[Athen] Happy Spring Break questions - Accessible format, note-taking, Pearson's MyLab

[Robert Beach]

Hello,

I'll insert my responses within your questions.

<J>

1)      Do you all convert textbooks and classroom materials to accessible format for your students? If so, how do you handle it when students have a significant amount of library article requests for research? Do you convert them or the library?
<R>
All accessible materials conversion is done by our office. If we need large quantities of braille, I send that out.

As far as library articles, many of the library databases now offer the option to download a PDF or text version of the articles which are usually accessible. Sometimes they aren't, but at least it gives us something to work with.

<J>

2)      How do you all handle note-takers? Do you hire them? Do you use the carbon copy paper? What does this look like?

<R>
We do use notetakers for students. We ask for volunteers then give them a stipend at the end of the semester. We do offer the use of the carbonless paper but some students take their own notes on an electronic device and will simply provide either a print copy or electronic copy of the notes to the student.

The notetakers are usually other students from the class, but sometimes we have to go outside the class to get a notetaker if nobody will volunteer. This is especially true with the developmental classes.

<J>

3)      What is your experience with Pearson's MyLab with students who utilize assistive technology?

<R>
Not good. Yes, they claim it is accessible, but we've had problems with MyMathLab and MyReadingLab. With the math, there are questions that are marked as JAWS accessible (which is a bad way to test), but unfortunately those questions do not cover the entire course. For example, last time our math folks looked, there are no JAWS questions for graphing.

With the reading, most of the articles they post to be read are scanned images. The student has to use their assistive tech to OCR the article before they can have it read. As we all know, OCR without proofing is not accurate. We cannot pull those articles out of the program to OCR and prep.

HTH.


Robert Lee Beach
Assistive Technology Specialist
Kansas City Kansas Community College
7250 State Avenue
Kansas City, KS  66112
Phone: 913-288-7671
Email: rbeach at kckcc.edu<mailto:rbeach at kckcc.edu>

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Naert, Jessica
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2019 8:23 AM
To: athen-list at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Athen] Happy Spring Break questions - Accessible format, note-taking, Pearson's MyLab

Good Morning!

Hope this finds you well. It is sure quiet around here due to Spring Break. I am writing to get your thoughts on a few different areas:

1)      Do you all convert textbooks and classroom materials to accessible format for your students? If so, how do you handle it when students have a significant amount of library article requests for research? Do you convert them or the library?

2)      How do you all handle note-takers? Do you hire them? Do you use the carbon copy paper? What does this look like?

3)      What is your experience with Pearson's MyLab with students who utilize assistive technology?

Thank you,
Jessica Naert, M.S., CRC

Assistant Director
Accessible Instruction/Assistive Technology
Office of Disability Access
University of North Texas
Phone: 940-565-3149
Email: Jessica.Naert at unt.edu<mailto:Jessica.Naert at unt.edu>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/pipermail/athen-list/attachments/20190311/7004e400/attachment.html>