The following information has been compiled and summarized directly from each vendor's accessibility guide, and as such, is not comprehensive. For specific and detailed information, please follow the links provided. We will continue to check these guides and update this page with new information as vendors make their updates available. This information was last updated: 12/2020.
Should you run into any obstacles accessing databases or specific items, please contact Library staff so that we may assist or notify the vendor of any issues or needs.
EBSCO
Ikeda Library subscribes to many EBSCO databases, including eBook collections. EBSCO states that accessibility is a key consideration in their product development. For information and tips on using the host databases, such as recommended access keys for various browsers, please follow the link to the Accessibility Navigation Guide.
EBSCO eBooks strive to be accessible per WCAG and Section 508 guidelines. EBooks may be downloaded in PDF or EPUB formats. The link to EBSCO eBook Accessibility User Guide and FAQs provides detailed information on navigating eBook content using screen readers in various desktop browsers or mobile devices.
Science Direct
Ikeda Library subscribes to both the ScienceDirect Journals and eBooks databases. ScienceDirect aspires to meet all guidelines established by the WCAG and U.S. Section 508 Standards. Most Most content is available in both HTML and PDF format; ScienceDirect recommends HTML format as the most accessible version. Math content is displayed in MathML, which can be spoken by text-to-speech engines, magnified, converted to Braille, and pasted into math equation editors or Microsoft Office documents.
For more information on the summary of features, navigation tips, and display settings, please follow the link to ScienceDirect Accessibility Features.
JSTOR
JSTOR is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for persons with disabilities and apply WCAG and Section 508 standards to improve the user experience for everyone, including persons using a keyboard and those with visual and cognitive impairments. Content is available as scanned page images and as PDFs, opening a PDF will require a PDF viewer.
Image-based PDF files can be read with screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver. These files are tagged at a high level using an automated process. While this method is not exact, it significantly increases the accessibility of files as compared to an untagged version. In the event that the PDF tagging described is not sufficient for your use, JSTOR can perform manual tagging for you and reformat PDFs that are unreadable via screen reader. Requests can be made via phone, chat, or email; you will need the article citations. Turnaround time for requests will vary but we generally respond in 3 days or less for each request. There is a limit of 3 articles per request.
For more detailed information and contact information, please follow the link to the JSTOR Accessibility policies.
Kanopy
Kanopy is fully committed to making their websites usable by all people, whatever their abilities or disabilities. Kanopy's website and New Gen Video Player works with screen reader technologies on desktop browsers, as well as iOS and Android devices. The New Gen player can be controlled from the keyboard.
Captions can be launched on any video with a CC icon by clicking play on the player, then clicking the CC button. If users are viewing on a desktop or Android device, the appearance of the captions can be changed by clicking on "Captions Settings" on the CC button menu. An interactive transcript can be launched by clicking on "Transcript" underneath the player. The interactive transcript can be launched simultaneously or independently of the captions. Kanopy is actively working with filmmakers to provide caption files. If they are unable to do so, Kanopy is creating caption files on their behalf. If you are trying to access a video with no captions available, please email Kanopy immediately; captions will be made available with 3-4 days.
For more detailed information on Kanopy’s settings or to contact the platform, please follow the link to Kanopy’s Accessibility Statement.
Filmakers Online
ProQuest and Alexander Street are committed to providing all users with a fully accessible experience for research, teaching and learning. The Alexander Street Video Platform is continually designed and developed to meet WCAG and Section 508 for features and functions.
The website and video playback can be controlled using a keyboard or speech recognition software. Users can zoom in up to 400% using browser tools without text spilling off screen. Captions and fully searchable transcripts are available for approximately 95% of all videos. Exceptions include non-English films (non-English languages are not currently transcribed), silent films, and videos containing no dialogue, such as musical performances (transcripts are limited to speech within the video and do not include an alternative textual presentation of the music).
For more detailed information on navigation and accessibility or testing updates, please follow the link to the Alexander Street Video Platform Accessibility Statement.
Organizations like the Library Accessibility Alliance (LAA) (a joint initiative by the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) and the Association for Research Libraries (ASERL)) have taken on accessibility testing of major eResources such as journal and film databases. The LAA has contracts with two accessibility consulting companies (Deque and Usability/Accessibility Research & Consulting, or UARC, from Michigan State University) for them to perform high-level, meaning not entirely comprehensive, accessibility evaluations based on WCAG 2.1 AA. Two vendors are assessed per month and the publsihed evaluation results are shared publicly on the LAA platform.
While Soka University of America is not part of the BTAA, we are subscribed to some of the vendors evaluated in this process. If you are interested in learning more about the published findings, please follow the link to the Testing Results page.
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