Alternate Format Services

Alternate format materials are used by students with visual impairments and some learning disabilities and hearing impairments, and may take the form of electronic text (e-text), Braille or other formats such as captioned video. If a student requires alternate format materials, they must meet with their consultant as soon as they have confirmed their course registration. More information about this service is provided below.

IS ALTERNATE FORMAT FOR YOU?

Using a specialized program (screen reader) to read alternate format books can help with reading speed, comprehension, attention, and focus.  It is an alternative to reading hardcopy text. E-text is one kind of alternate format. It can be a document as a word or pdf file, or a scanned image of text that can be read by a screen reader such as Kurzweil, Jaws, or Zoomtext.  The screen reader magnifies texts, or reads the text out loud for students who have difficulty reading hardcopy text.  Braille is a system of writing and printing for blind or visually impaired people, in which varied arrangements of raised dots representing letters and numerals are identified by touch.  Books are made into Braille books by our Transcription Technologist.  Videos may be captioned for students who are deaf. For students who are blind, an audio description of visual events can be inserted in order that they may understand the action in a video.

If you are new to our Centre, your Consultant will help you decide whether alternate format materials are appropriate for you. Typically, documentation from a psychologist, doctor, or other accepted medical professional is required indicating the methods that might help you read required course materials. 

HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR ALTERNATE FORMAT?

There are three steps to get alternate format:

1.  Enter courses for which you will require for e-text.

2. Check the availability of your course material by using the link to subject areas.  If the title you are looking for is on the list, it is ready to pick up.

If the text is available it will be listed in the department folder (e.g., Anthropology). If it is not in the department folder, it is not ready yet. No e-mail notifications will be sent out. The list will be updated daily.

3. As soon as it is ready to pick up, you may bring a USB key and proof of purchase to Douglas Facey in room 1C10-A (beside the ALC main office).  Keep your receipts for purchase of the texts. We need to see these to verify that we can legally give you the text. Pick up is available from 8:30 am- noon, and 1:00 pm- 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.

In some cases books will need to be scanned by ALC if they are not available from the publishers. You will receive an e-mail notification if this is necessary.

You may choose to scan your books yourself. A high-speed scanner (can do a 500-page book in about 20 minutes) is available in the Digital Media Centre on the first floor of the Library. The spines will be cut off your texts (available through Printing Services--202 Regina St.) and rebound to do this. This method of creating alternate format text (e-text) is recommended where texts are easy to scan and edit, or if you need your material right away.