Your Presenters
Teresa Haven
Accessibility Analyst
Northern Arizona University
Abi James
Visiting Research Fellow
University of Southampton
Ron Stewart
Managing Consultant
Altformat Solutions LLC
Today's Agenda (sort of)
Alt Media Management
Workflow Modernization
STEAM Content
Multimedia Accessibility
BYOD
Legal and Legislative Trends
Q&A
Legal Considerations
Academic Freedom
"The law is not about the content, it is about the
container the content is in"
"Unreasonableness“
Technical Feasibility
Administrative Burden
Pedagogical Integrity
Financial Burden
Undue Burden
"undue burden" does not mean *no* burden
Responsibilities are Shared
Legal Issues
“Accessible” software claims
Google Apps Complaint
Penn State Settlement
Re-Ratification of the DMCA
AIM Commission Report
NFB AIM Legislation
Unresolved Issues
Authors Guild Litigation
www.hathitrust.org/authors_guild_lawsuit_information
E-Reader Accessibility Exemption Request
www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/08/14/sony-amazonaccessibility/18514/Website Accessibility
DOJ Web Accessibility Regulations
lflegal.com/2011/07/web-delay/
Section 508 refresh
www.access-board.gov/guidelines-andstandards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh
AIM Myths and Concerns
Creation is seen as difficult & time consuming.
Important information/materials are not readily
converted and are therefore inaccessible (course
notes, pdf files, images, etc)
Hardware and software currently in the field is not
used to its full potential.
Technologies are in development.
Non “physical” disabilities fall through the legal gap.
This Leads toLack of use of effective AIM Provision by Schools,
Colleges & Universities.
DSS & SPED offices not able to offer a standard
model or service.
Reliance on varying types of content delivery
Lack of interest from Publishers due to perceived lack
of demand
Frustration and failure for Students
Lack of life long tools for Students
Responsibilities
Who Is Responsible for
What?
Who Is Responsible?
It is not the publishers responsibility to
provide access for students
While publishers may assist us by providing
files, the institution is responsible under the
law
The student also has inherent responsibilities
Institutional Responsibilities
Provide access
Access includes access to and all instructional
materials
Follow legal mandates
Develop implementation policies
Enforce consequences
Disability Services
Responsibilities
Verify student documentation
Keep documentation on file
Protect file distribution
Verify ownership of material
Enforce DRM practices
Alt Format Specialist
Scan and OCR books
Order publisher files
Convert publisher files to usable formats
Process files into preferred format
E-text, Braille, MP3, DAISY
Archive files
Managing Files
Archive your e-text
Keep copies for other students' requests
Keep every file created at every step
TIFF files, OCR files, Word files, etc
Document use of file sharing systems
Secure distribution systems
Reporting and data collection systems
Always provide feedback about quality
Student Responsibilities
Request services
Provide documentation
Agree not to duplicate or share material
Sign policies and procedures
Own copy of book
Return materials if required
Student Responsibilities
Have an idea of what they want/need
Which format?
Which technology?
Multiple formats for in class and at home?
Must learn to use the technology
Be willing to communicate with support staff
Understand and become part of the process
Preferably be able to handle class handouts
selves for quicker turn-around time
Learn to create e-text for library books
What, No Book Fairy?
Be aware that blind students in particular
may be underprepared
May not realize they buy books
May not realize that alternate formats don’t just
“appear”
May lack good navigation skills
May not realize they have to request test
accommodations
Students may also have unrealistic
expectations about the helpfulness
of e-text
Other Issues
Honor the preferences of students unless we
can find an equally effective modification
If the student wants e-text or Braille, audio is
not the same thing!
It’s okay to provide more than one format
LD student may want KESI at school and MP3
at home
Blind student may want DAISY and Word
Sourcing Materials
Sources
Contact publishers
ATN Network
Publisherlookup.org
Order books from other sources
Bookshare
LearningAlly
Mainstream sources (Amazon, audible.com, etc.)
Various e-text sources online
Outsourcing
Create files in-house
Please Note
Most commercially available e-text is not
accessible
Generally it is a picture of text, not real text
Computers cannot read a picture
Most online books are not accessible
File Formats
Choices are generally
Word
PDF
ASCII
Layout program file (Quark, PageMaker)
Occasionally HTML
Receiving Files
Books are big.
Talk to IT about allowing you more mailbox
space.
If IT blocks zipped files, set up a private email account (GMail, Yahoo, etc.) for alt
media.
There’s always snail mail…
User Files vs. Source Files
What you get from publishers are Source Files
They are not typically user-ready
The files can sometimes save you time—but not
always
They will require clean-up and processing
Don’t assume that getting files from
publishers will solve all your AIM needs!
What to Expect
Various formats
Unexpected file organization
Incomplete/wrong files
Teacher’s editions
Entire book in one huge computer-killing PDF
file
Particularly Problematic
Word and ASCII files are “extractions”
Programs automatically pull out the text, leaving
graphics out
No page numbers
Figure captions in the middle of the text
Strange characters
Boxes, random letters
Headings run in with previous paragraph
Headings and graphics may be at chapter end
Some spaces between words lost
Extracted files are not edited by the publishers
Working with Publishers
Publisher Lookup
publisherlookup.org
Access Text Network
www.accesstext.org
Secondary Distribution
VitalSource
vitalsource.com/Pages/home.aspx
Working with Publishers
Content
Custom Editions
Proprietary Digital Formats
Adobe Digital Editions
McGraw/Hill Connect
Pearson MyLab
Cengage Brain
ATN Accessible Textbook Finder
www.accesstext.org/atf.php
Bookshare University Partners Program
www.bookshare.org/_/community/postsecondary/home
Request Process
You will need
Publisher
Title
Author(s)
Version/Edition
Copyright date
ISBN
Some publishers also ask for cost of book
A Note on ISBN Numbers
ISBN numbers are product codes, *not* book
IDs
A book (same content) will have different
ISBN numbers
In paper vs. hard cover
Bundled vs. alone
When sold with online tools vs. without
One More ISBN Note
ISBN numbers have moved from 10 to 13
digits
This will affect database fields
Here is a conversion site:
www.isbn.org/converterpub.asp
Minimal Cleanup
Make sure the file format is readable.
Check the files!
Make sure the chapters are clearly labeled and
in folders if each chapter is not a separate
document.
Put front matter and back matter in separate
folders.
Add page numbers if necessary.
Finishing
Archive all formats
Word, PDF, MP3
Create media, upload files for students
Include legal notice
On CD label and as e-text on CD?DVD
Other Options for
Acquiring E-Text
Other Resources
Learning Ally
www.learningally.org
Membership fee
Bookshare
www.bookshare.org
Now free for students and colleges
Project Gutenberg
www.gutenberg.org
Free
Learning Ally
Copy-protected DAISY books
DAISY playback devices must have “key” built
in to play
Purchase DAISY hardware and software players
at cost
Third-party devices must be authorized to play
Players can play all DAISY books (and MP3
files)
Bookshare
Full text of the publication (not pre-recorded
audio)
Can be read with the adaptive technology of
the reader's choice
Membership includes “tied” Reader software
Contracted digital Braille also available
Quality of BRF files
Project Gutenberg
Over 20,000 free books
In Word, HTML, and PDF
Public domain works
Good source for classics
Mainstream
Audio books available for minimal fees
Amazon.com
audible.com
Simplyaudiobooks.com
Audiobooks.com
Creating E-text
Original documents
Many documents are created in a word processor
Scanned documents
Scan a document, create a TIFF, use an OCR
program, open the document in a word processor
Created from other electronic source files
AIM Production
Internal Models
CUA
George Mason
Outsourcing
Central Access
www.cwu.edu/central-access
AMAC
www.amacusg.org
Collaborative Models
OhioLink
ebooks.ohiolink.edu/ebc-home/
CSU-ATI
www.calstate.edu/accessibility/resources
The Future
HTML5+ARIA
etext.illinois.edu/myBooks/
DAISY + MathML
ePub3
cnx.org/help/viewing/downloads#epub
Contact Info
Ron Stewart
ron@altformatsolutions.com
www.altformatsolutions.com