@article {2904,
	title = {Access to digital library databases in higher education: Design problems and infrastructural gaps},
	journal = {Work},
	volume = {48},
	year = {2014},
	note = {This article identified several problems for blind screen users with digital library databases, including access to PDF files and e-book contents. Future work was suggested to further analyze these accessibility issues, and more research was encouraged to address problems to benefit library users.},
	pages = {307-317},
	abstract = {BACKGROUND: After defining accessibility and usability, the author offers a broad survey of the research studies on digital content databases which have thus far primarily depended on data drawn from studies conducted by sighted researchers with non-disabled users employing screen readers and low vision devices. OBJECTIVE: This article aims at producing a detailed description of the difficulties confronted by blind screen reader users with online library databases which now hold most of the academic, peer-reviewed journal and periodical content essential for research and teaching in higher education. METHODS: The approach taken here is borrowed from descriptive ethnography which allows the author to create a complete picture of the accessibility and usability problems faced by an experienced academic user of digital library databases and screen readers. RESULTS: The author provides a detailed analysis of the different aspects of accessibility issues in digital databases under several headers with a special focus on full-text PDF files. CONCLUSIONS: The author emphasizes that long-term studies with actual, blind screen reader users employing both qualita-tive and computerized research tools can yield meaningful data for the designers and developers to improve these databases to a level that they begin to provide an equal access to the blind.},
	keywords = {Accessibility, assistive technology, blind, databases},
	doi = {10.3233/WOR-131791},
	author = {Oswal, Sushil K.}
}
