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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><SPAN class=484303712-23082006><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff>This is one of the first outgrowths of the
cooperative work of the AAP and the AHEAD E-Text Solutions Group. I
would like to thank all of those who have been involved in this effort, and look
forward as we continue to make progress in this area.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006>Ron Stewart, Chair</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006>AHEAD E-Text Solutions Group</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=484303712-23082006> </SPAN><STRONG>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
<o:p></o:p></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right>Contact: Ed McCoyd, 212-255-0200 ext.
264</P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right><SPAN class=656374218-22082006>Stacy Scarazzo,
202-220-4556 </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right> </P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: right"
align=right><SPAN
class=656374218-22082006>
</SPAN></P>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=5></FONT> </H3>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=5></FONT> </H3>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><FONT size=5>Publishers Launch
Look-Up Service to Speed Delivery of Course Materials to Print-Disabled
Students</FONT><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></H3>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><STRONG> <o:p></o:p></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<H1 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><EM><FONT size=4>Online Database to
Ease Task of Post-secondary</FONT></EM></H1>
<H3 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><EM>Institutions’ Disability
Support Services<o:p></o:p></EM></SPAN></H3>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SUP><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></SUP></I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I>Washington, D.C. (August 22,
2006)</I> -- Higher education publisher members of the Association of American
Publishers (AAP) today launched a beta version of a Publisher Look-Up
Service.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The online search tool,
found at <A
href="http://www.publisherlookup.org/">http://www.publisherlookup.org/</A>, will
enable Disabled Student Services (DSS) professionals who are seeking text
materials in alternate formats for print-disabled students to more easily
contact publishers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Publisher Look-Up Service is
a first step in AAP’s Alternative Formats Solutions Initiative (AFSI), a
national effort to identify ways to provide print-disabled post-secondary
students with specially formatted course materials on a timely basis.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>AFSI research showed that publishers
could make an immediate difference by launching the Publisher Look-Up Service,
while still exploring longer-term solutions.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“The Association of American
Publishers heard repeatedly that DSS professionals can have a tough time
figuring out whom to contact at a particular publishing house to request either
an electronic format of a textbook or permission to scan that book in order to
produce e-text.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In response, AAP
built the Publisher Look-Up Service, a Web site interface to help DSS
professionals search for e-text and permissions contacts at college textbook
publishing companies,” said Ed McCoyd, AAP’s director of digital policy.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">DSS offices at post-secondary
institutions can search by textbook publisher or publisher imprint to access
general information about the publishing company and appropriate contact
information.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Once provided with
this information, DSS offices typically work with publishers to acquire an
electronic version of a textbook to provide to print-disabled students.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">“We believe the Look-Up Service
is a step in the right direction.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Active participation by publishers and DSS professionals will make this
beta launch a success, enabling us to enhance and improve the Look-Up Service
with publisher-supplied data and user feedback.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Our ultimate goal is to have completely
accurate, up-to-date information on the site for the spring 2007 semester,”
McCoyd said.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Publishers—AAP members and
non-members—are encouraged to secure a login from AAP that enables them to
directly upload, edit, and update company information on the site.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>To request a login, write <A
href="mailto:highered@publishers.org">highered@publishers.org</A>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"></SPAN></U></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"></SPAN></U></B> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">About AAP’s Alternative
Formats Solutions Initiative (AFSI)</SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=2>The Alternative
Formats Solutions Initiative is a publisher-funded research project that
involves colleges and universities, students, disabled students support services
professionals, national and state disability advocacy groups, and technology
providers in an effort to create a national framework of specific, practical
solutions. The AAP-led program, which began in March 2006,
is assessing problems faced by print-disabled students, including delays in
getting their materials or the inability to receive the proper
materials at all. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">AAP members were active
participants in a federal solution for students in grades K-12, supporting the
development and passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education</SPAN>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Improvement Act
(IDEIA) of 2004. Building on that collaborative effort, the Association and its
higher education publishers initiated their post-secondary efforts in April 2005
at a meeting of stakeholders in Washington, D.C.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In December 2005, AAP hosted a meeting
held by the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) with
publishers, college and university personnel, and other advocacy groups to
gather input on how to move the process forward.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At this meeting, AHEAD’s E-text
Solutions Group identified the Look-Up Service as a
priority.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<H2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U><FONT size=2>About the Association of
American Publishers </FONT></U></H2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">The Association of American
Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing
industry. AAP’s more than 300 members include most of the major commercial
book publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit
publishers, university presses and scholarly societies. AAP members
publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational materials for
the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional markets, scholarly
journals, computer software, and electronic products and services.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">If you or someone you know
cannot fully access the information on this page, please contact Ed McCoyd at <A
href="mailto:emccoyd@publishers.org">emccoyd@publishers.org</A> and request a
version of this release be provided in a preferred alternate format. Every
effort will be made to accommodate your preference.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"></SPAN> </P>
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