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

bookwormahb at earthlink.net bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Sat Apr 2 19:20:48 UTC 2011 

You rent the e-books by the semester.
Not sure if they are more or less expensive than buying a book at the 
college bookstore.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Jorge Paez
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2011 12:30 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] College Course Material: Accessible eTextBooks, 
Braille,and Tactile Graphics

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
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>>> nabs-l mailing list
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>>>>>>>>> nabs-l:
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>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>
>>
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>
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