DOCUMENT CONVERSION

Alternative print formats (audiotape, Braille, electronic, and large print) allow individuals with vision impairments and other disabilities to have access to standard print materials. All University of Minnesota publications, including course syllabi, are required to carry a Disability Access Statement (see "Appendix,"):

"This publication/material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact (name, department, address, phone)."

The Office for Students with Disabilities provides document conversion services, which are described below, free of charge to the University community.

Audiotape

Many textbooks, novels, and periodicals are available on audiotape and can be obtained from public libraries, the Library of Congress, and Recordings for the Blind. If determined appropriate, students requesting taped materials should first investigate these resources. Costs for the services will be borne by the University.

Documents that are not available on audiotape may be submitted for free recording at the Office for Students with Disabilities. Students can make requests through a disability specialist. Faculty, staff, and departments can make requests directly by contacting the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Textbook taping: This service is primarily used by students who are trying taped textbooks for the first time and by students with emergency short-term needs. Students can make requests through the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Audiotape recording takes a significant amount of time, depending on the size of the print document. Requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of when the material is needed.

Braille

Original documents may be submitted either in print, on computer disk, or via e-mail (braille@disserv.stu.umn.edu) to Disability Services on the Twin Cities campus for free Braille transcription. Documents in electronic format can be transcribed quickly; print materials require more time because they must be scanned or entered by hand.

Disks or print materials may be sent to Disability Services. A Document Conversion Request Form should be completed (either in person or by phone) and accompany the material to be transcribed.

Electronic

Many people have access to computers with synthesized voice or Braille output devices and may request an electronic version of material. Anyone can provide an electronic version of a document simply by copying the document onto a computer disk for the person making the request. Documents can also be made available by placing them on Internet, via Gopher, thereby benefiting all students who have access to a computer network.

Large Print

Anyone with access to a computer or copy machine can create large print documents by following one of the procedures below (ask the person making the request how much enlargement is needed).

With a computer: If a document has been created using a standard word processing program (either IBM or Macintosh), it can easily be enlarged before printing. It is best to use a font that is sans serif. Geneva or Helvetica fonts are the clearest. An eighteen-point type is generally the best. When the type is larger than eighteen points, fewer words appear on each page, making it difficult for a person to make sense of the document. Bold characters also make the print clearer. The following example illustrates the difference between standard and large print:

Standard print (AGaramond, 10 point).

Large print (Geneva, 18 point, bold).

With a copy machine: Documents can also be enlarged by duplicating them on a copy machine that can print on eleven-by-seventeen inch paper. This is a useful procedure for course packets (such as those available at a copy center) or articles in periodicals or books. The quality of the enlarged version will depend on the clarity and condition of the original document.