How can we make our Media Center more accessible to all students at

1
How can we make our Media Center more accessible
to all students at Elementary?
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What can we do?

• Physical layout
• Extra Resources for the classroom
• Finding materials with main characters relatable
  to children with disabilities
• Free resources for students
• Lessons in the library
• External Resources and Tips

3
The Physical Layout of the Library, how can we
make it more accessible to everyone?
The layout of the library should be spaced in
order to let students with physical disabilities
have access to all sections of the library. In
order to do this, the library will contain
several pieces of furniture which make work in
the library more accessible to our students.
Floors are flat and covered in hard pile carpet
so it is safe for wheelchairs and walkers.
Aisles are thirty-six inches wide to allow
wheelchairs throughout the library.
These desks will allow students in wheelchairs to
more comfortably complete research.
This computer station allows access to students
with all needs.
4
Resources Available in the Library for students
with special needs
Computer screen magnifiers available to students.
An amplification system is available in the
library and may be checked out to any teacher who
has a hearing impaired student.
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How we can get more resources for our students
with disabilities

• The State of Georgias Special Education
  Directors are available to answer questions about
  special needs students
• Nancy O'HaraDirector, Special Education
  Services1870 Twin Towers East205 Jesse Hill Jr.
  Drive SEAtlanta, GA 30334  [phone]
   [phone]   nohara_at_doe.k12.ga.usThe
  State of Georgias State Library Agency is
  available to answer questions about library
  accessibility.
• Georgia Public Library ServiceDr. J. Lamar
  Veatch Jr., State LibrarianJulie Walker, Deputy
  State LibrarianLyn Hopper, Assistant State
  LibrarianContact Maggie Marshall, Executive
  Administrative SpecialistSuite 1501800 Century
  PlaceAtlanta, GA 30345-4304Phone (404)
  235-7200Fax [phone]Email
  mmarshall_at_georgialibraries.org or
  lcloud_at_georgialibraries.orgWebsite
  http//www.georgialibraries.org/

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Other resources to find products for our students

• http//blindreaders.info/index.html
• This site is a guide to help guide the user
  through sources that help students and others
  with visual impairments. It is categorized by
  needs such as books, computers, etc. Please keep
  in mind that it does not lead you to all free
  products, and all products shown may not be
  appropriate for school use.
• http//education.gsu.edu/georgiadeafblindproj/
• The Georgia Sensory Assistance Project provides
  technical assistance to children and youth with
  deafblindness from birth through 21 years of age
  and to their families and service providers.
  Technical assistance may include in-home
  consultation, school consultation, family
  support, networking, demonstration site
  development, inservices, weekend retreats, summer
  institutes, loaner bank, material and monograph
  development, statewide advisory program,
  referrals to other agencies, and resources.
  Services may be requested by families of children
  and youth with deafblindness, school personnel,
  and agencies providing services to children and
  youth with deafblindness.
• http//www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Products
  /OtherATprod.html
• This site has a list of resources available for
  purchase to help students with different
  disabilities in the school setting. Please be
  aware that not all links are correct, but most
  are. This listing can also give you an idea of
  items you may want to purchase from school
  approved sources when funding becomes available.

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A few materials that are relatable to students
with disabilities
For Students
For Teachers
8
Free Internet Resources for students with
Disabilities

• http//www.palaestra.com/featurestory.html
• This website offers free lesson plans for
  teachers who have students with
  severe/profound/multiple disabilities
• http//math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org/index.ht
  ml
• This is a website that claims to be custom
  written by teachers to help students with their
  math and reading at different levels.
• http//www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/funga
  mes.shtml
• This site is an information community for those
  with disabilities and lists online games that are
  available to those with vision, hearing, and
  other disabilities.

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Lessons in the library, how can we work together?

• Lessons for Special Education Classes
• Lessons for All Students How were all the same
• Lessons on Special Topics for Everyone

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Lessons for Special Education Classes

• We will have lessons at the beginning of each
  school year to discuss with students library
  procedures, as well as introducing or
  re-introducing them to the resources available
  for them. This includes computer access, internet
  access for those with parental permission, and
  check out procedures.

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Lessons for All Students

• We will have lessons in conjunction with the
  school counselor for students who need extra help
  understanding that we are all the same, although
  we may have different ways of doing things. Some
  of the book resources already shown will be used
  in these lessons.
• "Disability is natural. We must stop believing
  that disabilities keep a person from doing
  something. Because that's not true . . . Having a
  disability doesn't stop me from doing anything."
  --Benjamin Snow, Grade 8, Woodland Park,
  Colorado, in an essay entitled "Attitudes About
  People with Disabilities"

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Accessible Lessons for Everyone

• We offer lessons all year on the research
  process, as well as any literary lessons teachers
  would like us to help with. We also have story
  time using the Georgia Picture book Award Winning
  books. All of these lessons are made accessible
  to students with physical or learning
  disabilities.

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External Resources and Tips

• ASCLA http//www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asc
  laprotools/accessibilitytipsheets/default.cfm
• This is a toolkit of tip sheet for what you need
  to know about the accessibility of your library.
• Library of Congress Panel Discussion
  http//www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php
  ?rec4158
• This is video from the Library of Congress when
  they hosted a panel discussion, "Library
  Accessibility Facilities, Programs and
  Services," as part of its celebration of
  Disability Employment Awareness Month.

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The following are online resources where the
information that does not have a website listed
was found

• http//books.google.com/books?idj3pTBMsQtLcCpgP
  A71lpgPA71dqwheelchairaccessiblefurniturefo
  rschoolssourceblots0GqgCBFqt8sigbbQyqL6jSDb
  0LqLIR8Y1rEHINZ4hlenei-lldSpC7M92fmAf_4rVusa
  Xoibook_resultctresultresnum10
• http//www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?numb
  er454502DS
• http//www.customallhear.com/classroomproducts.htm
  
• www.google.com
• www.disabilityworld.org/01-02_01/resources/quotes.
  htm
• http//www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/disabil
  ities.html

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Making the library accessible is not just to help
students with disabilities, when you include a
way for all students to work together, it helps
everyone.

• Also note that invariably when we design
  something that can be used by those with
  disabilities, we often make it better for
  everyone.Donald Norman