[Athen] [Fwd: New Concept in Textbooks]

[Ken Petri]

Hi Ron,

Link to Pearson initiative really interesting--especially after reading
their partner list (gh, testHelp, Kurzweil).

Of course the perennial question is, "why a special version?" Why not just
use epub to wrap DAISY and have the "special" book be the e-book everyone
uses. I hope that is the direction they are moving, rather than to ghettoize
the disability population with another "special" technology: just make one
technology that works for all. I know in some cases it can't be done, but
with e-books this isn't so.

Cheers and thanks for the link,
ken
------


On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Ron Stewart <ron at ahead.org> wrote:


>  Thanks for the clarification on this, guess I should have spent more time

> on the site.

>

>

>

> You are right on, an HTML based system would be great, Pearson is now

> producing some HTML textbooks in the k-12 space unfortunately there is not

> descriptive text on the images and no way to add it at this point. Though I

> understand they are working on a possible solution.

>

>

> http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZ4Z4&PMDbProgramId=67381&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=6732&PMDbCategoryId=806

>

>

>

> Ron

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] *On

> Behalf Of *Ken Petri

> *Sent:* Monday, November 16, 2009 3:27 PM

>

> *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [Fwd: New Concept in Textbooks]

>

>

>

> The output I saw was HTML. I created an account and tried to create a

> couple of "chapters" of a "book." Students get an online textbook, of sorts.

> It has the ability to mark up and add notes to text, skip through chapters,

> etc. Even though it is HTML, it is not very accessible.

>

> There appears to be no keyboard-only navigation and the page markup is

> geared primarily to visual users. The next-previous buttons are not tab

> navigable, for instance. Neither are any of the drop down menus that give

> you access to key functionality, such as bookmarking and noting.

>

> With a screen reader I can hunt around and mostly figure out what things

> are (so long as I don't rely on the tab key--what most web application users

> would expect), but I can't access any of the necessary high-level fly-out

> menus. This keeps me from being able to access a lot of core

> functionality--just like with keyboard-only use.

>

> Note: this is just a once over and I'm not even pretending to give a

> complete analysis. I would say the system has promise (an all HTML book

> system with basic not-taking ability) but the developers clearly did not

> have accessibility in mind.

>

> Best,

> ken

> -------------------------------------------------------

>  Ken Petri

>  Program Director

>  OSU Web Accessibility Center

>  102D Pomerene Hall

>  1760 Neil Avenue

>  Columbus, Ohio  43210

>  Phone: (614) 292-1760

>  Fax: (614) 292-4190

>  mailto:petri.1 at osu.edu

> -------------------------------------------------------

>

>  On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 1:12 PM, Ron Stewart <ron at ahead.org> wrote:

>

> It appears to be PDF based so I would not hold my breath.

>

>

>

> Ron Stewart

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org] *On

> Behalf Of *Heidi Scher

> *Sent:* Monday, November 16, 2009 1:06 PM

> *To:* Access Technology Higher Education Network

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [Fwd: New Concept in Textbooks]

>

>

>

> Hi Melanie,

>

> I've not seen this, but electronic = access is definitely a

> misunderstanding that I've been combating for some time now with faculty.

>  Would definitely be interested in hearing about this process and

> accessibility issues!

>

> Heidi

>

>

>

> On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 8:28 AM, Melanie Thornton <mpthornton at ualr.edu>

> wrote:

>

> Has anyone seen books produced using this process?  I wrote to them and

> asked about accessibility.  It concerns me because professors may think

> electronic equals accessible.

>

> Melanie

>

> -------- Original Message --------

>

> *Subject: *

>

> New Concept in Textbooks

>

> *Date: *

>

> Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:15:51 -0500

>

> *From: *

>

> Publisher at gobongobooks.com

>

> *To: *

>

> mpthornton at ualr.edu

>

>

>

> Do you have a collection of notes, articles, tests, and other materials for

> your course?

>

> Would you like to integrate all of it with your word documents,

> powerpoints, charts, and spreadsheets, and link to web resources?

>

> Bongobooks helps you blend it altogether into an e-book for your course.

>

> You and your students receive great benefits including:

>

>    - An e-book that exactly matches your course requirements

>    - Zero cost to you and your readers (royalty option available too)

>    - Self - publish and retain ownership of your e-book

>

> Take a look at: http://gobongobooks.com

>  ------------------------------

>

> GOBONGO LLC PO BOX 132 Jamestown NY 14702

>

> If you prefer not to receive commercial email click here<http://gobongobooks.com/unsubscribe.php?e=mpthornton@ualr.edu>

> .

>

>

>

> --

>

> Melanie Thornton

> Director, Project PACE

> Associate Director, Disability Resource Center

> 2801 S. University Ave., DSC #103

> Little Rock, Arkansas 72204

> 501.650.2239 (cell)

> 501.569.8240 (fax)

> 501.569.3217 (tty)

>

> Websites:

> http://ualr.edu/pace

> http://ualr.edu/disability

>

> We want your comments!

> <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=92u46bPPSZa2tyMqiGGTgQ_3d_3d>

>

> AIM: MelanieatUALR

>

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>

> --

> +++++++++++++++

> Heidi Scher, M.S., CRC

> Associate Director

> Center for Educational Access

> University of Arkansas

> ARKU 104

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> 479.575.3104

> 479.575.7445 fax

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