site, more accessible to visually and physically handicapped patrons. Discusses choosing new hardware and software, renovating the workstations, and becoming more aware of user needs; and lists resources for Web accessibility…

Explains how the Monroe County Library System (NY) adapted their library to help the greatest number of disabled people use their library with the greatest ease and at a reasonable cost. Highlights include focus groups with disabled patrons; appropriate adaptive devices; policy recommendations for computer use; and staff training. (LRW)

This article proposes a three-step process in determining how accessible a classroom general curriculum is for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Checklists, examples, and rubrics are offered as are suggestions for strengthening and modifying the curriculum. The process also can aid in making placement decisions that are more methodical…

This is the story of a college professor with learning disabilities that were undiagnosed until age 17. Failing school, he was excluded from a college bound academic track in junior and senior high school. He eventually went on to earn a doctoral degree after first becoming a special education teacher, certified reading teacher, and school…

Research indicates that students with exceptionalities such as visual impairments are more academically successful when they are included in the regular classroom setting and have opportunities to engage in active learning. Therefore, science educators must address their needs by motivating visually impaired students in science and making…

In Australia, anti-discrimination legislation and government policies have been introduced which aim to facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment and education. However in the area of nursing, attitudinal barriers persist that effectively hinder the full participation of people with disabilities in nurse education…

Allan Ridley has many interesting qualities, not least his determination. Though he is totally blind, he doesn't let that stop him pursuing his interests, whether he is water skiing or learning database design. When asked to tutor blind learner Allan Ridley, the author had to give a lot of thought to making the curriculum accessible. This article…

According to data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study, funded every four years by the National Center for Education Statistics, increasing numbers of students with disabilities are seeking postsecondary educational opportunities. During the 1999-2000 academic year, approximately 9% of undergraduates self-reported having a disability,…

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief background about the educational system in the United Arab Emirates and particularly describe the present types of programs and services offered within the country with respect to individuals with special needs. In addition, findings of an ongoing study about the attitudes of teachers and…

While there are hundreds of studies reported for general education, few researchers have focused on the impact of class size on the academic achievement of students with special needs. Despite escalating special education costs and increasing student needs, policies governing special education remain inconsistent. We examine the effect of class…