Providing Alternative Text to Distance Learners: One Online University's Approach

© 2010 Capella University - Confidential - Do not distribute

Providing Alternative Text to Distance Learners: One Online University's Approach

Jackie DutotCapella University

November 16, 2012

© 2010 Capella University - Confidential - Do not distribute 2

Introduction

• Background in Special Education • MA in Curriculum and Instruction• Assistive Tech Applications Certificate• Access Technology Specialist since 2008• Provide alternative text accommodations• Accessibility and AT lead for university


Learning Objectives

• Discuss Capella’s step-by-step process• Share our challenges and solutions• Learn shortcuts and technology to save time, money,

and sanity• Identify essential internal and external partnerships• Develop a game plan for your own distance learners


Capella University

• Fully online with no campus• Headquartered in Minneapolis, MN• Learners in 50 states and 56 countries• 36,000+ learners• 94% are part time, average age 40• 2,800+ faculty and staff• Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a

member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools


Capella’s Disability Services

• 5 staff, 1.5 focused on alt text accommodations• No work study, occasionally temps• Serve over 3000 learners with disabilities• 130 learners receive alt text• Process120-150 books per quarter• Average 97% of requests fulfilled

in less than two weeks or before course begins


Learner Prep Work

Prep Work Goal #1:Proactively eliminate learner delays from the process.No surprises, please!


Learner Prep Work

1) Email learners 4-6 weeks in advance, asking for requests with or without receipts.

2) Conduct proactive reporting:• obtain bookstore’s list of required text for each course• obtain list of our learners’ courses from registration system• cross check bookstore list with learners’ registered courses• start a new spreadsheet of what might be requested


Publisher Prep Work

Prep Work Goal #2: Proactively eliminate publisher delays from the process. Be prepared with what you need!


Publisher Prep Work

1) Note what e-text titles we don’t already have.2) Make publisher requests whenever possible.3) Obtain hard copies of difficult titles, as a backup plan.


Alt Text Production Process

1) Learners send receipts via email or fax.2) We make publisher requests for e-text files.3) Obtain files from publisher or create from hard copy.4) Clean up the files according to learner needs.5) Deliver e-text files to learners using FTP site.


Challenges and Solutions

Challenge:Learners cannot physically deliver receipts, requests, or

other forms.Solution:• Email• Fax• Snail Mail

You’ve got mail.



Challenge:No access to student hard copy if publisher has no files.

Solution:• Check external resources such as Bookshare.• Request a desk copy from publisher. • Check with library, faculty, staff for hard copy.• Purchase hard copy from local retail bookstore.• Purchase hard copy from Capella’s online bookstore.



Challenge:DS cannot physically deliver e-text files to learners.

Solution:• Deliver files using FTP (file transfer) site.

oCreated secure learner accounts using existing FTP site. oUpload accessible files to learners’ accounts. o Learners download files to computer.

• Snail mail files burned to a CD.• Email zipped files.


Technology, Do My Work

Find Titles• Find e-text on Bookshare.org.• Find audiobooks on LearningAlly.org.• Make requests quickly on Access Text Network. • Find contact information on PublisherLookUp.org.• Find files on Alternative Media eXchange Data Base.• Search free ebooks sites for files you can clean up.• Search your library databases for ebooks.



Convert Files• Adjust settings on scanner.• Adjust OmniPage Pro settings.• Use free PDF to Text converters.• OCR in Acrobat for books with

straight text.

Technology, do my work!



Deliver Files• Use an FTP site.• Zip several files to be emailed.• Brainstorm with IT about other options.


Identify Partners. Make Friends.

• Track your learners’ needs and preferences.• Keep track of publisher individual contacts.• Offer publishers clean files in exchange for a desk copy.• Provide Textbook Agreement as reassurance.• Be nice to staff who purchase titles, have connections.


Your Game Plan

• Assess your current step-by-step process. Look for efficiencies.

• Do some prep work. • Identify your partners. Make friends.• Let technology do your work.


Questions?


Call Me Maybe

• Contact me with questions now or later.• [email protected]• 612-977-5926

Documents

Providing Alternative Text to Distance Learners: One Online University's Approach