[nabs-l] College Course Material: Accessible eTextBooks, Braille, and Tactile Graphics

Sat Apr 2 16:35:50 UTC 2011

At moment, CourseSmart does an eTextBook rental program, where you can
rent for 180, 360, 520, and 740 days. Most textbooks are only needed
for a semester, where 180 days would be more than sufficient.
On 4/2/11, Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com> wrote:
> Wait-what do you mean by rental?
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2011, at 11:59 AM, Kevin Chao wrote:
>
>> Yes, it's platform, browser, and screen reader agnostic.
>> I use it with JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver (Mac OS X and iOS)
>> This is what I've been using for past 6 months and would not even
>> consider going back to status quo of:
>> audio books, scanning books, and using human readers.
>>
>> Equal access to an innovative eTextBook rental platform.
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>> On 4/2/11, Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Is it accessible with both Voice Over and JFW?
>>>
>>>
>>> On Apr 2, 2011, at 10:32 AM, Kevin Chao wrote:
>>>
>>>> CourseSmart started work in Spring 2010 to be accessible to all,
>>>> including those with print-disabilities.
>>>>
>>>> I'll detail a brief timeline:
>>>> * Spring and Summer 2010: lots of work went into making website,
>>>> downloadable reader, and web reader accessible.
>>>> * Fall 2010: Downloadable reader was made accessible; partnered with
>>>> AMAC and AccessTextNetwork to form STudent E-Rental Pilot Project
>>>> (STEPP) with a grant from Department of Education (DOE).
>>>> * Springg2011: Web reader was made very accessible and includes
>>>> remediation/tagging from AMAC.
>>>> * Over next 2-years, STEPP with DOE funding will continue to work on
>>>> affordable, accessible, innovative, and great eTextBook rental pilot
>>>> project.
>>>>
>>>> STEPP has many goals, including making eTextBooks a reality to all,
>>>> including print-disabled, ADA and section 504 compliance, and
>>>> streamlining process in this space.
>>>>
>>>> CourseSmart has sample and full eTextBooks, which are fully accessible
>>>> Due to publishers and DRM, there is one caveat. If using Web reader,
>>>> in order  for book text to be accessible, one must email
>>>> accessibility at coursesmart.com informing that one is a screen reader
>>>> user and screen reader flag must be enabled. If this is not done,
>>>> experience will be what sighted have, where book text is a picture of
>>>> physical page.
>>>> This  limitation does not exist if one is using downloadable reader.
>>>>
>>>> Please for all questions, concerns, and suggestions about CourseSmart
>>>> accessibility:
>>>> accessibility at coursesmart.com
>>>> is an absolutely fantastic contact.
>>>>
>>>> Kevin
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 4/1/11, Valerie Gibson <valandkayla at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>
>>>>> I've tried using coursesmart and one of their online books about a year
>>>>> ago,
>>>>> and it wasn't accessible on mac or windows.
>>>>> Valerie Gibson
>>>>> Check out my facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/puppyLove3
>>>>> or follow me on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/valerie_gibson
>>>>> Skype me at: WolfDragonVal
>>>>> I'm also  on windowslive messenger: valandkayla at gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 1, 2011, at 9:20 PM, Greg Wocher wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello Kevin,
>>>>>> That is strange.  I tried using an online book from there a few months
>>>>>> ago
>>>>>> and I could not get it to work at all.  How did you get it to work?  I
>>>>>> could not find any of the text for the book I tried.
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>> Greg W.
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Chao"
>>>>>> <kevinchao89 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 3:00 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] College Course Material: Accessible eTextBooks,
>>>>>> Braille,and Tactile Graphics
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Online is most accessible and actively developed
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Apr 1, 2011, at 7:55 PM, "Greg Wocher"
>>>>>>> <gwblindman1 at gwblindman.org>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hello Kevin,
>>>>>>>> I have been looking at course smart for a little bit now.  Do you
>>>>>>>> use
>>>>>>>> their online books or do you use their downloadable reader?
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>> Greg W.
>>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Chao"
>>>>>>>> <kevinchao89 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 2:36 PM
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] College Course Material: Accessible
>>>>>>>> eTextBooks,
>>>>>>>> Braille, and Tactile Graphics
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Yes, I've used CourseSmart and AMAC and find them to be absolutely
>>>>>>>>> invaluable resources.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The various aspects that I really enjoy about CourseSmart and AMAC
>>>>>>>>> will be detailed below.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> CourseSmart
>>>>>>>>> * Mainstream access to eTextBooks
>>>>>>>>> * Affordable, timely, and true access
>>>>>>>>> * in-book, chapter, or section searches.
>>>>>>>>> *Very effectively and easily  navigate table of contents (chapters,
>>>>>>>>> sections, etc)
>>>>>>>>> * Jump to specific page
>>>>>>>>> * Highly tagged/marked-up: headings 1-5 for structured navigation,
>>>>>>>>> alttext for description of graphics, table for formatted
>>>>>>>>> representation of data, and lists for nicely formatted bullet
>>>>>>>>> points.
>>>>>>>>> * Accessibility at CourseSmart.com is extremely committed, fast, and
>>>>>>>>> great about resolving  everything.
>>>>>>>>> * Works with Windows (NVDA and JAWS); Mac OS X and iOS (VoiceOver);
>>>>>>>>> Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC)
>>>>>>>>> * DSS, institutions, organizations, and companies have no excuse to
>>>>>>>>> provide braille, tactile graphics, or other alternative media.
>>>>>>>>> * Affordable, timely, and extremely high-quality
>>>>>>>>> * Fantastic and wonderful support
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Kevin
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 4/1/11, Arielle Silverman <nabs.president at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Has anyone used either of these two products discussed below?
>>>>>>>>>> If so, did you find them accessible and easy to use?
>>>>>>>>>> Arielle
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On 4/1/11, Kevin Chao <kevinchao89 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> I would like to share two fantastic resources for any college
>>>>>>>>>>> student
>>>>>>>>>>> or instructor, which I think should be advocated for, encouraged,
>>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>> utilized by all.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Like most, I've used human readers, scanned books, used RFB&D,
>>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>> worked with disabled students services to get eTextBooks from
>>>>>>>>>>> publisher. All these things served their purposes and time, and
>>>>>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>>>>>> time to move on.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> In fall of 2010, I broke away from the status quo, which
>>>>>>>>>>> includes:
>>>>>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>>>>>> using RFB&D, not scanning textbooks,  and not having to be so
>>>>>>>>>>> reliant
>>>>>>>>>>> on disabled student services. Two companies have made this
>>>>>>>>>>> possible:
>>>>>>>>>>> CourseSmart and AMAC.  This has allowed equal access,
>>>>>>>>>>> independence,
>>>>>>>>>>> and a true forward studying experience.  It's never been possible
>>>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>>>> us as blind students, instructors, or even providers to use an
>>>>>>>>>>> innovative eTextBook service.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> * CourseSmart for mainstream, accessible, and highly marked-up
>>>>>>>>>>> 60%
>>>>>>>>>>> off
>>>>>>>>>>> eTextBooks
>>>>>>>>>>> * Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) for affordable,
>>>>>>>>>>> high-quality,
>>>>>>>>>>> and efficient braille and tactile graphics for textbooks, exams,
>>>>>>>>>>> handouts, assignments, etc
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.CourseSmart.com is a mainstream accessible eTextBook
>>>>>>>>>>> rental
>>>>>>>>>>> service, which all students can take advantage of. This includes
>>>>>>>>>>> students with or without print-related disabilities (blind, low
>>>>>>>>>>> vision, learning disabled).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.amac.uga.edu Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC)
>>>>>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>>>>>> work with institutions to provide braille, tactile graphics, and
>>>>>>>>>>> remediated eText. AMAC has very high-quality and standards and
>>>>>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>>>>>> lift
>>>>>>>>>>> stress off DSS, allowing DSS to focus on providing service, not
>>>>>>>>>>> content.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> This is the now and future of how students, instructors, and all
>>>>>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>>>> post-secondary education will obtain, work with, and enjoy
>>>>>>>>>>> accessible
>>>>>>>>>>> course material.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Kevin
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>> Arielle Silverman
>>>>>>>>>> President, National Association of Blind Students
>>>>>>>>>> Phone:  602-502-2255
>>>>>>>>>> Email:
>>>>>>>>>> nabs.president at gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>> Website:
>>>>>>>>>> www.nabslink.org
>>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>
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