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

Sun Apr 3 02:02:27 UTC 2011

Kevin;
So far the Java book is the only one that I have used. I will
certainly look for more books through CourseSmart next semester. I
find the Braille to be  very seamless because it is in exact sync with
the Speech. Normally I would prefer to read Braille however in this
case since the book is a programming book I leave the Braille display
on Grade 1 setting and thus can skim faster in speech. However when I
get to a program segment the Braille is right there and I can review
it on the display. Regarding bookmarks and searching the search is
instantaneous when one types a word or words in the search area
immediately the portions of the book with those words are available. I
didn't see any way to do that on the web. I found that I could book
mark on the web by page but not by word.
-Kevin

On 4/2/11, Kevin Chao <kevinchao89 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
>
> It's great to see another person who's using CourseSmart and enjoying
> it, especially with speech and braille.
> Very good point, it's not only accessible, but is accessible in speech
> and/or braille.
>
> Are you using CourseSmart for other textbooks, other than your one
> Java textbook?
>
> Unfortunately, I've also found that CourseSmart iPhone app is
> inaccessible. However, viewing it in Safari using Web reader works
> well.
>
> I'm an exclusive user of CourseSmart web reader, where I've found that
> in most cases, I have a great internet connection.
> Whether that's WiFi or 3G, I'm able to read my textbooks wherever and
> whenever I need to.
>
> Can you please clarify and provide more details about the two points you
> made:
> "I also found with the online version that the ability to finly hone
> the use of bookmarks is not viable. The final thing is that Braille is
> not nearly as seamless with the online version."
>
> Thanks,
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
>
> On 4/1/11, Kevin R.  Fjelsted <kevin.fjelsted at bharrisinc.com> wrote:
>> I use CourseSmart very successfully to read a Java textbook for one of
>> my computer science courses. The off-line version for the Mac works
>> very well with VoiceOver under 10.6.7. Infect there was a recent
>> update for the CourseSmart Mac program that I downloaded yesterday
>> which has many improvements including seamless Braille and speech
>> reading support. One can use the table of contents navigation table to
>> immediately go to any section of the book. One can set book marks.
>> Even if one quits and forgets to set a bookmark when the program is
>> opened the cursor is moved to the exact place where the person left
>> off. THis is a little thing but one of my biggest pet peeves with the
>> Daisy Readhear program regardless of the platform. I tried CourseSmart
>> for the IPhone and to date that program does not work well. One can
>> read the actual text but the table of contents is not navigable.  If
>> that issue were resolved then the IPhone would work very well. I too
>> tried the on-line version and although it is usable I found that for
>> the times that I am not able to get a good internet connection it puts
>> me at a disadvantage.
>> I also found with the online version that the ability to finly hone
>> the use of bookmarks is not viable. The final thing is that Braille is
>> not nearly as seamless with the online version. -Kevin
>>
>> On 4/1/11, Kevin Chao <kevinchao89 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Greg and All,
>>>
>>> I've been a very excited and happy user of CourseSmart eTextBookssfor
>>> past 6 months.
>>>
>>> We'll work off possible problems you've encountered off-list.
>>>
>>> Kevin
>>>
>>> On 4/1/11, Greg Wocher <gwblindman1 at gwblindman.org> 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
>>>>>>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/nabs.president%40gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> 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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>>
>>
>> --
>> Kevin Fjelsted
>> B Harris, Inc.
>> http://www.bharrisinc.com
>> kevin.fjelsted at bharrisinc.com
>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinfjelsted
>> Phone:   612.424.7333 EX. 301
>> Direct:  612.424.7332
>>
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-- 
Kevin Fjelsted
B Harris, Inc.
http://www.bharrisinc.com
kevin.fjelsted at bharrisinc.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinfjelsted
Phone:   612.424.7333 EX. 301
Direct:  612.424.7332