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Alternate Format OverviewAlternate Format Overview
Gaeir Dietrich ● Director
High Tech Center Training Unitof the California Community Colleges
Accessing Higher Ground 2011
What Does It Mean to Be What Does It Mean to Be Accessible?Accessible?
Digital Accessible
To Be AccessibleTo Be Accessible
The documents must be accessibleThe software used to play the
documents must be accessibleThe hardware on which the
software and documents are loaded must be accessible
ALL three!
ExampleExample
A document uploaded into a courseware management system accessed on a laptop
Document, CMS, laptop all must be accessible!
Please NotePlease Note
Most “e-books” are not accessible!Most online books are not
accessible!Most CDs included with textbooks
are not accessible!Most computer support/study
programs are not accessible!
Defining Alternate FormatsDefining Alternate Formats
What are these things?
What is alternate media?
Especially– E-text– Large print– Braille– Tactile graphics– Audio files– DAISY
But also– Closed captioning– Descriptive
narration– Accessible Web
sites
E-textE-text
What is it?– Electronic text is a file that has
characters the computer can read– Word files– E-mail– Plain text files (ASCII)
How do you make e-text?How do you make e-text?
Original documents– Documents created in a word
processorScanned documents
– Scan a document and create a TIFF– Use an OCR program to extract text
Large PrintLarge Print
What is it?– Print that has been enlarged to at
least 18 points for body textIssues
– How large is large enough?– Anything above about 40 point gets
unreasonable
How do you make large print?How do you make large print?
From e-text– In Word, select text and use
CTRL + Shift + >– PDF, “print to page” on 11 in. x 17 in.
paper and fit paperComputers
– Screen magnifiers, such as Zoom Text– CCTV
BrailleBraille
What is it?– Tactile written language
Issues– Availability– Student’s reading level
Note Grade 2 (contracted braille) is standard
Special code for math: Nemeth braille
How do you make braille?How do you make braille?
Electronic transcription– Using e-text with Duxbury
Refreshable braille displays– Electronic display attached to the
computer– Transform text documents on the fly
Tactile GraphicsTactile Graphics
What are they?– Simplified graphical images that use
raised lines and textures to convey information
Issues– Determining when needed– Instructors’ perceptions of need– How to create good graphics– Student’s ability to utilize graphics
How do you make tactile How do you make tactile graphics?graphics?
p.i.a.f. (Pictures in a Flash)– Microcapsule paper is heated (“toasted”)
to produce raised imagesWith computers
– Tactile graphic programs send simple images to a Braille embosser; Tiger embosser, IVEO talking graphics
Manually– Collage
Audio FilesAudio Files
What are they?– Books on tape, audio recordings, MP3
Issues– Lack of navigation– On-campus tapes rarely shared– MP3 voices/speed
How do you create audio How do you create audio files?files?
Books on tape– Audio books can be ordered through
Learning Ally (formerly RFB&D)– MP3 files can be created from Text-to-
Speech (TTS) programs
DAISY files
Don’t forget!Don’t forget!
Commercial audio books– School can purchase and loan to
student– Amazon.com– Audible.com
Libraries– http://openlibrary.org/
Public LibrariesPublic Libraries
Overdrive– Audio books from local libraries free– Check Web site for participating libraries
www.overdrive.com
Literature books– Many classics and under-copyright books– Search all participating libraries– http://search.overdrive.com/
Alt Formats in DepthAlt Formats in Depth
Providing materials to students
DAISYDAISY
Digital Accessible Information System
Navigable digital audio files
DAISYDAISY
What is it?– Navigable digital files (computer audio)
Plays on DAISY hardware and software players– Can be navigated by chapter, page, headings,
paragraphs, phrases– Can be bookmarked– Remembers where you left off
Replacement for audio tape, MP3, and plain e-text
““Flavors” of DAISYFlavors” of DAISY
Text only– Format used by Bookshare
Audio only– Format used by Learning Ally
(RFB&D)Text and audio
– Format produced by commercially available production software
Full-Text Full-Audio DAISYFull-Text Full-Audio DAISY
NCC Document(navigation control center)
XHTML MP3
Text Side Audio Side
Both Sides Synchronized
SMIL
Playing DAISY: in GeneralPlaying DAISY: in General
Requires a DAISY playerSoftware and hardware players
available– Software—free to $300– Hardware—$195 to $995
DAISY players also play MP3 filesDAISY players allow you to control
speed and pitch
Acquiring DAISY BooksAcquiring DAISY Books
Primary sources– Learning Ally (formerly RFB&D)– Bookshare– National Library Services (NLS)
Commercial sources ReadHowYouWant.com
Make your own– SADX and DAISY Pipeline– Commercial software
BookshareBookshare
Quality getting better– Campus can become Bookshare volunteer
DAISY (navigable audio) format– Software player comes with membership– Will create DAISY for you from e-text
Audio and text– No graphics yet (coming soon!)
Limited number of higher ed textbooks
Bookshare.orgBookshare.org
www.bookshare.org Text-only DAISYRequires player with text-to-
speech (TTS) built inMembership free for all students
and educational institutionsSoftware included in membership
Playing Bookshare BooksPlaying Bookshare Books
Choose from– Victor Reader Soft
Generally preferred by blind users
– Don Johnson Read OutLoud Generally preferred by LD users
Software “tied” to Bookshare format– Only plays Bookshare books
Can also play on some other systems– OpenBook, Kurzweil 1000/3000, WYNN
Learning AllyLearning Ally
High-quality human narrationAudio only
– moving to full text/full audioDAISY (navigable audio) format
– Authorized software or hardware player required to access books
They do not record every editionSearch by author’s name—NOT ISBN
Learning AllyLearning Ally
Formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)– www.learningally.org
Fee for memberships– Individual memberships– School memberships
Books on CD or downloadable
““Audio Plus” CDsAudio Plus” CDs
Requires authorized player– All new solid-state players preauthorized
Can purchase players from Learning AllyOther players can be sent to have “key”
installedPlayers can play other DAISY booksPlayers have firmware upgrade from
DAISY 2.02 to DAISY 3
Downloadable “Audio Plus”Downloadable “Audio Plus”
Are DAISY booksRequire a DAISY player
– Hardware or software– Still require User Authorization Key (UAK)– But no longer requires password
Learning Ally software DAISY players now available for Windows and Mac!
Downloadable “Audio Access”Downloadable “Audio Access”
Are not DAISY– Are WMA with DRM (Digital Rights
Management)– Do not have navigation
Can be played with Windows Media Player and some mainstream players (Zen by Creative and Rio; *not* iPod)
Two Downloadable FormatsTwo Downloadable Formats
AudioPlus– DAISY
(navigable audio)– Requires
authorized DAISY software or hardware (all solid state players pre-authorized)
– Plays on iOS with Audio App
AudioAccess– WMA files with
DRM (not DAISY)– Requires WMA
player Windows Media
Player Zen by Creative Rio, etc.
– Will not play on iPod
SpecialsSpecials
Membership ($99) comes with free software– ReadHear by gh– Plays Audio Plus books– Limited time offer
Audio App for DAISY books– iOS program– For iPhone, iPod touch, iPad – Available from iTunes
Please Note!Please Note!
New small DAISY players– Play all DAISY source files– Play Learning Ally (formerly RFB&D),
Bookshare, NLS books– Play MP3– Play .doc and .txt files– Record audio, as well
Braille and Tactile GraphicsBraille and Tactile Graphics
Rare and elusive sightings…
Some ResourcesSome Resources
Braille– ATPC– Louis Database
ATPC for BrailleATPC for Braille
Alternate Text Production Centerwww.atpc.net
Large braille catalog of higher ed math books
Will provide braille for a fee
American Printing HouseAmerican Printing House
Louis Database– www.aph.org
Some higher ed brailleGood source of teaching materials
and information on blindness and visual impairment
Creating Alternate FormatsCreating Alternate Formats
If you can’t find them, make them!
Build Your OwnBuild Your Own
Create e-text in-house– Obtain e-text from publishers– Scan
Process file– OCR– Load into reading program
Distribute to student
E-text from PublishersE-text from Publishers
Requesting publisher files– Turnaround time varies– Quality varies– Usability varies– Publisher files are production source
files, not end-user files
– Files usually need additional processing
Finding the PublisherFinding the Publisher
American Association of Publishers (AAP) Web site– http://www.publisherlookup.org/
Large publishers working with ATN
Access Text NetworkAccess Text Network
www.accesstext.orgBasic membership free
– Allows campus to request files – Search of common providers
Exchange membership– $500/year or 25 files to exchange– Allows file exchange for certain
publishers
ATN PublishersATN Publishers
Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishing
Cengage Learning CQ Press Elsevier F.A. Davis
Company John Wiley & Sons
Jones & Bartlett Learning
Lynne Rienner Publishers
McGraw-Hill Education
Pearson Education Springer Publishing W.W. Norton
Accessible Textbook FinderAccessible Textbook Finder
AccessText Network
Alternative Media Access Center
Bookshare CourseSmart Learning Ally
National Library Service
Project Gutenberg VitalSource
Exchange NetworkExchange Network
Premium membershipPublishers agreeing to exchange
– CQ Press– Elsevier– Wiley– Pearson– Cengage– WW Norton
Not Available?Not Available?
Chop and scan– Remove the spine
Scan using the software that came with the scanner– Use a high speed scanner (creates
TIFF)Get a rebinding machine
– Rebind book for student
Creating E-textCreating E-text
Scan a document– Creates a picture (TIFF)
Convert the picture to words (OCR)– OmniPage/FineReader
Open the text – Word processor– Scan & read programs
Please NotePlease Note
– Kurzweil 3000/R&W Gold/WYNN Wizard
– Designed for individuals to use NOT for campus production
– Use when the student wants to read within these interfaces
– If student wants Word use program designed specifically for OCR
A Note about PDFA Note about PDF
PDF files may be pictures of text– A computer cannot read a picture
Try to select text with I-beam tool– If you cannot select text, it is
probably a pictureText may not be in proper reading
order
Reading PDFsReading PDFs
Occasionally students may be able to use PDFs directly– With enlargement software– With Adobe Reader (or PDF Aloud)
Be aware that you cannot assume the PDF can be used as is!
PDF Is a StartPDF Is a Start
PDF files are “source files”Great as a beginning point for
producing e-textPDF files are not usually “end-user
files”If you obtain PDF files from publishers,
expect to process them– Usually cannot simply hand them to
students
Processing PDFProcessing PDF
PDF to Word– Use OmniPage or FineReader to run OCR
PDF to Kurzweil– Process with Kurzweil
PDF to WYNN– Process with WYNN Wizard
OCR on PDFOCR on PDF
Treat the same as a TIFF file
Load into OCR programZoneRun OCREditSave as Word, HTML, etc.
AMX DatabaseAMX Database
File sharing between campuses– Within CCCs and also other colleges
Quality variesFile types varyCan save timeFree!Contact Gaeir to join
Working with E-TextWorking with E-Text
A Different Way to Read
Reading ProductsReading Products
Screen readers– Read entire screen
Document readers– Read documents
Scan and read Read and study Simple text-to-speech
Enlargement programs
A Bit about VoicesA Bit about Voices
Voices Are Programs, Too!
TTS VoicesTTS Voices
AT&T – Mike – Crystal
NeoSpeech – Kate – Paul
Microsoft– Mike– Mary
Foreign LanguageForeign Language
Require a voice specific to that language
Voices “speak” with accent specific to the language– They do not translate!
Many common languages have voices.
Voices in Other LanguagesVoices in Other Languages
English
Spanish German
1 One Uno Eins
2 Two Dos Zwei
3 Three Tres Drei
One
One One (Spanish accent)
One (German accent)
Foreign Language TextbooksForeign Language Textbooks
Some programs allow you to mix English and another language– Kurzweil– TextAloud
Note: Limited selection of languages comes with software; other voices can be purchased.
Auditory MathAuditory Math
Hearing numerals is not always helpful
Hearing word problems can be VERY helpful
Talk to your students!– Ask LD students about making word
problems auditory
Want to Learn More?Want to Learn More?
Contact us any time!
More InformationMore Information
HTCTU Web site– www.htctu.net
For general information– Gaeir Dietrich 408-996-6047
