Inclusive and Accessible: Project ENABLE

ImageProject ENABLE is a free online training resource where you can learn skills to help your library be inclusive, accessible, and meet the needs of your customers.

Project ENABLE (Expanding Nondiscriminatory Access By Librarians Everywhere) provides  self-paced, multimedia, and interactive training on serving special populations.  The Wisconsin Division for Libraries & Technology considers special populations to be "individuals or groups whose access to the library is limited, minimized, or difficult"; this includes people who have disabilities.

A certificate of achievement is available to those who successfully complete all training modules and quizzes. This certificate may serve as evidence of completion of approximately 20 hours of professional development, which may be counted as a Category C continuing education activity.

When you create your free account, training will be customized to meet your learning needs. You'll be able to log in at any time to complete the modules, review your progress, quiz scores, and your action plan..

The site has 5 learning modules:

  1. Disability Awareness (person-first language and sensitivity, students’ perspective (videos by students with disabilities), experiencing disability (covering autism spectrum disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, hearing and vision impairments, physical disabilities).
  2. Disability Law & Policy (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IEPs, Americans with Disabilities Act).
  3. Creating an Accessible Library (Universal Design, evaluating your library’s accessibility, library accessibility action plan, facilities design, collection development, library policies and procedures, leadership and advocacy).
  4. Planning Inclusive Programs and Instruction (motivating diverse learners, Universal Design for Learning, differentiated instruction, collaboration, inclusive programs or lessons with examples, assessment).
  5. Assistive Technology in Libraries (what is assistive technology, assistive technology for every disability, implementing and evaluating assistive technology, web accessibility).

Project ENABLE is a partnership of the Center for Digital Literacy (CDL), the School of Information Studies (iSchool @ Syracuse), and the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University. Funding support for Project ENABLE was provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Hat tip to Project ENABLE--Online Training for Serving People with Disabilities at the WI Libraries For Everyone blog