[Athen] Alt format process?

[Robert Spangler]

When a publisher tells me that they only provide a book through something
like VitalSource (I think this is just Pearson?) I ask them for the PDF
anyway, as they will usually provide it.  This takes a while, however, so I
get in touch with the student in the meantime.  I let them know what the
issue is and offer them the option of using the VitalSource version or
waiting for the PDF.  I've had a couple students take the VitalSource
version, in which case I email the publisher with the student's receipt (to
prove that they already purchased the hardcopy) and the publisher sends me
a code.  I send the code to the student and invite them to come in if they
require any assistance using VitalSource.

Ultimately, I want a PDF, but I can't expect students to wait the two plus
weeks it takes for the publisher to gather up the files and send them to
me, which is why I offer the other options.  Plus, our students will deal
with a range of file types throughout their lives anyway, so asking them to
use a different program or file type is not unreasonable.  The main goal is
to get the text to them, in a format that is accessible, in a timely
fashion.

Thanks,
Robert


On Fri, Feb 14, 2020 at 11:27 AM Russell Solowoniuk <solowoniukr at macewan.ca>
wrote:


> Hi everyone,

>

>

>

> Hope the winter term is going well. Happy Friday and happy Valentine’s Day!

>

> We would like to get some feedback from all of you regarding your

> alternate format process.

>

> We are noticing that some of our students with disabilities are looking at

> other options for their textbooks in alternate format, for example,

> VitalSource or the PDF supplied with their textbook. Also, some publishers

> are suggesting that certain textbooks we are requesting are available

> through VitalSource. In addition, many publishers are working with

> Bookshare to provide files, and will no longer provide PDFs.

>

> Our alternate format team consists of two people, me and a colleague.

> Currently our process is to contact publishers to request a PDF of their

> textbooks. Most of our students use Read and Write to read these PDF files.

> For blind students we usually convert the PDF files to Word files and they

> use a screen reader to read these files. If the publisher isn’t able to

> provide us with PDFs, we will have the student bring in their hard copy of

> the textbook. We will take the hard copy to Print Services to have the

> binding cut off, and will then scan the book with our high-speed scanner.

> We then take the book back to Print Services to have it coil bound.

>

> With the changing landscape of digital textbooks, we are examining our

> process to determine if it’s still the ideal process or if it needs to

> change. To that end, we would like to find out what process other

> institutions are using.

>

> Do you contact publishers for PDFs? What technology do your students use

> to read their textbooks? Read and Write, Kurzweil, VitalSource, or some

> other reader? If other, could you elaborate on which reader and how well it

> works? Is your process working well?

>

> Do faculty in your institutions use Open Educational Resources (OER)? If

> so, do you work with faculty to help them choose accessible resources? If a

> student comes to you with Open Educational Resources that are not

> accessible, do you remediate them to make them accessible? If so, do you

> bill this as a service?

>

>

>

> We would appreciate hearing what alt format processes others are using to

> help guide us in modifying our own process.

>

>

>

> Thanks for any and all ideas.

>

>

>

> Best regards,

>

>

>

> 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

>

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>

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-- 
Robert Spangler
Disability Services Technical Support Specialist
rspangler1 at udayton.edu
Office of Learning Resources (OLR) - RL 023
Ryan C. Harris Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
University of Dayton  | 300 College Park  |  Dayton, Ohio 45469-1302
Phone: 937-229-2066
Fax: 937-229-3270
Ohio Relay: 711 (available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Web Site: http://go.udayton.edu/learning
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