[Athen] obligation to provide alt format for research/thesis work

[James Bailey]

Hi Marla,

The University of Oregon believes it has an obligation to provide alt-text to graduate students working on theses or dissertations. And this includes material used in the process. We work with the student to devise a plan to edit down the list, this may include a sighted assistant or some other strategy. However, once the books, articles etc. are known, we would work to make them accessible.

I think there is a conflict between our 504 obligations and the copyright law. I’m not sure you can satisfy one to the letter without potentially violating the other. Good luck.

James


--
James Bailey
Adaptive Technology Access Adviser, University of Oregon
1501 Kincaid St.
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
Office: 541-346-1076
jbailey at uoregon.edu

On Tue, 6 Oct 2009 12:21:33 -0600, "Roll,Marla" <mcroll at CAHS.Colostate.edu> wrote:

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> Hello all, 


 

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> A colleague from our library contacted me to solicit thoughts on

our  satellite university’s obligation to provide all books potentially
used to write a master’s thesis in a digital format due to a
disability.   To summarize the situation.  The librarian at
this other campus is working with an undergraduate student that intends to
apply for graduate school.  She has been successfully acquired OCR capable
journal articles and  scanning articles for the student.  She is
trying to determine what reasonable accommodations are for books.   If she
has a book in print is she required to scan the book or purchase an
electronic/Braille copy of the book?  What if she borrows the book from
another library (interlibrary loan).  Can she legally scan an entire book
that the library owns or another library owns and give the student the
electronic file?  Is it reasonable to expect a library to purchase an
electronic/Braille copy of a book or scan any book that the student might need
in the course of their research? 

 

>   


 

> Can you all provide me input that I can share with this

librarian?  How are other campuses handling alt format for books and
resources used in the research process?  Students do not buy them so what
is the obligation on the part of the library? 

 

>   


 

> Thanks much, 


 

>   


 

> Marla Roll 


 

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> ___________________________________ 


 

> Marla C. Roll, MS, OTR 


 

> Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center 


 

> Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy 


 

> 304 Occupational Therapy Building 


 

> Fort Collins,  CO   80523 


 

> 970-491-2016 


 

> mcroll at cahs.colostate.edu 


 

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> 


 

 
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