Alternative text access information
About alternative formats
University of Alaska Fairbanks' Disability Services offers, for academic use, the conversion of textbooks to a format more accessible by students requiring this service.
To request an alternative format textbook conversion, a student is required to meet several conditions. These are:
- The material(s) being converted must be a copy legal for use in the United States.
- The material(s) being converted must be legally owned by the student.
- The material(s) being converted will, on intake, have their bindings removed, and will not be restorable to the original condition. This may reduce the resale value of the book.
- For additional requirements or information, contact Disability Services.
How does the alternative format process work?
University of Alaska Fairbanks Disability Services currently utilizes state-of-the-art OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software, in conjunction with several other programs, to convert a book to an alternative format. Currently, we support the following formats:
- Daisy 2 & 3
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe PDF
These formats allow qualifying students to more easily use their textbooks or class handouts, through the use of a magnifier or screen reader when a traditional paper format is not otherwise usable.
What is a screen reader?
A screen reader is a software package installed on a computer to read digital text aloud. This selection of software is particularly useful when traditional paper formats are not sufficient for a student's needs. The Assistive Technology Lab supports the use of JAWS, ZoomText, and Dolphin EasyReader for use as screen readers.
Accessing / requesting alternative format texts
To request alternative format texts, contact Disability Services by phone at (907)474-5655 or by email at uaf-disabilityservices@alaska.edu
For more information, see Alternative format text conversion policies and procedures.
Other documentation
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