I] Re: [WEB4LIB] QR codes and accessibility

[Deborah Stanley]

Thanks, Gwen. That's interesting to know about. I look forward to more
info when it's done.

Deborah


On Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Gwen Schmidt
<g.schmidt at saskatoonlibrary.ca> wrote:
> Hi Everybody,
>
> I'm not very techie, but I am happy to report that there will be programs at
> our Library this fall called "iPhone Help for People with Visual
> Disabilities" in partnership with the CNIB.  The CNIB's local Assistive
> Technology Specialist is a blind user of technology and a professional
> trainer of other people with visual disabilities, and she will be leading
> the sessions.  She is a strong proponent of the accessibility features of
> the iPhone for blind users.  With the iPhone, at least, touch screens
> instead of buttons don't seem to be a deal-breaker.
>
> On the main topic of QR codes and accessibility, unfortunately, I can't be
> of much help.
> Have a great weekend,
> Gwen
>
> Gwen Schmidt, MLIS
> Outreach Services Coordinator
> Saskatoon Public Library
> 311 23rd Street East
> Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J6
> Phone (306) 975-7606
> Fax (306) 975-7521
> E-mail g.schmidt at saskatoonlibrary.ca
> Website www.saskatoonlibrary.ca
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Collins, Matthew S" <mscolli at EMORY.EDU>
> Sent 8/31/2012 2:09:35 PM
> To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: I] Re: [WEB4LIB] QR codes and accessibility
>
> I don't have an answer on the ADA issue. But the issue is actually slight
> more (or less) complicated, since most new smart-phones have touch screens
> rather than buttons.  These phones are inherently difficult for the visually
> impaired to use.
> -Matthew
> ------------------------------
> Matthew Collins, PhD, MLIS
> mscolli at emory.edu
> -----------------------------
> |-----Original Message-----
> |From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On
> |Behalf Of Deborah Stanley
> |Sent: Friday, August 31, 2012 3:30 PM
> |To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> |Subject: [WEB4LIB] QR codes and accessibility
> |
> |Hi. I've received an interesting question that I'm hoping someone here
> might
> |be able to shed some light on. Looking at what we do from an ADA compliance
> |point of view, we are required to provide the same information to patrons
> |with disabilities as we are to patrons without disabilities. Specifically,
> I was
> |asked what libraries do to make QR codes ADA-compliant, i.e. how does a
> |visually impaired or totally blind patron access the same information that
> a
> |sighted person, using a QR code, can access with their smartphone?
> |
> |I must admit, I am having a hard time figuring out what the issues really
> are,
> |and I haven't found anything very specific on the web either. I think there
> are
> |a couple of issues (at least!) with this, and I'm wondering if any
> libraries out
> |there have addressed this in any way?
> |
> |Presumably if someone has a phone with an app that can read print (i.e.
> hard
> |copy print such as posters, fliers, handouts), we could put the URL next to
> the
> |QR code, so that the phone could read it. We should be doing that anyway,
> in
> |order to provide access for people without smartphones. I don't know if
> |phones are able to detect that there is a QR code nearby and direct a
> visually
> |impaired patron towards it (?), or if phones that can read physical print
> items
> |can also detect a QR code within that print page, and decode it and direct
> the
> |user to a website.
> |
> |If anyone has any thoughts or insights on this, or any experience to share
> on
> |what their library does, I would be very grateful for your feedback.
> |
> |Many thanks,
> |Deborah Stanley
> |
> |--
> |Deborah Stanley
> |UGA Libraries Web Editor, Germanic & Slavic Studies Librarian, Reference
> |Librarian University of Georgia Libraries Athens GA 30602
> |
> |dstanley at uga.edu
> |Phone: (706) 542-0656
> |Fax: (706) 583-0268
> |http://www.libs.uga.edu/staffpages/stanley.html
> |
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> |2012-08-31
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-- 
Deborah Stanley
UGA Libraries Web Editor, Germanic & Slavic Studies Librarian,
Reference Librarian
University of Georgia Libraries
Athens GA 30602

dstanley at uga.edu
Phone: (706) 542-0656
Fax: (706) 583-0268
http://www.libs.uga.edu/staffpages/stanley.html

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2012-08-31