[blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school

[Ronza Othman]

Hi Laura,
Technically, you should have access to the books via the Higher Education
Textbook Access Act, though it doesn't always run as smoothly as we'd like.
You should check with the Dean of Students at the Notre Dame law school and
see if they've had someone with a print media access disability before.  If
not, then you're going to have to work it out yourself.  I'd suggest your
next step be to talk to the manager of your campus bookstore.  I know that
Follett has folks in their HQ who know how to navigate the process of
getting electronic textbooks, and they'll train their ground staff when the
need arises.  Not sure about other college bookstore management companies
though.  I'd also check with your state library for the blind to see if they
have a textbook coordinator (Indiana, not where your home state is but where
you're attending school...trust me, it'll just be easier that way); they
might have a process in place already.  If none of that works, reach out to
the publisher directly - the only reason I don't suggest you do this first
is because sometimes publishers won't even talk to you if you aren't from a
state government or the college bookstore.  West and Aspen used to be really
responsive to direct inquiries though, and I was lucky in that most of my
textbooks came from West or Aspen.  

As for apps, I wouldn't recommend any other than IBooks (which doesn't seem
to have a lot of law books).  Nook is not very accessible, and though the
Kindle app is better, it won't read footnotes.  Trust me, you need the
footnotes (they're probably at least as important as most of the regular
text).  

I'd also suggest you get Notre Dame or your rehab counselor to purchase
subscriptions to Bookshare and Recordings for the Blind and Dislexic.  There
are also a couple of places in Chicago (just a train ride away) that will
read and record books for you if you can't get them electronically (and you
can mail them stuff and they'll mail them back).  Try Blind Services
Administration (though not sure they work with folks outside of Illinois)
and Educational Tape Recording for the Blind (which definitely works with
folks outside of Illinois).  

Good luck.

Ronza


-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 7:49 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school

hello,

i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if
anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i
have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left
school.

i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about
getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then
accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i
able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows
computer?

secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the
permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies
for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got
many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law
books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at
this?

i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer.

thanks,
laura

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