Evaluating Materials for Accessibility

Criteria for evaluating materials for accessibility are available through the menu links under “LLW Collection Collection for Universal Access”. The criteria will be available as accessible Microsoft Word formatted documents for downloading and printing in the near future.

Further details and information is available in Dr. Walling’s articles and books, including an expanded version of “Ability, Disability, and Picture Books,” an article published in School Libraries Worldwide in July, 2001, and an unpublished article titled “Books About Children with Disabilities;” The third source is a chapter by Coy Hunsucker, a long-time children’s librarian at Cincinnati Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library.

Dr. Walling has worked with children with disabilities since the 1960s. The chapter, which appeared as Chapter 4 of “Information Services for People with Developmental Disabilities”, which Dr. Walling co-edited in 1995 with Marilyn Irwin, a faculty member at Indiana University. This chapter was contributed by Coy Hunsucker, a long-time children’s librarian at Cincinnati Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library. Hunsucker has worked with children with disabilities since the 1960s. Many materials in the collection include evaluations of their accessibility and ideas for modifying the materials to enhance their accessibility.

Evaluations are available via the collection’s website. The website also provides evaluations of additional materials that may not be in the current collection. The evaluations are based upon established criteria for quality literature and material accessibility

Questions regarding accessibility of materials, whether currently in the Walling Collection or not, may be directed to this email address (LLWC@mailbox.sc.edu)