But at the same time, one should acknowledge that this is another additional cost that ultimately has to be paid in some manner, which usually means an increase in tuition and fees. Disabled students say the regulation is necessary. Lured by Web-design products, professors often create colorful, stylish, and audible Internet sites for their classes. But students with limited vision struggle to comprehend electronic pictures and graphs, audio material is meaningless to the deaf, and those with impaired mobility can struggle just to send an e-mail message. Video and multimedia productions understood through visual data must be made audible as well.
Colleges have much work to do.
Last year, Axel Schmetzke, an assistant professor of library services on the University of Wisconsin's Stevens Point campus, surveyed the home pages of 24 colleges, along with a connecting link from each page. He chose the 24 colleges because they are known for having first-rate library schools. But he found that, on average, only half of the pages were accessible to people with disabilities. The new rule also applies to purchases of computers, printers, fax machines, and video and multimedia equipment. Such equipment must meet certain height and reach requirements, either by being adjustable or through installation.