Alternate Format Faculty Guidelines

hands reading braile

Overview

The process of converting materials and books to an alternate format (audio, electronic text, enlargements or Braille) can be quite time-consuming. The Center for Accessible Resources (CAR) must have the re-formatted materials in the student's hands within a reasonable time frame, as required by law.

If an alternate format was requested reasonably far in advance, the student should receive the reformatted materials at the same time all other students receive their materials.

First CAR makes sure the student has purchased the textbook needed. Then CAR checks to see if alternate format is readily available from CAR's library, the publisher, or RFBD (Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic). If not, the department must create the alternate format needed.

When a book is not available from these sources, the student must provide a copy to our office for production purposes. The binding is removed and the pages are scanned. The text is rebound and returned to the student as quickly as possible.

If materials are needed in audio or Braille format, the scanned documents may need to be hand-edited, line by line, before being converted. This often requires a considerable amount of time and resources. For this reason, it is essential that the Alternate Format staff receive a copy of your course syllabus with reading assignments as soon as possible so that they can prepare only the material required for the course.

Once scanned and edited, the text is converted and provided to the student in the requested format. This process typically takes 5 to 15 business days to complete. It is therefore imperative that you make every effort to meet the bookstore deadline for ordering your course materials. Students often need to purchase their books and materials weeks in advance so their reformatted materials will be ready the first day of class.

How to submit materials for conversion to an alternate format:

  • If possible, send materials by email to AlternateFormat@lanecc.edu.
  • If materials are submitted on a CD or flash drive, please provide them in Microsoft Word with the material saved in either Rich Text Format or Plain Text if possible.
  • Use Arial font, with a minimum of 12 point text, since it is the easiest font to read for those with a visual loss or learning disability.
  • Hard copies that need to be scanned should be sent on "clean," clear, sequentially-numbered pages. Use white or cream colored paper and black ink. Colored paper or text does not scan well and produces files that are difficult to read for those with a visual loss.

Contact Alternate Format staff

Email: AlternateFormat@lanecc.edu

To request this information in an alternate format (Braille, digital, audio, or large print), please contact Center for Accessible Resources: (541) 463-5150 (voice); 711 (relay); Building 19, 263A; or AccessibleResources@lanecc.edu.