How can the DSS office help with accessible formats?
Since the law requires the institution to provide accessible materials, someone at the institution has to do it. Generally this task is delegated to the DSS office. As previously stated, most textbooks are not accessible at the time of an accommodations request. This leaves two possibilities for the DSS office; acquire it or produce it.
Since production takes more time and effort, the first choice of most DSS offices is to acquire an accessible format of the textbook if one is available. Some organizations offer Braille, taped, or e-text materials. Some of the more common ones are:
- RFBD - books-on-tape, ASCII books and DAISY format books
- State Libraries - most state libraries have a limited number of books-on-tape and e-text
- E-text consortiums - including the Gutenberg Project, Texas Text Exchange, and Bookshare
Once materials are produced in an e-text format, they can be accessed using Braille, enlarged text, text-to-speech, digital recording, etc.
