[blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school

Susan Kelly Susan.Kelly at pima.gov
Mon Jun 10 14:57:13 UTC 2013


A lot will depend on the degree of vision loss - if it is total, iBooks
on the iPad may be the best option for something portable and easy to
use.  

For me, having a tiny bit of residual vision in one eye and preferring
to still be able to see the text at times, both iBooks and Kindle are
almost useless - for my use, the Nook app on the iPad is better able to
permit manipulation of the font type, size, margins, and contrast.  It
also works with Zoom, but the extra strokes and screen movement
necessary are beyond frustrating.  I tend to use the Nook on the iPad
(right next to my face, but that's how I've always read) set at a 60
point sans serif font.  The Nook app on the computer also allows texts
to be drug into the accessible e-pub program we have, for more intensive
usage with JAWS.  So - I guess for each of us there will be a different
answer for now.

Best of luck in law school, by the way!


-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ronza
Othman
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 5:15 AM
To: 'Blind Law Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school

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

_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org
http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindlaw:
http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rothmanjd%40g
mail
.com


_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org
http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
blindlaw:
http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%4
0pima.gov




More information about the BlindLaw mailing list