NOTE:
Additions or changes may have been made to these documents since publication on the world wide web.
Please consult SSD for current policies.
Alternative print formats (audiotape, Braille, electronic, and large print) allow individuals
with vision impairments and other disabilities to have access to standard print
materials. A disability access statement on publications, including course syllabi,
should read:
"This publication/material is available in alternative formats upon
request. Please contact (name, department, address, phone)."
Services to Students with Disabilities (SSD) provides document conversion services,
which are described below, free of charge to students currently attending the university
for classes in which they are enrolled.
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Audiotape:
Many textbooks, novels, and periodicals are available on audiotape and can be obtained
from public libraries, the
Library of Congress,
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and the
Braille Institute.
If determined appropriate, students
requesting taped materials will be required to first investigate
these resources.
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Textbook taping:
Documents that are not available on audiotape may be submitted for recording at SSD.
Students can make requests through SSD's Coordinator of Academic Support Services.
Faculty, staff, and departments can make requests directly by contacting the coordinator.
Audiotape recording takes a significant amount of time, depending on the size of the print
document. Requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of when the material is
needed.
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The SSD office and Academic Computing and Media Department have equipment that
scans print electronically and converts it to voice or Braille print-outs. This is especially
useful for handouts and other material not available through Recording for the Blind and
Dyslexic.
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Braille:
Instructionally related materials will be transcribed free of charge to students. Instructionally
related materials include course syllabi, class handouts, and examinations. Documents may
be submitted either in print or on computer disk. Documents in electronic format can be
transcribed quickly; print materials require more time because they must be scanned or
keyed by hand. Transcription time may depend on length of document and volume of current
requests.
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Electronic:
Many people have access to computers with synthesized voice or Braille output devices and
may request an electronic version of material. Anyone can provide an electronic version
of a document simply by copying the document onto a computer disk for the person making the
request.
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Large Print:
Anyone with access to a computer or copy machine can create large print documents by
following one of the procedures below.
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With a computer:
If a document has been created using a standard word processing program (either IBM
or Macintosh), it can easily be enlarged before printing. It is best to use a font that is
sans serif. Geneva or Helvetica fonts are the clearest. An eighteen-point type is
generally the best. When the type is larger than eighteen points, fewer words appear on
each page, making it difficult for a person to make sense of the document. Bold
characters also make the print clearer. The following example illustrates the difference
between standard and large print:
Standard print:
"The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."
Large print (Geneva, 18 point, bold):
"The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."
With a copy machine:
Documents can also be enlarged by duplicating them on a copy machine that
can print on eleven-by-seventeen inch paper. This is a useful procedure for
course packets (such as those available at a copy center) or articles in
periodicals or books. The quality of the enlarged version will depend on the
clarity and condition of the original document.
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