Alternate Format

Alternate Format Textbooks

• Many textbooks will be provided when requested from their publishers
• This may take some time
• If a textbook can't be provided, the technician can "cut and scan" the entire book

We Have This Thing:

Text

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

• Attempts to recognize letters in text
• Images, diagrams and tables complicate this
• Contrast and unusual text direction are also problems

OCR Fail

OCR Fail

Sometimes text can be recognized incorrectly due to font confusion.

S0metime$ text can bo recogn1zed incorreclly due to tonto c0nfusi0n

OCR Fail

Contrast complicates things

Practice Activity

• What do you think might be the issue with OCRing the above pages?
• What other issues can you come up with that might cause problems? Let's discuss!

Choosing Accessible Texts

• Avoid small publishers and books that pre-date accessibility legislation
• Even e-books are not always perfectly accessible

This Publisher is Too Small

A small publisher like Coxco (who published this book by Richard A. Cox) doesn't have the infrastructure or the external pressure to provide accessible books

This Book is Too Old

This book is from 1985, still used in courses today; it might be great but it isn't designed for accessibility

It's published by Wiley, a major publisher today, but they don't have accessible copies of older books

This Publisher Has Gone Rogue

Some publishers use their own e-book formats or a proprietary (perhaps web-based) reader that causes accessibility concerns

This Publisher is Juuuust Right

The major, modern publishers rarely have e-books that have problems

Even if they did, it is relatively easy to get useable electronic copies from them

Practice Activity

• With a partner or in a small group, go to https://dc-uoit.bookware3000.ca/ and create a booklist for one of your programs
• Do these books all seems like they would be reasonably good choices?

Alternate Format Tests

• Electronic, for use with reading software
• Large print

Benefits for Students

PDFs Can Make Things Hard

• Locked or raster PDFs can't be read and in some cases can't be OCRed
• Word documents are easiest for everybody
• Students often like a paper and electronic copy

Old Tests Are Problematic

• If your test is so old that you don't have the file, you might want to revisit it
• Scanned tests can be OCRed, but this is time consuming and may have innaccuracies (see OCR Fails)
• Avoid handwritten notes on tests and quizzes

      (...and handwritten tests and quizzes!)

Fully Electronic Tests Work

Check out the DC Connect Quizzes tool!

Practice Activity

• What do you think might be the problem with the following scenario?
• A student requires screen-reading software, but the professor has only provided a paper copy, and has dropped it off 1 hour before the test start time.
• How might this problem be avoided?

Accessible Handouts and Documents

• Alternate Format Technicians sometimes have to help make handouts accessible
• It's easy to do this yourself!

     ...but we have a whole other workshop on the subject.

So we'll be brief!

PowerPoint

PowerPoint is very tough to use for students who depend on screenreading software

Try choosing designs that have easy-to-read fonts and a comprehensive layout

You may also benefit from using the "create handouts" option to convert your slides to Word files.

Post Your Slides and Handouts

• Students are able to download content before class
• If content is not accessible, the student can prepare it ahead of time so they're prepared during class
• Students are able to print slides for easy note-taking

An Easy, Key Accessibility Feature

• In Word or on the web, use styles and headings
• Headings add clarity and help users with screenreaders to navigate the document

Choosing a Format

• Done right, Word and web content are reasonably accessibile; don't bother with PDF unless you have a good reason
• PDF can also be fine but it may complicate things
• If your students use DC Connect regularly (and they should), just post them as web content using the "Create a File" option