[Athen] Alternate format books questions

[James A.]

Hi Nazely

I can help with the first part of your question. The U.K.  used to have legislation covering alternative formats just for visually impaired people. This has now be superseded by new legislation covering print impaired users. You should be able to go back to the publisher and tell their licence is out of date. If you want to check on the legislation then this guide from the publishers association may help http://www.publishers.org.uk/_resources/assets/attachment/full/0/18189.pdf.  

Best wishes

Abi James
University of Southampton

Sent from my iPad


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

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> Message: 5

> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 11:58:00 -0500

> From: Nazely Kurkjian <kurkjian at binghamton.edu>

> To: Access Technology Higher Education Network

>    <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: [Athen] Alternate format books questions

> Message-ID:

>    <CAD8oRJSvpdEXVbmUJaU1LvZj5B7cF1WcroQpb1Egk38iOYRSvQ at mail.gmail.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

> 

> Hello everyone - I hope the beginning of your semesters are going smoothly.

> I have a few questions that hopefully you can help me with:

> 

> 1) Bizarre situation only with UK publishers - I ask for an alternate

> format text file (PDF) of a title from their company and they always assume

> the student is blind even though I only said it's for a student with a

> print-related disability. Then I get a E-File Statement/Contract Agreement

> back that says I need to provide the name the student, then specifies "only

> the visually impaired person will use this file...". I am not very familiar

> with contract law, and I don't want to lie - what do I do? I know we can't

> give their name but if I don't give a name, what if the publisher refuses

> to give me the file? I'm trying to figure this out before I return the

> e-file agreement form. Does the UK have different accessibility laws for

> providing persons with non-visual print-related disabilities alternate

> formats? Perhaps this was just coincidental.

> 

> 2) Now more than ever our students are renting textbooks. Am I correct in

> that: if a student rents a book I cannot ask them to purchase a used book

> (in order to chop and scan), therefore our office must purchase the book

> and chop and scan our purchased copy. I've purchased more books this

> semester to cut up than ever!

> 

> 3) Is anyone using Google Drive to send alt format books? We have Google

> Apps for Education so we have unlimited storage space. I've been

> experimenting with it. I fix the settings so the student I share it with

> cannot share the folder with anyone else and include a copyright agreement

> reminder in the folder.

> 

> 4) Turnaround time - What is your turn around time from when a student

> submits a request to when they receive it (e.g., all requests will be made

> available within 7 business days)? Do you post this information on your

> website?

> 

> Thank you!!!

> Nazely

> 

> -- 

> 

> *Nazely Kurkjian*

> *"Shame on us...  If we let the wonders of educational technology and

> broadband internet lead to more inequality as opposed to less"*

> 

> Adaptive Technology Specialist

> Services for Students with Disabilities - UU 119

> Binghamton University

> Phone: 607-777-2686

> Email: kurkjian at binghamton.edu

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> Message: 6

> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 17:33:18 +0000

> From: Angela Page <apage4 at uco.edu>

> To: Access Technology Higher Education Network

>    <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Alternate format books questions

> Message-ID:

>    <BY2PR08MB3793C10F5EF9DB7F268CB749FDA0 at BY2PR08MB379.namprd08.prod.outlook.com>

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> 

> My responses are below?

> 

> From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Nazely Kurkjian

> Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2016 10:58 AM

> To: Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: [Athen] Alternate format books questions

> 

> Hello everyone - I hope the beginning of your semesters are going smoothly. I have a few questions that hopefully you can help me with:

> 

> 

> 1)   Bizarre situation only with UK publishers - I ask for an alternate format text file (PDF) of a title from their company and they always assume the student is blind even though I only said it's for a student with a print-related disability. Then I get a E-File Statement/Contract Agreement back that says I need to provide the name the student, then specifies "only the visually impaired person will use this file...". I am not very familiar with contract law, and I don't want to lie - what do I do? I know we can't give their name but if I don't give a name, what if the publisher refuses to give me the file? I'm trying to figure this out before I return the e-file agreement form. Does the UK have different accessibility laws for providing persons with non-visual print-related disabilities alternate formats? Perhaps this was just coincidental.

> 

> 

> Unfortunately, publishers are not held to the same laws as we are (Section 504 and ADA), so they don?t have to provide the alternative formats. This is especially apparent when the publisher is out of the country. We try NOT to give names etc to publishers. However, occasionally it is necessary, but we get the student?s permission first. As for the wording on the contract, it should accurately reflect the situation. I would suggest speaking to your legal office about the e-file agreement.

> 

> 2) Now more than ever our students are renting textbooks. Am I correct in that: if a student rents a book I cannot ask them to purchase a used book (in order to chop and scan), therefore our office must purchase the book and chop and scan our purchased copy. I've purchased more books this semester to cut up than ever!

> 

> Correct. Of course, you can try the professor. They assigned the book. They should know that the university is responsible for making sure an alternative version is available. I have contacted the book rental company to ask for permission to chop and scan a few hard to find books. I?ve only gotten their permission once, but it was worth a try.

> 

> 

> 3)   Is anyone using Google Drive to send alt format books? We have Google Apps for Education so we have unlimited storage space. I've been experimenting with it. I fix the settings so the student I share it with cannot share the folder with anyone else and include a copyright agreement reminder in the folder.

> 

> 

> We use DropBox and include a how-to-use file

> 

> 4) Turnaround time - What is your turn around time from when a student submits a request to when they receive it (e.g., all requests will be made available within 7 business days)? Do you post this information on your website?

> 

> We do not give any turnaround time. Some books are available before the student leaves the room. Some have a bit of a wait time. It?s hard to give the student a time frame when I have no idea what the publisher may be up to! I encourage the students to get their receipts to me ASAP and keep in touch with them throughout the process.  Normally, we get the alt text to the student within 2-3 days.

> 

> Thank you!!!

> Nazely

> 

> --

> 

> Nazely Kurkjian

> "Shame on us...  If we let the wonders of educational technology and broadband internet lead to more inequality as opposed to less"

> 

> Adaptive Technology Specialist

> Services for Students with Disabilities - UU 119

> Binghamton University

> Phone: 607-777-2686

> Email: kurkjian at binghamton.edu<mailto:kurkjian at binghamton.edu>

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> Message: 7

> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 11:19:14 -0700

> From: "Russell Solowoniuk" <SolowoniukR at macewan.ca>

> To: "Access Technology Higher Education Network"

>    <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Alternate format books questions

> Message-ID: <56A9F932020000EC00043CA3 at gatedom2vs.macewan.ca>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

> 

> Hi Nazely,

> 

> See my responses below...

> 

> Russell

> 

> 

> Russell Solowoniuk

> AT Educational Assistant, Services to Students with Disabilities

> MacEwan University

> 7-198 D4, 10700-104 Ave.

> Edmonton, AB  T5J 4S2

> E: solowoniukr at macewan.ca

> T:  780-497-5826

> F:  780-497-4018

> macewan.ca

> This communication is intended for the use of the recipient to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential, personal, and/or privileged information.  Please contact me immediately if you are not the intended recipient of this communication, and do not copy, distribute, or take action relying on it.  Any communication received in error, or subsequent reply, should be deleted or destroyed. 

> Please consider the environment before printing this email.

>>>> Nazely Kurkjian <kurkjian at binghamton.edu> 1/28/2016 9:58 AM >>>

> Hello everyone - I hope the beginning of your semesters are going smoothly.

> I have a few questions that hopefully you can help me with:

> 

> 1) Bizarre situation only with UK publishers - I ask for an alternate

> format text file (PDF) of a title from their company and they always assume

> the student is blind even though I only said it's for a student with a

> print-related disability. Then I get a E-File Statement/Contract Agreement

> back that says I need to provide the name the student, then specifies "only

> the visually impaired person will use this file...". I am not very familiar

> with contract law, and I don't want to lie - what do I do? I know we can't

> give their name but if I don't give a name, what if the publisher refuses

> to give me the file? I'm trying to figure this out before I return the

> e-file agreement form. Does the UK have different accessibility laws for

> providing persons with non-visual print-related disabilities alternate

> formats? Perhaps this was just coincidental.

> 

> We've found most publishers to be quite resonable. If you explain, that for reasons of privacy, you would prefer not to give the student's name, I think they might be okay with that. As for the term, "visually impaired person", this is probably a generic term the publisher uses. You might indicate that the student in question has a print disability, but isn't visually impaired. Sometimes it's a matter of educating people who don't really understand the situation.

> 

> 2) Now more than ever our students are renting textbooks. Am I correct in

> that: if a student rents a book I cannot ask them to purchase a used book

> (in order to chop and scan), therefore our office must purchase the book

> and chop and scan our purchased copy. I've purchased more books this

> semester to cut up than ever!

> 

> I can't comment on this as our students don't typically rent their textbooks, however, sometimes when we contact publishers for files, and they don't have files, they will send us a complimentary hard copy to scan. You might ask if they'd be willing to do this in cases where students rent their texts?

> 

> 3) Is anyone using Google Drive to send alt format books? We have Google

> Apps for Education so we have unlimited storage space. I've been

> experimenting with it. I fix the settings so the student I share it with

> cannot share the folder with anyone else and include a copyright agreement

> reminder in the folder.

> 

> We use WeTransfer to send files to students. It works well. http://www.wetransfer.com.

> 

> 4) Turnaround time - What is your turn around time from when a student

> submits a request to when they receive it (e.g., all requests will be made

> available within 7 business days)? Do you post this information on your

> website?

> 

> When our students fill in the online request form to request alternate formats of their texts,, when they submit the form, it automatically populates our alt format database, and the student is sent an email stating that it may take up to two weeks to receive files, and, if they haven't received files in that time, to contact us.

> 

> Hope this helps.

> 

> Thank you!!!

> Nazely

> 

> -- 

> 

> *Nazely Kurkjian*

> *"Shame on us...  If we let the wonders of educational technology and

> broadband internet lead to more inequality as opposed to less"*

> 

> Adaptive Technology Specialist

> Services for Students with Disabilities - UU 119

> Binghamton University

> Phone: 607-777-2686

> Email: kurkjian at binghamton.edu

> 

> 

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

> 

> Message: 8

> Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2016 11:25:56 -0800

> From: Karen Sorensen <karen.sorensen at pcc.edu>

> To: Access Technology Higher Education Network

>    <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: [Athen] haptic devices

> Message-ID:

>    <CAALCsS7oQKvSwtTuv0QUX3BXXDZFJZRBgZUZnR9QGLViPhbRuA at mail.gmail.com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

> 

> Hi A11y Colleagues,

> We would like to try out a haptic device to see if it could make online

> graphs and simple drawings more accessible to our online students with

> visual disabilities.

> Here are a couple I've seen. Does anyone have any experience with them or

> any others?

> 

>   - Novint Falcon, available for $199 with education discount

>   <http://www.etouchsciences.com/ets/p/1/novint-falcon>

>   - Geomagic Touch

>   <http://www.geomagic.com/en/products/phantom-omni/overview>, approx $599

> 

> Thanks in advance for any input.

> Best,

> Karen

> 

> Karen M. Sorensen

> Accessibility Advocate for Online Courses

> www.pcc.edu/access

> Portland Community College

> 971-722-4720

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