[athen] Access to E-Text Dilemma

[Stewart, Ron]

I would like your feedback, comments and direction to any relevant
research that address this question:

Why is it so difficult to move disability services offices from a
blindness centric model of e-text and alt format provision, to a more
holistic model that is really willing to consider all individuals with
print disabilities?

In our heart of hearts, or at least mine, I think we all know that
access to good quality electronic resources helps to level the playing
field but why are our peers in the DS offices so unwilling to embrace
this progressive strategy.  Money is the obvious answer, and the one
that I keep hearing from campuses, but I do not find that to be a viable
response given what I see is the increasing student effectiveness that
is provided by e-text and e-book access.

Can you point me to any research that support my conclusion, and any
that argues against it.  Have any of you had to formulate a similar
argument for an e-text production program, what do you think? 

Given that there are over 300 people subscribed to these two lists I
hope to hear from more than the usual active participants.

Ron  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron Stewart, Director
Technology Access Program
Information Services
Oregon State University
109 Kidder Hall
Corvallis, Oregon  97331
Phone: 1.541.737.7307
Fax:   1.541.737.2159
E-mail: Ron.Stewart at oregonstate.edu
WWW: http://tap.oregonstate.edu