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Alternate Format Information, Tips, and Guidelines for Instructors

The process of converting materials and books to Alternate Format (audio tape, electronic format, enlarged print and Braille) is quite time consuming. Disability Services must have the re-formatted materials in the student's hands within a reasonable time frame, as required by law. If alternate format was requested reasonably far in advance, then the student should be able to receive the reformatted materials at the same time as all students receive their materials. Our initial tasks include assuring that the student has purchased the textbook needed, and checking to see if alternate format is readily available from other sources. If not, the college must create the alternate format needed.

What we need from you ASAP:

• Electronic file, disk or hard copy of your syllabus & reading assignments
• Title, author, edition, publisher, and ISBN for all required and suggested textbooks
• Electronic file, disk or hard copy of all handouts and overheads that you do not intend to re-format and provide to the student yourself

Please meet the bookstore deadline for ordering your books & materials

Tips for making the process of reformatting your classroom material easier:

• Provide all disks and electronic files in Microsoft Word with the material saved to either Rich Text Format or Plain Text.
• If at all possible, send materials electronically to lodgel@lanecc.edu.
• Use Arial font, with a minimum of 12 point text, since it is the easiest font for those with visual or learning impairments to read.
• Hard copies should be "clean", clear, sequentially numbered pages on white or cream colored paper (colored paper can be hard for students to read and is difficult to use for quality reproductions).

Disability Services Procedures to create Text-on-Tape (TOT) of your course materials:

1. Upon reciept of the textbook, materials and recording equipment are assigned to a reader. Depending on the complexity of the material, a new reader may need to be screened & hired.
2. The reader records onto specialized 4-track tapes. Only the table of contents and chapter 1 are recorded until we receive your syllabus and reading assignments. Once received, only the assigned material is read onto tape.
3. Reader brings completed master tape into our office.
4. We then dub the master tape, generate a computer label, and place the copy in the student's file for pick up.

Disability Services Procedures to create Electronic Format or Braille versions of your course matrials:

1. Upon reciept of the textbook, it is sent to Printing & Graphics to have the binding removed.
2. We then scan only the table of contents and chapter 1 until your syllabus and reading assignments are received.
3. Once received, only the assigned material is scanned.
4. Staff edits each page, line by line, for accuracy.
5. If an Electronic copy is received, it is un-zipped, down-loaded and saved into files in the order of your assigned readings.
6. The material is then burned to CD or saved to disk, a label is generated and the disk is placed in student's file for pick up.
7. If Braille is needed, the edited disk is sent out for translation. When finished, the Braille copy is placed into the student's file for pick up.

Disability Services Procedures to create Enlarged Print versions of your course materials:

1. Once received, course materials are sent to Printing & Graphics to have the binding removed.
2. We then enlarge only table of contents and chapter 1 until we receive your syllabus and reading assignments.
3. Once received, only the assigned material is enlarged. Depending on the sequence of assignments and font size of originals, each page may need to be individually handled and copied.
4. Depending on the student's disability, the enlarged copies may then need to be sent to Printing & Graphics to be re-bound before being available for pick up.

Disability Services maintains written records that track the status and procedures of all materials being re-formatted. The process of converting materials and textbooks can take a minimum of 3-4 business weeks to produce, depending on the nature of the material being formatted and departmental workload. For questions, please contact the DS Alternate Format Specialist, Lynn Lodge at 541-463-5059, lodgel@lanecc.edu

Disability Services : Student Services, Building 1, Room 218
(541) 463-5150 voice, (541) 463-3079 TTY only, (541) 463-4739 FAX