Alternative Media Formats
From AMACWiki
| Alternative Media Formats | ||||||
|
Alternative media is printed materials converted to a format other than a traditional hard copy. Examples of alternative media include electronic text (e-text), large print, braille, audio files, closed captioning, accessible web sites and tactile graphics. |
| ||||
Choosing an E-Text Format
AMAC offers two different e-text formats: PDF or Word DOC. Typically, PDF’s are a great visual aide for students with LD or who are hard of hearing, while Word DOCs tend to be more useful to students who are blind. The type of e-text format provides different accessible options and is based on a number of factors.
Those factors are based on:
- Disability
- The Subject Matter being converted
- The Formating of the book being processed
- The Assistive Technology used
- Personal Preference
Selection Tools
- File Format Screening Tool - collection of questions for DSPs to ask about the student, the assistive technology, and the textbook content. Using this simple guide will give DSPs the information they need to consider when ordering alternative media for students.
Electronic Text
| Type | Description | Recommended users |
|---|---|---|
| Scan/Image PDF | This is a PDF file that has been created from a scan. This media is normally used for graphical books (ex. Comics) because the OCR job would be to prone for errors based on fonts used. | Visually Impaired [VI] (users of zooming technology, ex. ZoomText) |
| Standardized Publisher PDF | This is a publisher PDF file that has been cleaned up to include renumbered pages, bookmarks added, auto-tagging, language set, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | LD, ADHD, VI (users of zooming technology, ex. ZoomText) |
| OCR'd PDF | This is a PDF file that was created from the title being bought, chopped, and scanned. Then OCR is performed on the title. The OCR process will identify tables, images, text, and create a logical reading order on the page. This PDF will also contain renumbered pages, bookmarks, tags (not corrected), language set, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | LD, ADHD, VI (users of Zooming technology, ex. ZoomText) |
| Enhanced Tagged PDF (tags manually corrected) | This is a publisher PDF file that has been cleaned up to include navigation (renumbered pages & bookmarks added), manually corrected tags (includes heading levels, paragraphs, lists, tables, and figure tags), logical reading order set, alternative text on relevant images, language set, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | Publishers |
| Styled Word DOC | This is a Microsoft Word document that will contain a logical reading order, navigation including heading levels 1-3 and book page numbers, alternative text on relevant images, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | VI or Blind (users of Jaws) |
| HTML | This is a HTML document that will contain a logical reading order, navigation including heading levels 1-3, alternative text on relevant images, language set, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | All |
| MP3 | This is an audio file(s) that will be read with a synthesized computer voice and contain a logical reading order, navigation including heading levels 1-3, alternative text on relevant images, broken into usable file sizes. | All |
| Kurzweil (KESI) format for Testing | This is a KESI file that is created by running the Kurzweil OCR on the test. The OCR process will identify tables, and images. This KESI file will also contain logical reading order on every page (including primary and secondary items). Proper pronunciation will be set on this type of KESI format. | K12, All |
| Kurzweil (KESI format - Standard | This is a KESI file that is created by running the Kurzweil OCR on the title. The OCR process will identify tables, and images. This KESI file will also contain logical reading order on every page (including primary and secondary items). Pronunciation will not be set on this type of KESI format. | K12, All |
DAISY / Audio on CD
| Type | Description | Recommended Users |
|---|---|---|
| Audio on CD | Learning Ally titles are Daisy format (Audio only), with a physical person reading the book. The book titles come on physical media such as CD or DVD. | VI or Blind |
| Daisy Talking Book | This is a text only Daisy talking book that will contain a logical reading order, navigation including heading levels 1-3, alternative text on relevant images, language set, usable file size, and tested with assistive technology. | VI or Blind (users of JAWS) |
Braille
Best for students who can read Braille and who are blind or whose eyesight isn't sufficient for reading printed material.
| Type | Description | Delivery Method |
|---|---|---|
| Embossed Braille | These pages employ embossed dots evenly arranged in quadrangular letter spaces or cells, allowing touch reading for the blind. | Standard postal service to DSP office
|
Most Requested Braille textbooks
- AMAC Book number: A003290 ISBN: 9780136007319 Beginning and Intermediate Algebra
- AMAC Book number: A003081 ISBN: 9780471748366 Webster's New World Concise Spanish Dictionary
- AMAC Book number: A001156 ISBN: 9780321442338 Beginning and Intermediate Algebra
- AMAC Book number: A014986 ISBN: 9780538735506 Calculus: Early Transcendental Functions
- AMAC Book number: A011989 ISBN: 9780321564962 Elementary Statistics Using Excel
Captioning
Both remote captioning, including CART and C-Print, as well as captioned media are currently offered by AMAC. For live events including classes and training, captioning is offered in real time, so that the hard of hearing individual can understand what is being said and can participate in the discussion as it is taking place.
| Type | Description | Playback Method |
|---|---|---|
| CART | Communication Access Realtime Translation provides a verbatim output, like you see on TV or court reporting in real time. The captioner uses specialized stenography equipment and has completed at least two years of training. Captioning is done in real-time. Currently, AMAC offers remote captioning. | Laptop with Skype, high quality microphone, and internet access |
| C-Print and TypeWell | Text interpreting which provides a content based meaning- for-meaning transcription in real time (similar to an interpreter) rather than verbatim. Captioning provided remotely. | Laptops with specialized software |
| Captioned Media | Includes video or audio files. Options include transcript only, captioned media (in which the requester will provide the transcript), or a combination of transcripts and captions. | Varies |
