[nabs-l] accessibility of ebsco databases

Wed Jan 14 20:13:44 UTC 2015

Hi Ashley,
epsco takes some time to get used to, but it is accessible.
Our library offered a training how to use ebsco. I took a sighted
friend to the training. After the training we practiced with jaws.
ebsco is hard at the beginning for everybody. don't be discouraged.
For combo boxes, try to open them with alt+ down arrow
for search button, try to navegate with B on keyboard. I don't
remember right now, whether it is a button or link. if it is a link,
you can list the links by hitting insert f7 then pres s until you here
search.
or simply use control f and type there search. jaws will find it.
if you have any questions or concerns about epsco, you can write me any time.

2015-01-14 15:05 GMT-05:00, Antonio Guimaraes via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>:
> Ashley,
>
> I'm not sure which databases are giving me this trouble, or even what
> journals do this,
>
> My main issue is that sometimes it can take 30 minutes to do what a sighted
> person could do it for. For instants, saving a PDF file is extremely
> frustrating for me as a blind user.
>
> I am a savvy computer user, and I am discouraged from doing research because
> of this.
>
> It is painstakingly difficult to do certain things. It should not be so,
> especially in this day and age.
>
>  I would be willing to unite forces with people to make recommendations..
>
>  It takes anywhere from implementation with Cloud services like dropbox, to
> making a really good, accessible app for saving these files. No reason not
> to do it in 2015.
>
> Antonio
>
> On Jan 14, 2015, at 2:11 PM, Ashley Bramlett via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Hello Bridgit,
>> Glad your shared becausebecaus e its comforting to know I'm not alone.
>> Accessing my folder and its contents is a challenge. What I do is email
>> everything in my folder to myself.
>> Then, I save them. Then, I either scan them or have to use an old
>> fashioned reader.
>> I can find the edit boxes by pressing tab. But
>> the combo boxes are not working.
>>
>> I can help you with the  search limiters. I am able to  check boxes to
>> limit it to peer reviewed and full text.
>> If you use jaws this works.
>> I would imagine window eyes uses the same commands or similar ones.
>>
>> Here is  the procedure.
>> 1. After you type in your search terms, find the phrase, Limit your
>> results.
>> Its near the bottom. You can find this by pressing the find command which
>> is control F.
>> Type in Limit. After exiting  the find box, your screen reader
>> should be there.
>> Then go line by line to see what you wish to select.
>>
>> 2. If you are not familiar with the limiters, go line by line to explore
>> options first.
>> Press down arrow to do this.
>> If jaws is stuck in an edit box, press escape to get out. Jaws says "list
>> of 13 items" as I begin this.
>> Here in the limiters are your options to limit to full text,  peer
>> reviewed, certain dates, etc.
>>
>> 3. Then go back to the top of the limit results list.
>> Press letter x to go line by line. X is the hot key to jump to check
>> boxes.
>> 4. Press space when you hear your screen reader say full text or scholarly
>> article, or whatever you need to check.
>> This checks the boxes.
>>
>> 5. Find the search button to start searching. That is very hard to find.
>> Still, I may sound expert, but really I struggle due to accessibility.
>> A librarian worked with me one on one to help navigate it and tell me what
>> search limiters to put in place for best results. That is how I know what
>> the phrase is to limit your results.
>>
>> I do not know how helpful your librarians are, but if you can, I suggest
>> getting an appointment
>> with one of them because not only will you do searches with them, but they
>> will suggest sources that are a good fit for your assignment.
>> I know not all schools have one on one meetings, but its worth asking for.
>> Also, if I could not do something do to access, the librarian would use
>> the mouse to help me out.
>>
>> HTH,
>> Ashley
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Bridget Walker
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 1:25 PM
>> To: Ashley Bramlett ; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accessibility of ebsco databases
>>
>> Hi Ashley,
>> I go to college in New York. I have a problem finding the check boxes that
>> say "full text" "peer reviewed" I can usually get to the edit fields ok. I
>> have a difficult time accessing the articles I have selected in my folder.
>> I can get to my folder and go through the list but, like you said, the
>> PDFS documents do not work. I have been tore lying on iBooks but, when I'm
>> in the middle of a paper siting on the computer gets difficult because I
>> can't copy any correct spellings easily.
>> I hope this helps.
>> Bridget
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On Jan 14, 27 Heisei, at 12:51 PM, Ashley Bramlett via nabs-l
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> As I conduct research at the library, I run into access issues with many
>>> databases.
>>> Not only are the pdf files hard to read with the full articles in them,
>>> but searching poses problems with jaws. When trying advanced searching, I
>>> cannot change the combo boxes from the default And to say “or”.
>>>
>>> Has anyone had issues with ebsco databases? If so which ones?
>>> Another challenge is finding the search button.
>>>
>>> The head of the library at Northern virginia community college, called
>>> nova for short, where I’m taking electives, is going to send EBSCo a note
>>> about access. But it would be helpful to know other problems.
>>>
>>> If you are a student in a Virginia college and experience database
>>> problems, please also write me off list. Maybe we can have a conference
>>> call on this.
>>> I’d like to hear from other students in Virginia schools so we can write
>>> jointly to Ebsco and tell them the problems and request they fix them.
>>> The same goes for other databases.
>>>
>>> When I asked about research a few  months back, some of you mentioned
>>> accessible databases which you used, but for every accessible database, I
>>> would guess there are 3 that are semi accessible.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Ashley
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>>
>>
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