Supporting students who need alternative formats of texts
Written in conjunction with The Publishers Association in the UK, the Guide to Obtaining Textbooks in Alternative Formats is for anyone who needs to source text books in an alternative format for a reading impaired learner. Disability law protects disabled learners by requiring the educational institution to make appropriate provision. Copyright law protects publishers from inappropriate copying of textbooks. Between these two sets of rights are the staff who have to provide alternative formats in a timely manner to disabled learners. In most cases the optimum accessibility solution is to obtain the textbook in electronic format. This allows immediate personalisation of text size, colours and contrast. In addition, electronic text is usually an important intermediate stage for the production of non-text formats such as audio or Braille.
This guidance is specifically designed for library staff, support staff and subject tutors and lecturers supporting disabled learners. It should be of use to anyone trying to obtain digital versions of textbooks, to:
- Understand the processes involved.
- Recognise additional in-house work that may be required once the digital version has been obtained.
- Maximise the likelihood of a successful outcome.
- Evaluate your own institutional processes.
- Assess alternative interventions.
Guide to obtaining publications in alternative formats
Running alongside the Guide to Obtaining Textbooks in Alternative Formats, the Publisher Lookup website is a collaborative facility jointly organised by JISC TechDis and The Publishers Association that aims to enable educationalists working with disabled learners to get an electronic version of published texts from UK publishers as quickly as possible.
The website includes an online database containing the contact details of more than 140 publishers, highlighting the appropriate person to contact to request an electronic version of a book, as well as best practice guidance for both publishers and staff in educational institutions.
Publisher Lookup UK
